Technically a recipe, just not for humans! The right mix of nutritious components for your veggie seedlings, not just to grow but to absolutely thrive. If you do not want to make your own, there are some good pre-made seed starting mixes that you can purchase at any garden store. My favorite is Seed Starting Jiffy-Mix, a perfect balance of sphagnum peat moss and vermiculite for seed germination, unrooted cuttings, or seedlings to promote fast take-off and balanced root development.
Ingredients
3 parts coir (if not available, peat is a working alternative)
3 parts vermicompost (your own or purchased)
1 part perlite
½ part greensand
Directions
Mix first three ingredients together
Sprinkle greensand into the mix and combine (so greensand is evenly distributed throughout the mix
Why does it work?
Coir/peat: provides a base for mix and gives seedlings something fine yet sturdy to encourage strong root growth. It also retains moisture well, as long as you don't let it dry out (rehydrating is a nightmare).
Vermicompost: provides excellent nutrition for your growing seedlings, which they'll need once they grow their first set of real leaves. The seed can do everything to germinate and create a stem and cotyledons on its own but will need outside nutrition to continue that growth.
Perlite: keeps the mix from getting too dense and provides aeration.
Greensand: excellent source of potash (essential for overall plant health and growth).