Growing Broccoli Sprouts at Home

Cruciferous vegetables are always recommended for anti-cancer diets, and I try to eat them a few times a week (I also love them!). Sulforaphane is one of the compounds that's especially prized for its effect against breast cancer, seen in both test-tube and population studies. 

Broccoli is the most sulforaphane-rich veggie, and...broccoli SPROUTS have 100x as much sulforaphane as grown-up broccoli! Even better, they are super easy to grow at home.

Here's how I do it:

I bought these sprouting lids which screw on to large mason jars, as well as this pound of seed mix which contains broccoli, alfalfa, radish and clover seeds. I'm sure there are lots of options out there, I liked that this was from the USA, non-GMO and organic. 

1. At night, I put 1 heaping tablespoon of seed mix in a large mason jar, cover liberally with water, and screw on a lid. I leave it upright in a cabinet overnight.
2. The next morning, I drain the water (through the holes in the lid) and rinse. I place it tilted upside down in a glass food storage dish so the water can drain. I keep it in a dark cabinet.
3. For the next 2-3 days, I rinse and drain the seeds about 3 times a day, returning to the dark cabinet.
4. When the sprouts are about 3/4 inch long, I move them to a counter so they can get some light and turn green. I continue rinsing for a day.
5. Then I remove the sprouts with a clean fork and put them on a paper towel in a shallow container in the fridge.

If you would like more detailed instructions, check out Clean Eating Kitchen!  

I read that sprouts are most powerful when eaten between around 120 - 140 degrees F, so it's good to heat them a little but not too much. I think it's better to eat them cold than overheat them. 

I used two tablespoons here - crowded!