1. buy "raw" nuts and seeds
If you don't see "raw" on the label it has likely been roasted (roasting turns "good" oils into "bad" oils and destroys all living properties).
2. as a general rule, soak nuts overnight and seeds for at least 4 hours
This makes the nutrients more digestible (after soaked, rinse your nuts/seeds very thoroughly; if you don't eat them right away, place them in your dehydrator for a couple hours at 104 degrees to dry them; store in fridge or freezer).
3. can be used in a multitude of recipes
Keep your fridge/freezer stocked with a variety of nuts/seeds because they are used in everything from nut-milks to pie crust to raw food burgers to puddings...
4. sprouted nuts & seeds are packed full of viable vitamins and nutrients
Sprouting makes them one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet! It flip-flops the fat-protein ratio so you have more protein and less fat; when sprouted, they are chocked full of more nutrients at this time than any other.
Basically, soak overnight (I add a little pinch of ascorbic acid to deter mold growth), rinse thoroughly, spread on a sprouting tray or a colander, cover from daylight, keep on counter, rinse frequently throughout the day; consume when little sprouties just poke through or when the full sprout is visible (do some research online or in a book to find out more about sprouting methods). Some refer to sprouting as countertop gardening!
My favorite thing to sprout are sunflower seeds. They are done in about 3 days and turn a slightly pinkish color, making for an interesting salad addition. Raw, organic sunflower seeds are easy to find and inexpensive too!
MY EASY RECIPE...
- couple handfuls of sunflower seeds (soaked or sprouted)
- 1 cup of chopped celery
- minced onion to taste (I use 1/4 cup)
- 1/2 sliced & diced cucumber
- 1/4 cup olive oil (cold-pressed and organic)
- 2 TBSP lemon juice (right out of lemon is best)
- 1 TBSP dill
~ Mix it all together and eat on your green salad or spread on raw crackers/bread. I like to take about 1/3 of mixture and zap it in the food processor and add it back to bowl--this creates a pate flair. Ooohlaalaa.
