Benefits of Soaking Nuts/Seeds & Sprouting! Made Easy!

If you've started reading raw cookbooks, you've probably noticed that soaking nuts and seeds is a pretty common practice!

The main reason soaking nuts and seeds is so important is because they contain enzyme inhibitors.

The purpose of these enzyme inhibitors is to protect the nut or seed until it has what it needs for growing.

Nature allowed the inhibitors and toxic substances to be easily removed when the conditions (enough rain and sun) were met.

In nature, when it rains the nut gets enough moisture so it can germinate and produce a plant. The plant then continues to grow with the sunlight.

By soaking nuts and seeds, you release these toxic enzyme inhibitors AND increase the life and vitality contained within them!

The Benefits of Soaking Nuts and Seeds

• Enzyme inhibitors get neutralized.


• The amount of vitamins your body can absorb increases.


• Gluten breaks down so digestion is much easier.


• Phytic acid, which inhibits the absorption of vital minerals, is reduced.

Soaking times vary with the nut. Generally the more dense the nut, the longer the soaking time. Ideally, soaking should be done at room temperature.

Below is a soaking and sprouting chart. 

Soaking and Sprouting Times

Nut / Seed	Dry Amount	Soak Time	Sprout Time	Sprout Length	Yield
Alfalfa Seed	3 Tbsp	12 Hours	3-5 Days	1-2 Inches	4 Cups
Almonds	3 Cups	8-12 Hours	1-3 Days	1/8 Inch	4 Cups
Amaranth	1 Cup	3-5 Hours	2-3 Days	1/4 Inch	3 Cups
Barley, Hulless	1 Cup	6 Hours	12-24 Hours	1/4 Inch	2 Cups
Broccoli Seed	2 Tbsp	8 Hours	3-4 Days	1-2 Inches	2 Cups
Buckwheat, Hulled	1 Cup	6 Hours	1-2 Days	1/8-1/2 Inch	2 Cups
Cabbage Seed	1 Tbsp	4-6 Hours	4-5 Days	1-2 Inches	1 1/2 Cups
Cashews	3 Cups	2-3 Hours			4 Cups
Clover	3 Tbsp	5 Hours	4-6 Days	1-2 Inches	4 Cups
Fenugreek	4 Tbsp	6 Hours	2-5 Days	1-2 Inches	3 Cups
Flax Seeds	1 Cup	6 Hours			2 Cups
Garbanzo Beans (Chick Pea)	1 Cup	12-48 Hours	2-4 Days	1/2-1 Inch	4 Cups
Kale Seed	4 Tbsp	4-6 Hours	4-6 Days	3/4-1 Inch	3-4 Cups
Lentil	3/4 Cup	8 Hours	2-3 Days	1/2-1 Inch	4 Cups
Millet	1 Cup	5 Hours	12 Hours	1/16 Inch	3 Cups
Mung Beans	1/3 Cup	8 Hours	4-5 Days	1/4-3 Inches	4 Cups
Mustard Seed	3 Tbsp	5 Hours	3-5 Days	1/2-1 1/2 Inches	3 Cups
Oats, Hulled	1 Cup	8 Hours	1-2 Days	1/8 Inch	1 Cup
Onion Seed	1 Tbsp	4-6 Hours	4-5 Days	1-2 Inches	1 1/2-2 Cups
Pea	1 Cup	8 Hours	2-3 Days	1/2-1 Inch	3 Cups
Pinto Bean	1 Cup	12 Hours	3-4 Days	1/2-1 Inch	3-4 Cups
Pumpkin	1 Cup	6 Hours	1-2 Days	1/8 Inch	2 Cups
Quinoa	1 Cup	3-4 Hours	2-3 Days	1/2 Inch	3 Cups
Radish	3 Tbsp	6 Hours	3-5 Days	3/4-2 Inches	4 Cups
Rye	1 Cup	6-8 Hours	2-3 Days	1/2-3/4 Inch	3 Cups
Sesame Seed, Hulled	1 Cup	8 Hours			1 1/2 Cups
Sesame Seed, Unhulled	1 Cup	4-6 Hours	1-2 Days	1/8 Inch	1 Cup
Spelt	1 Cup	6 Hours	1-2 Days	1/4 Inch	3 Cups
Sunflower, Hulled	1 Cup	6-8 Hours	1 Day	1/4-1/2 Inch	2 Cups
Teff	1 Cup	3-4 Hours	1-2 Days	1/8 Inch	3 Cups
Walnuts	3 Cups	4 Hours			4 Cups
Wheat	1 Cup	8-10 Hours	2-3 Days	1/4-3/4 Inch	3 Cups
Wild Rice	1 Cup	12 Hours	2-3 Days	Rice Splits	3 Cups

Soaking Nuts and Seeds

1. Gather your raw, organic nuts or seeds.


2. Rinse them in purified or distilled water.


3. Place them in a glass or stainless steel bowl.


4. Cover with twice as much water as the nuts or seeds. (1 cup of nuts to 2 cups of water).


5. Cover the bowl with something breathable like a cloth towel.


6. Drain and rinse the nuts or seeds every 3 or 4 hours.

The soak water will contain the enzyme inhibitors which is very acidic to the body so make sure to rinse your nuts and seeds well.

---

Sprouting Nuts and Seeds

1. Follow the process above for soaking nuts and seeds.


2. Place the soaked and rinsed nuts or seeds in a sprouting jar. You can get this online or at a health food store.


3. Cover the jar with screening, cheesecloth, or sprouting lids.


4. Put the jar face down, at an angle in a low light place. A dish rack or a high rimmed bowl works well because it allows the excess water to drain out.


5. Rinse every 8 hours. To rinse: Fill jar with water. Shake vigorously. Drain. Repeat 2-3 times.

Make sure you drain the jar well. Seeds
that sit in water can spoil the whole jar!

6. Once sprouting begins, place in a sun lit area. Don't place in direct sunlight though. Continue to rinse every 8 hours.


7. Let the sprouts grow for the suggested number of days.

After the final rinse, let the sprouts dry completely! They should be dry to the touch. This is very important! Refrigerated produce dies quickly.

The sprouts can then be stored in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks. 

Vegetarian & Vegan Protein Sources

Protein Sources: Eggs

One large egg (about 50 grams) provides 6 grams of protein. Eggs are versatile and can be prepared in a variety of ways. A veggie omelet will boost up the nutrition level and can provide you with an additional tasty source of protein. Consider a mushroom and spinach omelet for an extra boost of colorful flavor and protein.

Protein Sources: Dairy

Yogurt

One cup (8 ounces) of plain low fat yogurt provides you with approximately 13 grams of protein. Don't forget, the dairy in yogurt is a great source for calcium - about 45% calcium.

Cottage Cheese

One cup (8 ounces) of plain low fat cottage cheese provides you with approximately 27 grams of protein. Add a variety of seeds for an additional punch of protein.

Milk

One cup (8 ounces) of whole milk has about 8 grams of protein.

Protein Sources: Fish

Fish

Three ounces of Atlantic Salmon has approximately 19 grams of protein.

Shellfish

100 grams of bay and sea scallops will provide you with approximately with 23 grams of protein.

Protein Sources: Legumes, Hummus and Sprouts

Legumes

Legumes include a variety of beans as well as peas. Beans are an excellent source of fiber, B vitamins, iron and calcium. Legumes that are a great protein source include:

• peas
• lentils
• kidney beans
• garbanzo beans
• soy beans
• navy beans
• black beans
• chickpeas

Hummus

Hummus is a paste made from chickpeas. One cup of homemade humus contains 12 g of protein.

Sprouts

Sprouts are grown from legumes and are a decent source of protein.

• Alfalfa sprouts: 1 cup has 1 gram of protein.
• Mung sprouts: 1 cup has 2 grams of protein.
• Lentil sprouts: 1 cup has 7 grams of protein.
• Kidney sprouts: 1 cup has 8 grams of protein.

Protein Source: Soy and Edamame

One cup of dry roasted soy nuts has 68 grams of protein.

One cup of soybean, curd cheese has 28 grams of protein.

Edamame

A 3.5 ounce serving of edamame provides 11 grams of protein.

Protein Source: Tofu

Tofu is made with bean curd and soy. Tofu is versatile and can be prepared in a variety of ways.

• 3 ounces of tofu contains 9 grams of protein.

Protein Source: Vegetables

Dried Tomatoes

A 1/4 cup serving of sun-dried tomatoes provides 2 grams protein.

Mushrooms

A 1/2 cup of cooked mushrooms has 2 grams protein.

Spinach

A 1/2 cup of cooked spinach contains 3 grams of protein.

Broccoli

A 1/2 cup of broccoli provides you with 2 grams of protein.

Brussels Sprouts

A 1/2 cup of brussels sprouts provides you with 2 grams of protein.

Corn

A 1/2 cup of sweet yellow corn will give you 3 grams of protein.

Artichokes

A medium artichoke contains 4 grams of protein.

Protein Source: Nuts, Spreads and Seeds

Protein: Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds are an amazing source of protein. They are great as a snack or as a salad topper. You can even add them to your oatmeal, granola or smoothies. Although nuts and seeds can be high in fat they are not usually the dangerous heart clogging animal fats found in beef.

Butters and Spreads

• 2 Tablespoons of peanut butter provides you with 8 grams of protein.
• 2 Tablespoons of Nutella® contains 3 grams of protein.

Measurements and protein grams for nuts and seeds

Food Item	Measurement	Protein Grams
Flax seeds	1 Tablespoon	4 grams
Hemp seeds	1 Tablespoon	6 grams
Pumpkin seeds	1 oz.	3 grams
Sunflower seeds	1 oz.	3 grams
Almonds	1 oz.	3 grams
Cashews	1 oz.	2 grams
Peanuts	1 oz.	3 grams
Pine Nuts	1 oz.	2 grams
Pistachios	1 oz.	3 grams
Walnuts	1 oz.	3 grams

Another List: Shows the amount of protein in various vegan foods and also the number of grams of protein per 100 calories. To meet protein recommendations, the typical adult male vegan needs only 2.5 to 2.9 grams of protein per 100 calories and the typical adult female vegan needs only 2.1 to 2.4 grams of protein per 100 calories. These recommendations can be easily met from vegan sources.

FOOD	AMOUNT	PROTEIN(gm)	PROTEIN(gm/100 cal)
Tempeh	1 cup	41	9.3
Seitan	3 ounces	31	22.1
Soybeans, cooked	1 cup	29	9.6
Lentils, cooked	1 cup	18	7.8
Black beans, cooked	1 cup	15	6.7
Kidney beans, cooked	1 cup	13	6.4
Veggie burger	1 patty	13	13.0
Chickpeas, cooked	1 cup	12	4.2
Veggie baked beans	1 cup	12	5.0
Pinto beans, cooked	1 cup	12	5.7
Black-eyed peas, cooked	1 cup	11	6.2
Tofu, firm	4 ounces	11	11.7
Lima beans, cooked	1 cup	10	5.7
Quinoa, cooked	1 cup	9	3.5
Tofu, regular	4 ounces	9	10.6
Bagel	1 med. (3 oz)	9	3.9
Peas, cooked	1 cup	9	6.4
Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP), cooked	1/2 cup	8	8.4
Peanut butter	2 Tbsp	8	4.3
Veggie dog	1 link	8	13.3
Spaghetti, cooked	1 cup	8	3.7
Almonds	1/4 cup	8	3.7
Soy milk, commercial, plain	1 cup	7	7.0
Soy yogurt, plain	6 ounces	6	4.0
Bulgur, cooked	1 cup	6	3.7
Sunflower seeds	1/4 cup	6	3.3
Whole wheat bread	2 slices	5	3.9
Cashews	1/4 cup	5	2.7
Almond butter	2 Tbsp	5	2.4
Brown rice, cooked	1 cup	5	2.1
Spinach, cooked	1 cup	5	13.0
Broccoli, cooked	1 cup	4	6.8
Potato	1 med. (6 oz)	4	2.7
Sources: USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 18, 2005 and manufacturers' information. The recommendation for protein for adult males vegans is around 56-70 grams per day; for adult female vegans it is around 46-58 grams per day (see text).

Meal Choices

The beauty of the foods listed above is that they can be combined and used in multiple protein rich recipes. Soups, salads, sandwiches and wraps can become wonderful sources of protein. Get creative, stay healthy & enjoy!  :) 

Purple Sweet Potatoes/Yam?

You may just walk right by these sweet potatoes in the store if you happen to see them, but you'd be missing out on a tasty nutritional powerhouse!!  I was first introduced to these amazing purple sweet potatoes about two years ago and have been addicted ever since!  They are also known by Okinawan Sweet Potato, Hawaiian Sweet Potato & a new one I just learned about called Stokes Purple® sweet potato (US grower).  They can be hard to find, but you can almost always find them at your local Asian & Korean Markets, and ALWAYS cheaper than some of the chain gourmet grocery stores.

Not only do they look amazing to the eye, but the taste is beyond expectation when compared to your standard sweet potato.  In addition to their incredible taste, they have possible cancer fighting nutrients and actually has more than 150% more antioxidants then blueberries!  Like other sweet potatoes they are high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, manganese, copper, dietary fiber, vitamin B6, potassium and iron; and known to improve blood sugar regulation and some studies have discovered significant antibacterial and antifungal properties.  

Tips:

• Best way to prepare them? Baked at 400 degrees for about an hour, just like a regular sweet potato.    

• They spoil quickly!  Store them in a dark, cool place (not in an plastic bags, as they will mold within a day--trust me, it happened to me the first time I bought them!) Since they are hard to find where I'm living now, I'll buy a large amount, bake them, let them cool & freeze them.  They thaw and reheat well!  

• Makes an amazing post workout carb!  My personal favorite!!  

• Nutritional Info:  Average size yields about 1 cup has only 140 calories with 4 grams of fiber and nearly 5 grams of protein!   

LOOK AT THAT COLOR!!!  A look inside after baking!  

Purple Sweet Potato Means Increased Amount Of Anti-Cancer Components
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090629132250.htm

Stokes Purple® Sweet Potato: Resource, Recipes and more!
http://www.stokesfoods.com/index.htm

Kohlrabi, WHAT?

Kohlrabi is an amazing vegetable for it's high density of nutrients to it's versatility in recipes!  I like to eat them equally raw or cooked, but before I get into that, let me tell you why they're so good for you!  

Kohlrabi is from the same family of vegetables as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, collard greens and brussels sprouts, and also known as a "German turnip."  They have a mild flavor, somewhat sweet and crunchy when eaten raw.  

Health benefits:

• High in fiber & only 36 calories per cup.
• Great source of vitamin-C; 62 grams per 100 grams, which is approximately 102% of RDA. 
• Like other vegetables from this family, it's high in phytochemicals that are appears to protect against prostate and colon cancers.
• Many B-complex group of vitamins such as niacin, vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), thiamin, pantothenic acid etc that acts as co-factors to enzymes during various metabolism inside the body.
• Also contains good levels of minerals, such as; copper, calcium, potassium, manganese, iron, and phosphorus (mainly in the stems.) Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure by countering effects of sodium. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase.
• The leaves or tops are similar to turnip greens, are also very nutritious as well!  Lots of  carotenes, vitamin A, vitamin K, minerals, and B-complex group of vitamins.

How to eat them? 

My preferred way is raw, like an apple, but make sure to peel them first, as the outer skin of this vegetable is very tough, and will not soften unless cooked well.  Other ways to eat it raw, is slice them up or shred them into salads or make a cole slaw with them.

Cooked methods, can be roasted, stewed into soups, sauteed when chopped or diced (it's great in stir-fry dishes).   

Here's some resources w/ photos that shows some great ways to use & cook with Kohlrabi!   

Kohlrabi Recipes: How To Cook (PHOTOS)

Discovering Kohlrobi: 

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/09/discovering-kohlrabi-its-a-vegetable/

Persimmons, it's more than just my favorite Fall fruit!

Persimmons can be eaten fresh, dried, or cooked. Raw fruits can be cut into quarters or eaten wholesome like an apple. Their flavor ranges from a firm to mushy and is very sweet.  I personally love them firm and crunchy, raw.  :)

• The fruit is low in calories (provides 70 calories/100g) and a great source of dietary fiber (almost 4 grams). 

Persimmons contain phyto-nutrients flavonoid poly-phenolic anti-oxidants like catechins and gallocatechins as well as important anti-tumor compound betulinic acid. Catechins are known to have anti-infective, anti-inflammatory and anti-hemorrhagic (prevents bleeding from small blood vessels) properties.

Fresh permissions contain antioxidant compounds like vitamin-A, beta-carotene, lycopene,lutein, zea-xanthin and cryptoxanthin. These compounds combat oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play a role in aging and various disease processes.  Zea-xanthin, an important dietary carotenoid, selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea in the eyes where it is thought to provide antioxidant and protective light-filtering functions; thus, helps prevent "Age-related muscular related muscular disease" (ARMD) in the elderly.

Great source of vitamin-C, and with regular consumption of foods rich in vitamin C may help the body develop resistance against infection & free-radicals.

Good source of B-complex vitamins such as folic acid, pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), and thiamin. These vitamins act have numerous metabolic enzymatic functions in the body.

Fresh Persimmon fruits also contain healthy amounts of minerals like potassium, manganese (15% of DRI), copper (12% of DRI), and phosphorus.