I've been craving fresh vegetables and greens this last week. Not that flavorless stuff shipped from who knows where in the grocery store, but real, flavorful garden food. Unfortunately it's still a bit early for anything fresh from the garden outdoors, but I picked up a bag of sprouting seeds and resolved to fix my dilemma.

You don't need a fancy sprouter to grow edible sprouts at home. A regular mason jar or any glass jar works well. If you are using a mason jar, all you need is the metal ring portion of the lid. For a reused jar, such as mayo container, toss the lid.

Place a tablespoon of sprouting seeds in the jar then fill the jar up with warm water. Lay a piece of mesh fabric or cheesecloth on top the jar opening and secure it with the canning jar ring or a rubber band. Set it in a dark cabinet and wait eight hours or overnight – whichever is easier.

In the morning, pour the water out of the jar, through the mesh so the seeds don't go down the drain. Add more water to the jar once a day. Shake up the sprouts then immediately pour the water out. Continue doing this until the sprouts are ½ to 2 inches long. Rinse a final time, serve and enjoy.