Need sprouting class opinion

[DRiz]

I haven't sprouted anything yet. A friend of mine tried mung beans and had no success. I understand that mung beans are one of the easiest to sprout, and there are so many others that I want to try. Since she wasn't able to sprout mung beans, I've held off trying.

There is a health food store where I live that is having a sprouting class this weekend. Cost is $60. I've already spent quite a bit getting a high powered blender and a dehydrator, both of which I love and am very glad I got them. I guess my question is, is $60 for a 4-hour class in sprouting worth it or is this something I can learn on my own? The class includes instructions, some seeds/beans, and sprouting jars to take home.

Any opinions? Thanks in advance.

[Revvell]

Alissa's book has quite a bit of information on sprouting. If you don't have it it'll cost about half the price of the class plus you get a lot more info, over 300 recipes, etc.

Mason jars and cheese cloth are less expensive as well. I never took a class.

Your friend may have had old beans. My suggestion? Get some lentils, soak overnight, rinse and drain, stick 'em in a jar and see what happens.

[DopeRawAbundance]

Sprouting is an incredibly easy thing to do, the internet has all the info you need.

You might want to check into sproutbags. I have sproutman's hemp sproutbag and just did a mix of clover, radish, and fenugreek seeds, the result was fantastic. Soak the seeds overnight, pour them in the bag and rinse well, hang the bag over your sink to drain. Rinse a few times a day until they're ready, this mix took like 3 days I think. You can put them in gentle sunlight to green up a bit before you munch 'em:

http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/1397/2sprouts.jpg

http://img694.imageshack.us/img694/4667/sprouts.jpg

As you can see there's a lot of sprouts there, I filled the bag to the top with seeds so the sprouts were amazingly compressed in there... 1/3 to 1/2 full of seeds would be more appropriate for the future.

[DRiz]

Wow, WOW! Those are beautiful sprouts.

Thanks for your suggestions. I already own Alissa's book and DVDs, that set was the very first thing I purchased. That book has become my new best friend.

I'm not going to be intimidated anymore and I'm going to just go for it and try it myself. :D

Thanks!

[lovenlife]

Sprouts are soooooooo easy. I would never pay for a sprouting class...I rather go pay that for a Zamba class...woohooo.

[Tirza]

You can for sure get a lot of info online. There are some really great sprouting sites with SO much information. They will even answer questions. AND they have nice fresh seed.

You can also find lots of videos on YouTube about sprouting. As good as any class!

There is also a section here on RFT where you can share and ask questions about things like sprouting and juicing, etc.

[DebB]

I agree - you can watch some YouTube videos if you'd like to, that's what I've done! Sprout People just put several up in the past few days!

I use a Mason jar (can find these at the thrift store, usually 25¢. I use these lids - love them! They're like this one (http://www.handypantry.com/product/SL-5)
, except they come 3 to a card in small, medium and large holes. I get them at my health food store for less than $4 total.

I've even made my own (and to share at a raw food meetup group where I showed others how to sprout alfalfa - gave everyone a thrifted jar with a drain lid I made). Pretty similar to these (http://www.ehow.com/how_2320851_wide-mouth-sprouting-lids.html).

You can do this! Give it a try - you won't be disappointed. Even after sprouting for several months, I learned new ideas from Sprout People's videos. *Ü*

[Tirza]

I've even made my own (and to share at a raw food meetup group where I showed others how to sprout alfalfa - gave everyone a thrifted jar with a drain lid I made). Pretty similar to these (http://www.ehow.com/how_2320851_wide-mouth-sprouting-lids.html).

I LOVE these! I never thought of using those little craft circles before. I'm now going to YouTube to watch those new videos.

Thanks.

[MrsJohnnyG]

I agree, I'd watch some youtube videos and you'll have all the confidence you need. I spent way too much money (probably MORE than $60) on "official" sprouting jars/lids and a host of seeds and an instruction booklet. This was a year and a half ago... I had spent so much money that I assumed it must be horribly complicated and I didn't even try.

Then a few months ago, I decided what the heck and gave it a try. Even though I was using year-old seeds, they sprouted gorgeously and tasted delicious! I'm only kicking myself that I waited so long.

IMO, the value of a class is that it gives you the confidence to think, "Oh, that's all? I could do that." But you get that same confidence for free by watching someone do it on youtube.

[michigan roman]

soak mung beans 24 hours . drain then rinse twice a day .
use large plastic colanders like in pic below as the air circulation around the seeds / sprouts prevents mold development . mungs are super easy and fast

[sprouts2go]

I tried sprouting in a jar and gave up on that way.
One day I took my my mungs (and all the rest I have sprouted) and put them in a glass jar with water and tossed them in the oven to sit overnight. Then I rinsed them in the AM and tossed them in a wire mesh (small holes they come 3 sizes to a set) strainer and put them back in the oven(with a cup under them to catch the drippings). Rinsed them after work and before bed. Did this until they were the size I wanted. Works everytime for me. I have no idea if I am suppose to soak stuff longer them overnight but I don't. I just assume everything will sprout and it does. I do lentils,french lentils,millet,mixed sandwich sproutsand mung. I have some new ones in the stove now. Oh they are in the stove to keep them away from my cats!!

[DRiz]

You all are so inspiring! I got more information than a four-hour lesson could ever give right here, :) and I have mung beans soaking as we speak. I'll be sure to let you know how it turns out. Thanks so much.

[streetsurfer]

A small fan placed several feet away can shorten sprouting times. With baseboard convector heat there's not much air movement in our kitchen when the windows are closed. A 6" fan on low from about six feet away, blowing across the top of the sprouting area (not directly at them), helps have sprouts ready a day or more earlier than without.

Rinse sprouts gently so as not to break off the tiny root hairs and root tips.

Pick up a small bottle of citric acid/ascorbic acid/vitamin c powder. This, you can use on occassion to add to the rinse water to help prevent spoilage. If you have light browning of the sprouts roots (oxidative stress) due to them drying out too much between rinses, it will remove some of the discoloration. 1/2 t. per quart of rinse water.

Chlorine is an oxidizer, so filtered water, or water that has had a chance to gas off the chlorine is preferred.

I hate to take away a mans income, but with Allisa's book, a book from your library, or the help of your good friends here it's an easy start up. You can buy a lot of beans, peas, seeds, sprouting lids, bags, jars, trays, etc., with sixty dollars.