9/3 Soak it Up
Wednesday night we attended our first raw food cooking class. Our instructors, Chef Angela Newsom and her husband Gregg are vegan, raw foodies who are dedicated to raising awareness of Health and Food Justice issues.
The menu was unbelievably delicious and I am already craving the soup and crackers we had. Like most yummy super foods, a little up front preparation is necessary. Many of Angela’s core recipes start with raw nuts. She shared with us that you always want to soak raw nuts before using them. I never knew this.
Honestly, I am a connoisseur of roasted/salted nuts. If I am being really honest, the saltier the better. I would compromise a loved one for a Smokehouse almond. Now that nuts are a larger staple in my new diet and not just a side car to a glass of wine, I am learning to transition my taste buds to the healthier side of things. So why do we need to soak the nuts?
According to Raw Food Living.com
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. By soaking nuts and seeds, you release these toxic enzyme inhibitors and increase the life and vitality contained within the nuts.
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
Basically, when the nut is soaked it thinks it is time to sprout. It is at this pinnacle of health when you consume the nut, reaping the most amazing benefits possible from nuts and seed. Now that it has been brought to my attention, it makes perfect sense. Our instructor also said that by soaking the nuts before you use them, it helps them to become very creamy when blended. Based on the edibles we had in class…that is absolutely true.
There is an abundant and informative chart on the site Raw Food Living .com of soaking times for anything and everything that you can think of.
Like using dried beans instead of canned, it does require extra planning and effort, but it is really worth it. This is new to me too. I eat dry roasted nuts from the big glass jar and roasted and salted Cashews . With any new information that really seems to be beneficial, let’s try to incorporate it in ways that are realistic and sustainable.
Have a delicious day.
Tags: Angela Newsom, compassionate eating, Detroit Evolution, Gregg Newsom, preparing raw nuts, raw food recipe, raw food soup, trying vegetarian, vegan, vegan challenge, vegan experience, vegan wannabe
