My very first self started plant test, just before getting started on Outdoor Hedonist was to plant a little seed tray together with my toddler. She wanted either flowers or grass for her doll to play on. She got chia.

The chia sprouted quickly and densely. We let it grow for a couple weeks, and then I gave her some scissors to thin the chia out. She went nuts! I followed up to leave just one seedling standing per cell. The rest of the seedlings, we snacked on or just left in the tray. Plants rot, right? that makes nutrients, doesn’t it?

Well, kinda. What it actually made was mold. Gross. Now I’m eating all my non-moldy seedlings as I thin them down. Did you know tiny seedlings are friggin’ tasty? I’m used to thinking of sprouts as mung bean sprouts or alfalfa sprouts, nice, but not exciting. Whereas once the chia gets it true leaves it starts to taste a little minty/peppery. Yum.