Soaking Nuts and Raw Trail Mix

Trail mix made with the soaked nuts!
Nuts after they have been soaked and dried in the oven.

I was intrigued yesterday when I started to read why people soak their nuts. I had heard of people doing it, but had never researched it. Here and here are some sites with good information on the subject.Nuts have enzyme inhibitors to aide in the growing process but, the benefits of having that removed before digesting them increases the nutrition benefits of the nut. I love to learn new information.

Some of the benefits I learned:
1. Nuts contain enzyme inhibitors that get released when soaked.
2. Increases amount of vitamins your body can absorb form the nuts. Especially Vitamin B
3. Decreases the phytic acid in the nut that can reduce mineral absorption.
4. Putting the salt in water activates the enzyme that deactivates the enzyme inhibitor.
5. Breaks down the gluten and easier to digest.
6. You want to store raw nuts.
7. Make sure you store them in air tight container. I like keeping them in the fridge.

What I did yesterday, when I made trail mix.

Ingredients:
2 C of each almonds, cashews and pumpkin seeds
3 tsp sea salt with iodine added
enough water to cover the nuts
3/4 to 1 C raw unsweetened large flake coconut
1/2 tsp grated fresh nutmeg *optional
1/2 tsp cinnamon *optional
1/3 C dark chocolate chips chopped in blender into little pieces *optional

Directions:

1. Soaked the nuts separately in their own bowls. Pouring 1 tsp of salt in each bowl.

2. I then covered them with plastic and let them sit 4-5 hours at room temperature. I was not letting them sprout for this recipe.

3. Then put in a colander and drain all the water off.

4. Heat oven to no higher than 150 degrees or you can dehydrate them. Place them in a single layer and let cook until they are completely dried out. No moisture left. I stirred them regularly.

5. Then I cooled them and poured them into a bowl. Then add the coconut and the nutmeg and cinnamon. stir all together. You can also add choc. chips, or dried fruit would be yummy.

6. Store in an airtight container.

*I think next time I will leave out the chips. They will melt when it gets hot. I loved the salty flavoring of the nuts. :) I love this recipe. I can plan ahead and make my own healthy trail mix.

Nuts and Oats Healthy Snack

Oh this is so yummy! I love nut chews that you get in the store. I really enjoy eating a mix of nuts. So I made my own mix with out all the additives. This tasted really good plain, but you could mix it with yogurt, cooked oatmeal, fruit, kefir and the list goes on....:)

Ingredients:
1 C mixed cashews, almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds (chopped up not too small.)
3 Brazil nuts chopped
1 T honey
1/2 to 1 tsp cinnamon
2 T oatmeal
*optional 2 T ground flax or chia (I will try them next time)


Directions:

1. I chopped all the nuts in a food processor, with the oatmeal. They were still in small chunks.

2. Then pour into small pot on the stove, mix in the honey and the cinnamon. I cooked it till it started to stick together well, for a few minutes. You can decide how long you cook it depending on how hard you want it.

3. Then you can just eat as is, like granola, or press down into a pan, and then cut it up , or roll into balls. Whatever way you decide you can enjoy it!