I was in a studio apartment in Prague teaching in a summer abroad program when I woke up to an unpleasant surprise. My period, which is erratic and difficult to predict, arrived overnight and the white cotton sheets I was sleeping on and the white cotton feather bed cover underneath it were blotched with a saucer-sized crimson stain. If I was at home this would be less stressful: I’d simply change the sheets and toss the soiled ones in the wash. However, the linens in this apartment had just been changed by the cleaning service that came once a week. If I didn’t do something about these blood stains, I’d be stuck with them for a week.

You Don’t Need to Have a Green Thumb to Make Your Own Healthy, Delicious Sprouts

Sprouts, the tasty, crunchy garnish of many a sandwich, salad or stir-fry, are not only bright and refreshing, they’re also nutritional super foods, bursting with vitamins, minerals, protein, fiber, and enzymes that are all kicked into turbo gear during the sprouting process.

Sprouts are not only higher in nutrients than their matured counterparts, but they are also easier to digest and incredibly cheap and easy to make from seeds, grains, and legumes that you may already have on hand. And what’s even better: you can reap the benefits of your sprout harvest in as quickly as three days, and they can be grown any time of year – even in gloomy winter.

Making fresh sprouts at home is so easy that there is absolutely no reason to buy a bag of slimy sprouts with zero shelf-life from the grocery store. Follow these simple instructions, and you’ll be harvesting your own fresh sprouts in no time!