Measuring I’d like to begin with a short note on measuring. While working on a raw recipe, the way ingredients are prepared, especially how they are cut and whether they are used whole or ground, can have a major impact on the finished result. In that light, when reading a recipe pay close attention to the size/type of cuts, and where the commas are located. Let me show you what I mean. For instance, ½ cup flax seeds, ground won’t yield the same amount as ½ cup ground flax seeds. Another example would be 3/4 cup roughly chopped red pepper vs. 3/4 finely chopped. These may seem like minor details, but they will greatly contribute to successful recipe recreation.
Soaking Nuts and Seeds Most nuts and seeds contain phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors. Their purpose is to prevent the seeds from sprouting before they have the proper conditions of soil, rain and sunlight in order to grow. Unfortunately for us, these substances also make nuts and seeds difficult to digest. In nature, rainwater washes off the acids and enzyme inhibitors so the nut or seed can germinate. We imitate Nature by soaking the nuts and seeds (sometimes referred to as ‘sprouting’), therefore activating their growth potential. Not only does soaking increase their vitality, but it boosts the vitamin content, allows the nutrients to be more easily absorbed by the body and makes them easier to digest. Additionally, while nuts and seeds are acidic at the ash level, soaking makes them alkaline. Soaking time differs depending mostly on nut and seed size and density. You can easily find online charts with the recommended soaking times. I like to simplify things as much as I can, so I tend to soak mine for 8 hours (or overnight) unless otherwise specified. Brazil nuts, hazelnuts and macadamia nuts don’t contain enzyme inhibitors and therefore do not require soaking. Be mindful that in raw food preparation, whether nuts and seeds are soaked or ‘dry’ when used in a recipe will greatly affect the texture. If you have the time and energy, you might want to consider soaking and dehydrating your nuts and seeds ahead of time. That way, you’ll be all prepared if a recipe calls for them ’dry’.
Sprouting Sprouting is probably one of the most well known raw techniques. ‘Baby plants in their prime’, sprouts are super rich in vitamins, minerals, proteins and live enzymes. Growing your own sprouts is easy, economical and so delicious! Once you get to enjoy your very own beautiful ultra fresh homegrown sprouts, you’ll no longer be able to settle for the store-bought stuff! For my part, I discovered sprouting early on when I became vegetarian. Although I did dabble a little into homegrown bean, sunflower and buckwheat sprouts, my specialty has always been
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Delightfully Raw