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Alfalfa seeds are a popular health food, and eating them in sprout form is the easiest way to enjoy them. According to the Sprout People website, alfalfa seed sprouts have a mild flavor; are slightly crunchy; and are packed with nutrition, containing protein, vitamins, minerals and other phytonutrients. They are also easy to grow. A small amount of alfalfa seeds produces a large amount of sprouts, at around a 7-1 ratio. With some simple kitchen utensils, you can sprout alfalfa seeds and have them ready to eat at home in about a week.
Examine your alfalfa seeds for stones, twigs or other debris and remove it from the seeds. Rinse the seeds thoroughly in warm water to remove any dust or fine dirt.
Place 2 tbsp. of the alfalfa seeds in the glass bowl. Add three times more cool water, at 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, than seed to the bowl.
Mix the seeds with the spoon to remove any air bubbles around the seeds so the water makes contact with each seed.
Soak the seeds for 12 hours. Drain the water from the seeds. Rinse the seeds again with cool water and drain them thoroughly.
Cover the seeds with a tea towel. Place the seeds in a safe place away from direct sunlight at room temperature for 12 hours.
Rinse the seeds every 12 hours for the next three days. During this time, the seeds will sprout. On day four, remove the tea towel and place the seeds directly in sunlight, to green up.
Continue to rinse and drain the sprouts every 12 hours for the next two days. At the end of day six, your seed sprouts are ready to eat.
Remove the seed hulls, if you like, and refrigerate the sprouts starting at 12 hours after they have dried out from their last rinse.
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In Jacksonville, Fla., Frank Whittemore is a content strategist with over a decade of experience as a hospital corpsman in the U.S. Navy and a licensed paramedic. He has over 15 years experience writing for several Fortune 500 companies. Whittemore writes on topics in medicine, nature, science, technology, the arts, cuisine, travel and sports.
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