sprouting flax and chia seeds

[mmmfood]

Does anyone have a successful method for sprouting either of these two seeds? They are very hard to rinse. Are these seeds just better eaten dry?

[souldanzer]

Sprinkle them on soil in a tray and keep it watered. They will grow microgreens.

Souldanzer

[acjazz28]

I'm getting ready to sprout a zesty mix that has curly cress seeds in it, which are gelatinous seeds like chia and flax. At first I tried the jar and cheesecloth method, thinking that it would still sprout since there were more of the other seeds in the mix (broccoli, alfalfa, radish), but ended up with a thick gelled mess! I found out later that those types of seeds grow best using a clay saucer (think chia pet!) or maybe on top of a sprout bag--something that can be moistened easily and the seeds can cling on to and take root on readily. I went to walmart and bought an unglazed clay saucer (about 6" across) for around $2.50. These are the instructions I got from the wheatgrasskits.com site that I'm going to try...

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Sprouting Flax seed:

Previously we have thought that it is just too hard to sprout flax seed. We learned a new way and wanted to pass it on to you: Get an unglazed 6" to 10'' clay saucer. Wash it well and rinse in water with a couple of drops of bleach. Let it dry. Sprinkle flax seeds on the bottom one layer only. Set it into a wide lipped plate filled with water.
Put another plate on top. The seeds will absorb just enough water to make them sprout. Replenish the water in the large plate when necessary. Sprout about 3 to 4 days. Blend into a juice or smoothie.

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Hope this helps!

acjazz28 :)

[mmmfood]

Do microgreens still contain the omega 3's? Do you just pick them out, above the soil?

acjazz, I don't have any clay dishes, but if that works for you then I think I'll go buy one. For sprout bags, I haven't seen them in any stores and I can't buy anything online right now. Let me know how your seeds sprout.

[souldanzer]

I have tried many ways of sprouting mucilagenous seeds - sprinkling them directly into dirt has worked best for me, personally. They will grow a little "carpet" and you just take a pair of scissors and cut them off above the soil when they're between 1 and 2". There isn't much research on sprout nutrition but for what I know about chemistry and biology, they should still have some omega 3's.

Souldanzer :)

[acjazz28]

Well, I got some sprouts! I have them outside so they can green up a bit. The clay saucer worked pretty well. They've been sprouting for about 4 days and I got some pretty good growth. I'll post the pics I took a little later on (if I don't eat them up first! lol!)

If you have a Lowe's or Home Depot around, you can get some paint strainer bags and use them as sprout/nut milk bags. I went to Lowe's a while back and got six one-gallon sized nylon paint strainer bags for around $6-$7. I use them to sprout nuts and seeds and to strain my juices I make in my Vitamix knockoff (Jack Lalanne Healthmaster 100). You can even use cheesecloth to sprout these seeds too. I sprouted wheatgrass on cheesecloth and it's still growing well after a week (see below). As long as you keep it moist it should be no problem...

BTW, the 1st picture is a comparison pic of the wheatgrass grown in compost vs the wheatgrass grown on cheesecloth. It's obvious which one's the clear winner. :)

Hope this helps!

acjazz28

[Bookish Lass]

They made the Chia pet to sprout chia seeds, would likely work with flax too. Hokey, but it works.

[acjazz28]

Ok...as promised, here's the pics of my clay saucer experiment. It turned out really well.

[Vaclare79]

I'm getting ready to sprout a zesty mix that has curly cress seeds in it, which are gelatinous seeds like chia and flax. At first I tried the jar and cheesecloth method, thinking that it would still sprout since there were more of the other seeds in the mix (broccoli, alfalfa, radish), but ended up with a thick gelled mess! I found out later that those types of seeds grow best using a clay saucer (think chia pet!) or maybe on top of a sprout bag--something that can be moistened easily and the seeds can cling on to and take root on readily. I went to walmart and bought an unglazed clay saucer (about 6" across) for around $2.50. These are the instructions I got from the wheatgrasskits.com site that I'm going to try...

----------------------------------------------------------------

Sprouting Flax seed:

Previously we have thought that it is just too hard to sprout flax seed. We learned a new way and wanted to pass it on to you: Get an unglazed 6" to 10'' clay saucer. Wash it well and rinse in water with a couple of drops of bleach. Let it dry. Sprinkle flax seeds on the bottom one layer only. Set it into a wide lipped plate filled with water.
Put another plate on top. The seeds will absorb just enough water to make them sprout. Replenish the water in the large plate when necessary. Sprout about 3 to 4 days. Blend into a juice or smoothie.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Hope this helps!

acjazz28 :)

So, we're eating a chia pet ? lol.. jk. What exactly is chia anyways? Can you just grind up the flax seeds in vitamix to make the "breads" or in other recipes for the pizzas?? I'm new to this stuff and I'm not sure how to do a lot of it..

[Vaclare79]

http://www.living-foods.com/articles/chia.html

I found an article about chia seeds..

[mmmfood]

Ok...as promised, here's the pics of my clay saucer experiment. It turned out really well.

That worked so wellll!! Those sprouts looks so neat and pretty..so alive. I'm definitely going to be buying some clay saucers to try the flax and chia! I'm really excited now that there may be hope for them. I might check out home depot for those bags you're talking about too, although I don't like going there much because it intimidates me at that place. Anyway, thanks a bunch for the idea!

Oh yeea..and where did you buy your wheatgrass seeds?

[acjazz28]

Hey mmmfood...I went to a health food store in my area and bought a 28oz bag of the Arrowhead Mills brand of organic whole grain wheat...I got it a year ago and they're still sprouting great. :)

One more thing about my clay saucer experiment - when I lifted up the sprouts, the roots basically formed their own interlocked support system--it was just a matter of rinsing them to loosen up the hulls and putting them in my salad spinner (with paper towels) to dry them and they were meal ready. In fact, they're almost gone I think I'm gonna start another saucer full PLUS some extra jars of my other zesty mix (broccoli, alfalfa, clover, radish).

Big YUMMY experiment successful!!!

acjazz28 :)

[mmmfood]

Hey mmmfood...I went to a health food store in my area and bought a 28oz bag of the Arrowhead Mills brand of organic whole grain wheat...I got it a year ago and they're still sprouting great. :)

One more thing about my clay saucer experiment - when I lifted up the sprouts, the roots basically formed their own interlocked support system--it was just a matter of rinsing them to loosen up the hulls and putting them in my salad spinner (with paper towels) to dry them and they were meal ready. In fact, they're almost gone I think I'm gonna start another saucer full PLUS some extra jars of my other zesty mix (broccoli, alfalfa, clover, radish).

Big YUMMY experiment successful!!!

acjazz28 :)

I still haven't got a clay saucer yet BUT I think I will be getting one this week to try the flax on. I am wondering why you loosen the hulls. Are you supposed to throw those out? I always though I was supposed to eat them..Would there be enzyme inhibitors in there or something?

[femaleuna]

I am so glad to hear about the clay saucer sprouter! I have one right now that has been sitting in my pile of unused pots out by the shed. I am going to run out there right now and get some flax going tonight! My fax seeds are about a year old, I wonder if they will still sprout?
Thanks for this tidbit! And the great pics!