Cumin-Spiced Sprouted Almonds

Cumin-Spiced Sprouted Almonds

Cumin, black pepper and Himalayan pink salt turn naked raw almonds into a delightful treat. I made these tasty Cumin-Spiced Sprouted Almonds using a traditional soaking and drying technique outlined in a favorite recipe from the Nourishing Traditions cookbook, Crispy Nuts. However, the original recipe recommends roasting to crisp the soaked nuts. I prefer to dehydrate them at a low-temperature (below 120 degrees) to keep them raw and thereby preserve the structural integrity of their fats and proteins.

Nourishing Traditions author Sally Fallon does an excellent job explaining why it's a good idea to soak nuts before consuming them. Raw nuts are packed with vitamins, minerals and healthy fats, but they also contain anti-nutrients such as phytates, or phytic acid, and lectins—compounds that are found in all seeds, grains and beans as well as nuts. (Phytates and lectins get the most press, but they are not the only anti-nutrients in town. For a more complete list, click here.)

A primary evolutionary purpose of phytates, lectins and other anti-nutrients is to serve as enzyme inhibitors and to protect ungerminated seeds from rotting and predation, a good thing for seeds. These compounds only become "anti-nutrients" when they get into our bodies. However, recent research suggests that anti-nutrients may offer benefits to human health as well, introducing a hormetic, or quantitative, aspect into the puzzle.

For example, because phytic acid binds to minerals, it inhibits mineral absorption in our guts. Consequently, high phytate diets have been known to lead to mineral deficiencies. (Click here to learn more.) But phytates also exhibit beneficial antioxidant properties, and some studies suggest they may offer anti-cancer and cholesterol reducing benefits.

Lectins, on the other hand, are sticky proteins that bind to carbohydrates. Excess lectins in the diet are known to impair digestive, intestinal and immune health. But lectins aren't all bad, either. Several lectins have been found to possess anticancer properties, and some are being used as therapeutic agents to inhibit tumor growth. So again, it's a matter of quantity and application.

Nevertheless, when it comes to healthy eating and digestive comfort, it's still a good idea to soak off some of these compounds.

Soaking and sprouting seeds of all kinds (nuts, grains, beans) initiates the germination process and reduces anti-nutrient concentrations, helping to make these foods more nutritious and health-promoting overall. Our ancestors somehow recognized this and incorporated soaking into the traditional preparation of all seed-type foods.

In addition to diminishing their anti-nutrient content, presoaking or sprouting nuts, grains and beans helps to break down or "pre-digest" their proteins into amino acid form, improving digestibility. In esoteric terms, sprouting also activates the life force energy of a seed, turning it from simply a raw food into a living food. Living foods are naturally calibrated to interface beautifully with the living bio-electric matrix that defines our organism. ♥

Cumin-Spiced Sprouted Almonds

This simple raw recipe was inspired by my friend and neighbor Annie Aune's cumin-toasted almonds, which made me swoon. Cumin is just so delicious. :~)

4 cups raw almonds*
1 Tbs sea salt
water to cover, for soaking
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons cumin powder
1 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
ground black pepper to taste

Step 1: SOAK Place almonds in a large bowl, add the sea salt and enough water to cover by an inch or two. Stir well to dissolve salt. Soak for 8 hours or overnight. Pour off soak water, rinse almonds under clear running water, drain them, and return to bowl.

Step 2: SEASON Toss soaked almonds with olive oil to lightly coat each nut. Sprinkle top with about one-third of the cumin powder, several pinches of sea salt and a dusting of black pepper, then toss well. Sprinkle top again with another round of salt and seasonings and toss. Repeat a third time. (This three-part method prevents all the seasonings from clumping together in one spot.)

Step 3: DRY Spread seasoned almonds onto dehydrator trays lined with teflex sheets. Dehydrate at 115 degrees for 12 hours, then transfer almonds from teflex directly onto mesh liner sheets and continue drying for 12 more hours or until desired crispness is achieved.

Allow to cool and store in glass jars.

* As I mentioned in my post on how to make French Press Almond Milk, it's been a challenge to find really raw almonds since almond pasteurization laws went into effect in 2007. Today, almost all commercially available organic raw almonds are "pasteurized" with steam, while non-organic raw almonds are treated with either surface chemicals or radiation (scary). It is still possible to purchase unpasteurized, truly raw almonds, however. Californians can buy direct from farmer in quantities of less than 100 pounds, and some online vendors carry them, but the cost is often high. Health food stores catering to raw foodists will offer really raw almonds in bags. I can order truly raw almonds from an Italian grower through my Community Superfoods connections. Local Pioneer Valley readers, please contact me or leave a comment below if you're interested and I'll hook you up!

Practically Raw Sprouted Corn Tostadas

Here's something very delicious to make for lunch that whips up in a jiffy and features a brand NEW! product I tried for the first time today: organic Sprouted Corn Tortillas from the Food For Life Baking Company (makers of Ezekiel bread, sprouted grain bagels, sprouted whole wheat tortillas, etc.)

Sprouted grain products are valued for many reasons. Grains are seeds and when they are sprouted, their nutritional value often goes up. The sprouting process initiates the breakdown of protein and carbohydrate compounds in the grains, releasing bound amino acid and sugar components and freeing up nutrients. In this sense, sprouted grains are essentially "pre-digested," to a degree. Another benefit of sprouting is that natural anti-nutrients in grains, such as phytates and protease enzyme inhibitors, are also broken down and degraded in the sprouting process. Finally, sprouting makes grains more alkaline, helping them to favor a preferential pH balance in the body.

All soaked and sprouted grains, as well as sprouted beans and seeds, will offer the above benefits. Sprouting, however, does not remove gluten, a gluey protein that is found in wheat, spelt, rye, and barley. Gluten sensitivity is a rising problem around the world with an estimated 30-40% of people affected. Any food which is made from wheat or any gluten-containing grain, even healthy sprouted Ezekiel bread, still contains gluten.

Corn, on the other hand, is a gluten-free grain. Some people are allergic to corn, but gluten intolerance is not linked to corn allergies, so having a sensitivity to one does not implicate the other. Corn is an ancient New World grain that was sacred to American Indian tribes. Although modern corn has been abused in many ways by agribusiness and industrial development, corn itself is still a high value food, especially when it is organic corn grown in nutrient-rich soils and free of genetically modified organisms.

Delicious Food for Life Sprouted Corn Tortillas are made with only four ingredients: organic sprouted corn, filtered water, sea salt and lime. According to the company, after the corn is sprouted it is ground and mixed with the other ingredients to form a masa, or traditional thick dough, which is then rolled and flattened into characteristic tortilla shapes. The tortillas are baked at low temperatures (250 degrees) before packaging. Each tortilla provides 60 calories of whole grain carbohydrate energy and only 1 gram of fat, plus a little calcium and iron. The flavor and texture is naturally corn-sweet, wholesome, chewy and far moister than some gluten-free tortillas I've tried that crumble when folded.

I forsee this product becoming a new staple in my kitchen and am pleased to be sharing it with you today. I looking forward to creating sprouted corn tostadas with avocadoes and cilantro, with black beans, with tofu-miso paté... but for today, let us begin with hummus, the humble and widely available Middle Eastern sesame-chick pea spread. I used Hot Mama's original flavor hummus in this recipe, but any brand or flavor, including your own homemade raw or cooked hummus, would surely be tasty and satisfying.

Practically Raw Sprouted Corn Tostadas
with Hummus, Salsa & Sprouts

2 sprouted corn tortillas
1/4 cup hummus, your pick of flavor
1 cup alfalfa or red clover sprouts
2 teaspoons salsa
2 black olives

Warm tortillas briefly in the toaster or on the surface of a hot, cast-iron skillet for about 30 seconds to gently soften. Transfer to plate and divide hummus evenly between the two tortillas, spreading out almost to the edges. Top each tostada with half the sprouts, half the salsa and one black olive. To eat, spread the salsa across the center line and fold the tostada in half, like a soft taco. Then, bite in. Yum!

Note: I purchased my sprouted corn tortillas at Green Fields Market in Greenfield, MA and did not receive any product or compensation from Food for Life Baking Company prior to posting this blog. However, Food for Life is welcome to send me free samples and coupons anytime, as I adore their products!

I Love My Lunch

My mother finds it very strange that I take pictures of my food. But I can't help it!

For me, creating beautiful dishes and loving how my food looks is one of the great pleasures of following a high-raw diet. So naturally, I want a record of each culinary masterpiece. Of course, photos (especially those taken with my old point & shoot) can only begin to capture a suggestion of the life force emanating from my living cuisine. Hopefully, you get the idea.

Today's delightful lunch features open-faced sandwiches made with Carrot-Coconut Flaxseed Crackers (see previous post for recipe). Each crisp, buttery cracker is spread with a mixture of raw tahini and sweet white miso (about half and half), then topped with sliced organic roma tomatoes, homegrown French lentil sprouts and a drizzle of my own raw apple cider vinegar-olive oil vinaigrette. The plate is garnished with a giant purple asparagus stalk, courtesy of Brook Bend Farm, where I have the good fortune of working this summer in exchange for farm-fresh organic produce.

Wish you could join me...bon appetit!