Instructions: Walking through the farmers market, dozens of growers display colorful vegetables. Yet, one table stands apart in its youthful green simplicity.

Delicate ribbons of sweet peas reach for the warmth of the sun.

Lined neatly in bright white containers, uncut living crops are on display.

The grower stands behind a virtual lawn of green tendrils, gently lifting the sprouts from their felt-lined beds. Every purchase is harvested to order.

On this sunny Saturday morning at the market, there are people of all ages gathering around for samples of buckwheat sprouts, broccoli sprouts, and bean medley. There are even a few courageous children grazing from the trays on the table and enjoying the nutritious snack.

Sprouts complement a meal by adding texture and a refreshing flavorful spark.

Or use them to dress up the dinner plate. A spoonful of clover on the plate with a slice of tomato adds a delicate splash of color .

Each sprout variety has a personality all its own in both taste and texture.

The grower serves samples of the sprouts and makes recommendations beginning with the mildest in flavor. The sunflower sprouts are a luscious introduction.

Their moist and mildly nutty character make them an affable initiation.

On the other end of the spectrum is the tempestuous daikon sprout, which can add a spicy and somewhat drier texture to an egg-salad or tuna-fish sandwich.

Sprouted seeds and grains are potent with energy, nutrition and flavor. As seeds sprout they attain higher levels of protein, sugar, enzymes, and vitamins A, B, C, and E and increase in the amino acid content, according to Rodales

Alfalfa sprouts and bean sprouts are available year round and in most every supermarket , but in this season of warm sun and busy farmers markets, you may well bump into a broader variety of sprouts. Seize the opportunity - theyre delicious, nutritious, and add a lot of variety and texture to your salads and other dishes.

Heres a small sampling of some of the other sprouts with suggested uses:

Sunflower sprouts are the most palatable for the uninitiated. The sprout grows on a long, slender strand of white stem with two bright green leaflets at the end. Newly sprouted they make a nutty topping for toast or grown three to four inches long they are a crisp addition to a cold cut sandwich.

Clover is a nice substitute for alfalfa sprouts, which are the most marketed of sprouts. They have a stronger flavor than alfalfa and more texture. They are the Cadillac of sandwich sprouts. Clover is an excellent palette cleanser for a spicy Thai curry.

Garlic sprouts are a nutty, hot sprout with a mild garlic flavor. Use them to float on top of creamy squash soup or to garnish pasta. They make a nice alternative to using garlic cloves because of a milder taste.

Onion sprouts are hotter than garlic and are a great way to spice up an ordinary egg salad sandwich or a light and crisp compliment to a barbecue beef sandwich. Another alternative is to garnish a summer pasta salad with this delicate beauty.

Fenugreek is mildly spicy and bitter. The sprouts are commonly served in salad much the same way arugula is used. These sprouts are rich with vitamin A and the seeds are 29 percent protein. A simple salad of avocado, red onion and fenugreek makes a winning combination!

Daikon is the hottest of the sprouts listed. A piquant addition to a sweet jicama salad or use to brighten a tuna fish sandwich.

Pea sprouts are long delicate threads of green and taste very much the same as a fresh pea. The strands are good in stir-fry with other vegetables or on their own as a side dish with a splash of rice vinegar.

Buckwheat is a long slender sprout that adds elegance to a common green salad. It has a lemony flavor and is loaded with calcium.

Broccoli sprouts are buttery and spicy. Broccoli sprouts contain sulforaphane, the compound that gives broccoli its cancer-fighting ability. The sprouts can contain up to 50 times more sulforaphane then mature broccoli, according to Dr. Paul Talalay, the cancer researcher who developed broccoli sprouts.

Mix mung bean, adzuki and lentil for an exciting melange. This combination makes a sweet, chewy addition to rice. Mix equal amounts brown rice, the bean mixture and your favorite salad dressing for a nice spin on a potluck salad. The bright green of the mung and the earthy red of adzuki make this a very beautiful centerpiece on any picnic table.

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