Why Soak Nuts And Seeds?

Why soak nuts and seeds?

Seeds, nuts and beans can just lie around for months when dry -
without sprouting - because they contain enzyme inhibitors to stop
that process. But once they make contact with water, they become
alive and the enzyme inhibitors are released - like Gremlins!

The sprouting enzymes become active in these little seeds and begin
breaking down the food to it's easiest to digest form. This makes
it easier for you to digest and more nutrients are bio-available
and you absorb more nutrients to feed your cells.

Enzymes are alive only in living foods but not cooked foods and begin to die at around 115 degrees Fahrenheit.

For optimal living we need to eat living foods. After all, a “live” food is life giving, energy giving, and nutritious but cooked dead food does not give you the vigor and energy that living foods can.
We know you are a person who wants to get the most out of life, so feeling amazing is very important to you. This element right here is very important.

Begin to eat more living foods, not just soaked seeds. Our challenge to you is to try and eat more vegetables, WE dare you! This would be one of the best things you could do for your health and weight loss.

HOW TO SOAK SEEDS:

You don’t need any fancy jars unless you just want to buy them. A bowl works just great for sprouting. When you sprout smaller seeds like sesame seeds, radish seeds, broccoli seeds which are really small, you will want a sprouting jar with a lid.

Flax Seeds:
Soak for 8 hours (overnight). Put flax seeds in a bowl and cover with water about 1 inch above the seeds. Place the bowl on the counter at room temperature for the full 8 hours uncovered. You can cover with a towel to keep bugs out.

The flax seeds will absorb all the water and become a little slimy. This is natural. After 8 hours, put the unused soaked/sprouted flax seeds in the refrigerator with a lid on. They will last about 5 days in the refrigerator.

Sunflower seeds:

Use the same process as flax seeds. Soak for 8 hours (overnight) in a bowl and cover with water about 1 inch above the seeds. Place the bowl on the counter at room temperature for the full 8 hours uncovered. You can cover with a towel to keep bugs out.

After 8 hours, drain the water and store in fresh water. To use, drain water and scoop out what you need for eating. We use for breakfast, pate’s, snacks, granola, raw sushi rolls, and lots of other cool stuff.

Store in the refrigerator with a lid on and be sure to store seeds in fresh water. If they are not stored in water and exposed to the air, they will mold quickly. They will last about 5 days in the refrigerator after sprouted.

Sesame seeds:

Same process as sunflower seeds. These are GREAT sources of calcium.

Almonds:
Soak almonds for 12-24 hours. Put the almonds in a bowl and sit on counter to soak.

With almonds you need to rinse them every 12 hours if you are soaking for 24 hours.

Store almonds the same way you store sunflower seeds. Store in fresh water and put a lid on it and put in the refrigerator. These are great snacks, or for smoothies, or making fresh almond milk, and all sorts of other goodies.

Almonds these days are pasteurized because after an E coli break out involving almonds, the government required all almond growers to pasteurize their almonds – usually by quick steam or a chemical spray.

Even if the package says “raw”, they are technically not raw, it is now against the law to sell them. It is very difficult to find raw almonds now but it can be done. Just do the best that you can with what you have. At least soak your almonds so they are easy to digest.

Get Dressed Up!

Salad bars have sprouted up everywhere these days - from urban street corners to posh, "green" restaurants that also serve wine and cheese. Growing demand for healthy, unprocessed food has spurred a huge growth in supermarket sales of salads, as well - especially pre-bagged leafy greens and accompaniments.

The popular ingredients of salads - from tomatoes, red peppers and shredded carrots to arugula and watercress - are loaded with vitamins and minerals. They provide fiber that keeps our systems functioning. And they are rich in antioxidants, particularly carotenoids.

So, what could possibly be wrong with this development? For one thing, many salad savorers think they are doing themselves a favor by opting for dressings with low or not fat, or no dressing at all. The truth is that you need some fat to extract the nutrients from salads, especially those carotenoid antioxidants. At the other extreme are those who take their salads with prepared or commercial dressing. But most of those dressings, even in health food stores, are made with inferior and even unhealthy fats.

The secret to good salad dressing is a good oil. Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is, literally, the gold standard. Nut oils - walnut oil, hazelnut oil - are delicious too, with a more delicate flavor. Commercial dressings almost invariably rely on cheap soy oil, which - aside from its tastelessness - oversupplies mega-6 fats to bodies and brains that need omega-3 fats instead. So, turn over a new leaf and start preparing your own salad dressings!

Here is one that takes about two minutes to prepare and you could add tons of extra(curry paste, blue cheese, using sesame oil instead)...

Basic Vinaigrette

Ingredients: 1/2 cup EVOO, 3 Tbsp. quality balsamic vinegar, sherry vinegar or fresh lemon juice, 1/2 tsp. powdered mustard, 1 tsp. sugar or sugar substitute and salt and pepper to taste.

Directions: Put dry ingredients in small bowl or jar. Add a few drops of oil and mix to a paste, then stir in the rest of the oil. Add vinegar or lemon juice. Stir well to mix and then shake. Refrigerate after using.

Weekly Nutrition Notes

In Season:

Passion Fruit

That wrinkly purple-fleshed fruit in the produce section is worth a second look. It's as sweet and tasty as it is odd looking. Plus, passion fruit is loaded with fiber, potassium and vitamins A and C. One-half cup provides about 115 calories. This tropical fruit native to Brazil is ripe when its leathery skin is deeply wrinkled. Before it ripens, keep it at room temperature. Add passion fruit to salads and smoothies for a flavor boost, or liven up grilled chicken or fish with a generous spoonful.

Craving Something Salty?

Go ahead. Give in. Salty snacks like chips have no more sodium than a slice of wheat bread--certainly no more than most restaurant or processed food. But don't let that be a license to overindulge. Keep your salty snack small and avoid anything with trans fats or more than 3 grams of saturated fat. Here are some top picks:

EDAMAME BEANS IN THE POD: One-half cup with a sprinkling of salt provides approximately 100 calories, 145 mg sodium, 3 g fiber, 0.5 g saturated fat and 8 g protein.

POPCORN: 6.5 cups microwave popcorn, a whole grain, averages approximately 110 calories, 220 mg sodium, 4 g fiber and 0.5 g saturated fat.

MIXED NUTS: A 1-ounce serving contains heart-healthy fats and approximately 190 calories, 60 mg sodium, 3 g fiber, 2.5 g saturated fat and 7 g protein.

TRISCUIT THIN CRISPS: Made of whole wheat, a 1-ounce serving (15 crackers) contains 130 calories, 180 mg sodium, 3 g fiber and 1 g saturated fat.

Did You Know?

If you don't eat enough fat, you may be setting yourself up for a sports injury, suggests a recent article in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. Among 86 female runners, those with the lowest fat intakes were the most likely to get injured. The researchers hypothesized many possible reasons including inadequate calorie consumption, lower intakes of fat-soluble vitamins and poorer energy supplies leading to fatigue while running. To make sure you consume the most healthful fats, choose fatty fish, nuts, oils and avocado.

A Healthy Read

Pick up The Jungle Effect by Dr. Daphne Miller and learn about the world's healthiest diets--and how to improve your own. Miller travels the world in search of the foods that have protected populations from disease for generations. She visits Crete, where heart disease is rare; Okinawa, Japan, recognized for its low rates of breast cancer; and Iceland, where few people suffer from depression despite long, dark winters. To get you started on a healthier path, Miller provides plenty of tasty, authentic recipes. $23, harpercollins.com.

Happy Travels

It may be to your advantage to skip the crummy airport food on your next trip. A recent study published in the journal Science suggests that avoiding breakfast and lunch prior to the flight and eating upon arrival may fend off some of the problems associated with jet lag. Your brain's circadian clock responds to light and controls the desire and ability to sleep, wake and eat. But when food is scarce, a "food-related clock" jumps in and overrides the "light clock."