 Why
a Bag?
People often assume sprouts are best grown in jars. Indeed, in the
hands of a diligent gardener, jars can successfully grow several
varieties of sprouts. But jars were never designed for sprouting.
Their popularity has more to do with their wide availability and
free cost than with their merits as a gardening tool. Any serious
sprout grower will soon run into the many limitations of jars as
sprouting devices. While there are other types of sprouters
available with different features, the sprout bag is a perfect
substitution for the jar, with several advantages. A little sprout
history lesson follows.
Sprout History Lesson
The Dark Ages
of Sprouting
THE JAR
- Never
designed for sprouting.
- Poor air
circulation. Small opening limits air.
- Incomplete
drainage. Stagnant air & water promotes mold growth.
- Open end
requires cheesecloth, rubber bands, screens, or lids.
- Cheesecloth
over mouth collects bacteria.
- Not usable
for sprouting many vegetables, large beans, and gelatinous
seeds (chia).
- Prone to
breakage. Difficult to transport. Accidents ruin crop.
- Take up
valuable kitchen space.
- Time
consuming 4 steps. Fill up, pour out, tilt at an angle, drain.
- Cumbersome
to handle multiple jars. Difficult to get hands in and out.
- Takes up
precious refrigerator space and shelf space. Fixed size.
The Modern
Age
THE SPROUT BAG
- Designed
for sprouting. Saves time. Very convenient.
- All sprouts
get air. Good circulation prevents mold.
- 100%
drainage without tilting or waiting. Water never collects.
- Will sprout
all varieties. All grains, all beans, even gelatinous seeds.
- Convenient.
Only 2 steps. Dip in water, hang on hook or knob. Or lay in dish
rack.
- Saves
counter space. Saves refrigerator space. Bags expand and contract
per volume.
-
Lightweight, unbreakable. Great for traveling, camping, boating.
- Wide
opening for easy handling. Holds equivalent to 3/4 gallon jar.
- Fabric
won't shrink or mold, like cotton, burlap or cheesecloth.
- Made from
durable flax (linen) and hemp fibers.
- Flax sprout
bag discovered by Sproutman circa 1979.
Sprout bags are perfect for making
delicious sprout bread.
Here is Sproutman's basic sprout bread recipe.
"I
purchased a sprout bag last week and just took my sprout bread
out of the oven. I'm so very happy with the product. I've been
wanting to grow sprouts for years and your bag is so easy. I
used wheat berries for my first loaf of bread. It's so good. I
also bought your Kitchen Garden Cookbook. You are awesome. Thank
you so much!"
--
Margaret
Anderson, Castro Valley, CA, July 24, 2002 |
 Sproutman's
Basic Sprout Bread
Soak 1 cup of hard wheat in a jar for 8-10 hours. Sprout in your
Sprout Bag for 2 days. Examine the seed for the shoot. The shoot is
short, thick and grows in the opposite direction of the hairlike
roots. In order to achieve the desired consistency, the shoot must
be the length of the berry. Longer makes the bread too chewy. Now
grind the sprouts in a food processor, a Champion juicer
(homogenizer section), a wheatgrass juicer, or a cast iron meat
grinder. Do not use a blender or Vita Mix. It is crucial that the
resulting "sprout dough" is ground to a smooth paste. If necessary,
reinsert the sprouts for a second grind. Form a 12 x 3 inch loaf by
hand. Wet your hands constantly while shaping. Lay the loaf on a
seeded cookie sheet. Sesame or poppy seeds keep the bread from
sticking. Bake slowly at 250 degrees F. for approximately 2-4 hours.
Lift the bread off the baking tray momentarily after 1-2 hours of
baking. This avoids sticking. Bread is done when the underside is
firm and no longer mushy. The inside will remain moist while the top
of the bread may harden.
For more sprout
bread recipes, see
Sproutman's Kitchen Garden Cookbook
FAQ's - Common Questions and Answers
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