Events are back on the calendar here in L.A. and we are slowly emerging toward the kinds of workshops and dinner parties we so often featured before the past two years sent us into a whole different pace of life.

One of our first featured live workshops brought together sustainable fashion’s Christy Bausaskas of Christy Dawn and My New Roots founder, Sarah Britton — both wellness icons in our book and both featured on our pages for the first time in 2015!

Sarah, Suzanne, Christy outside Christy Dawn’s new Abbot Kinney storefront

Christy gathered our group inside the stunning new Venice shop for a sprouting workshop with Sarah, the holistic nutritionist and founder of My New Roots. Guests included actress Christina Elmore (shown at top), Domino Mag contributor, Vy Tran Yang, Sophie Jaffe, Betsy Simon and Christy Dawn’s Director of Regenerative Practices, Mairin Wilson.

Everyone who attended is dressed in Christy’s farm-to-closet dresses and tops. Sarah is wearing the Katrina Dress in Navy Poppy, our Editor-In Chief Suzanne is wearing The Brooklyn Dress in Dandelion Floral and Christy is wearing the new The Elizabeth Dress in Noir Petunia Dot.

 Sprouting Class with My New Roots’ Sarah Britton

This class was all about sprouting. Sprouting is probably the most under-rated nutrition skill you can learn to cultivate at home. We highly recommend trying this and taking full advantage!

After a lesson on how to grow sprouts, which we’re sharing below, Sarah also made a delicious sprouted lentil dip for the group to snack on. Come back tomorrow for the full recipe!

sprouting 101: Sprouting is like any other kitchen endeavor: it seems daunting until you actually do it, then you’re left wondering what took you so long to try.

With simple equipment that you most likely have in your cupboard, and seeds that you already have in your pantry, it’s a fun and empowering practice that brings you one step closer to your food.

Sprouting can take place anywhere you have access to fresh, clean water twice a day. I’ve sprouted on road trips, beach holidays, visiting the in-laws…all over the place. And the groovy thing about taking your show on the road is that you can convince other people to get sprouting, too.

If you’re on a budget, sprouts are a sweet deal. Because the amount of food you sprout triples or quadruples in size, you’ll end up with way more to eat than you started with for the same price. It’s kind of magical. What’s more, properly stored sprouts can last over a month, and some varieties for up to 70 days! If you’re prone to tossing away spoiled produce, sprouts will save you money, big time.

Sprouts are not just great for our health, but also the planet. Consider the fact that you’re growing a garden right in your kitchen, using your own energy to make the magic happen. It’s hyper-local food at its best. No chemicals or pesticides during the growing process, or fossil fuels for transportation.

Sprouting health benefits of note: Sprouts are so nutritious because they are “life potential”, ignited.

When we soak a seed, we end its dormancy, and awaken the nutrition inside it needed to grow a plant, which will in turn make more seeds and more plants.

When we eat a sprout, we eat this potential.

“Pound for pound, sprouts have the largest amount of nutrients of any food.”

Did you get that? This is a big deal! And it’s all because sprouting increases vitamin content significantly, especially vitamins A, Bs, C and E, along with boosting calcium, iron, selenium, and zinc. The quality of protein and carbohydrates improves, as the sprouting process begins to break down the complex proteins and starches into amino acids, peptides, and simple carbohydrates needed by the seed to grow. At the same time, anti-nutrients such as phytic acid, protease and amylase inhibitors are neutralized. This makes a sprout very easy to digest with highly absorbable nutrients.

How to Sprout: The Jar Method

Equipment needed:
1 sterilized, large-mouth, quart-sized glass jar with an airtight lid
Small piece of cheesecloth

Day 1
1. Prep (night) — Take a quick glance at the seeds as you put them into the sterilized soaking container. Remove any stones, cracked/damaged seeds, and rinse well.

2. Soak (night) — A general rule is covering the seeds with 2-3 times the amount of water (e.g. 1 cup seeds : 2-3 cups water). Use pure, filtered, unchlorinated water. Skim off any seeds that are floating. Let sit for 8-12 hours.

Day 2
1. Drain (morning) — Put a piece of cheesecloth over the mouth of the jar and secure it with a rubber band. Drain the seeds, letting all the water run out.

2. Rinse + drain (morning) — Run cool water through the cheesecloth, swish the seeds around and drain. Repeat, then set the jar in a bowl or on your dish rack at a 45° angle so that any remaining water can drain out, but air can easily get in.

3. Rinse + drain again (night)

Day 3
1. Rinse + drain (morning) — Run cool water through the cheesecloth, swish the seeds around and drain. Repeat, then set the jar in a bowl or on your dish rack at a 45° angle so that any remaining water can drain out, but air can easily get in.

2. Rinse + drain again (night)

Day 4
1. Rinse + drain (morning) — Run cool water through the cheesecloth, swish the seeds around and drain. Repeat, then set the jar in a bowl or on your dish rack at a 45° angle so that any remaining water can drain out, but air can easily get in.

2. Rinse + drain again (night)

3. Enjoy (night)

Your sprouts are ready! The tail should be at least the length of the seed itself (if it is not quite there yet, continue with the rinsing and draining process until it is. Some seeds take a couple more days).

If you’re not going to eat all the sprouts right away, make sure you let the sprouts drain for at least 8 hours after their last rinse before you put them in the fridge. Never store wet sprouts, as they will spoil quickly. Store sprouts in the sprouting jar with an airtight lid for one month, or more.

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