Sprout Your Chia Seeds

The traditional way of sprouting doesn’t work well for chia seeds. Here’s an easy alternative way to get them sprouting.

Chia sprouts are nutritional powerhouses: they are high in protein as well as high-quality ­ fibre, rich in minerals and antioxidants and even contain high levels of omega oils. The body can also digest the unprocessed, raw seeds fairly easily. That said, sprouting them makes them even easier to digest and makes them tastier with a lovely tangy, nutty flavour.

When chia seeds are soaked in water they create a gel that makes them hard to sprout in a traditional sprouting jar. To get around this, we used a terracotta saucer as an easy way to get them sprouted for your salads and wraps.

Here’s how we sprouted Chia seeds:

1. Pour about 1cm of water into a larger dish that has a lid. Place the terracotta saucer in it. The terracotta saucer will soak up the water.

2. Sprinkle a single, sparse layer of chia seeds into the terracotta saucer. (We used a few too many but now we know better for next time.)

3. Lightly mist the chia seeds. Pop the lid on the bigger container and leave it in a cool place. The sprouts will appear in 4 – 7 days.

READ MORE: Take a look at this easy overnight oats recipe