Nuts and Seeds (From I Am Grateful: Recipes and Lifestyle of Cafe Gratitude)

It’s important to buy raw organic nuts and seeds, as toxins are stored iin fats.  Cashews are one of the harder nuts to find really raw.  Typically in processing and removing the skins they are steamed, but really raw cashews are hand-peeled.  We share with you an online source in our resource guide. 

In most cases it’s important to soak seeds and nuts.  This will start the sprouting process and make their full nutritional potential available.  Soaking will also remove enzyme inhibitors.  you don’t need to soak Brazil or hazelnuts, as they contain no enzyme inhibitors.  When soaking buckwheat it may be best to do so in the fridge if you are in a warm climate.  And always rinse buckwheat thoroughly, as it becomes very slimy when soaked.  Rinse well in stainer until water is clear.  There is no need to rinse flax seeds — they soak up the water and become gelatinous — but pour off excess water if there is any.  Rinse all other seeds and nuts well before using.

Here is a little guide for soaking seeds and nuts:

  • almonds, 12 hours
  • buckwheat, 6 hours
  • cashews, 8 hours
  • flax, 8 hours
  • pecans, 2 hours
  • pumpkin seeds, 4-6 hours
  • sesame seeds, 4 hours
  • sunflower seeds, 4-6 hours
  • walnuts, 2 hours 

Recipes from I Am Grateful by Terces Engelhart, published
by North Atlantic Books, copyright 2007 by Terces Engelhart.
Photographs copyright Cary Mosier. Reprinted by permission of
publisher.

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