Chef Johan's Raw & Tasty

Archive for the ‘Raw Food Recipes’ Category

Photo by Johan Everstijn

Sunflower sprouts are great!  Tasty and nutritious, Sunflower Sprouts can be grown anywhere, small patio, balcony, even your kitchen!  OK,  I planted way too many this week and they just keep on coming, so this week as I search for new and creative recipes so I can use my little sprouties, I will be posting them here!

To learn more about the nutritional properties of sprouts, click HERE.

How to Grow Sunflower Sprouts

Supplies- you will need a couple of nursery trays (with holes), organic dirt, raw sunflower seeds (available at health food, pet, and grocery stores near you).

To grow the sprouts- soak about a cup to 1 1/2 cup (depends on the size of  your tray) of the sunflower seeds overnight, spread about an inch of organic dirt inside of a nursery tray.  spread the soaked seeds evenly on top of the dirt.  Water twice a day.  Sprouts will be ready in 5 to 7 days (when they look like the picture on the right, they are ready).   Harvest the sprouts by cutting them close to the dirt.  Use the stems with the leaves only, not the roots.

Daikon and Sunflower Sprout Salad

The first recipe I found was from Savour for a Daikon and Sunflower Sprout Salad, doesn’t it sound great?

Click HERE to go to the recipe.

This delicious and easy to make Tomatillo Salsa is a great topping to any Mexican dish, or as a dip for your favorite chips!

Ingredients

2 Tomatillos, Coarsely Chopped

1/2 Small Haas Avocado

1 1/2  tbsp. Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

1 1/2 tsp. Onion Powder

1 tsp. Garlic Powder

1  tsp. Celtic Sea Salt

6 sprigs Fresh Cilantro, Coarsely Chopped

1  tbsp. Fresh Jalapeño Pepper, Coarsely Chopped

Method

Process first 7 ingredients in food processor until smooth.  Slowly add the Jalapeño pepper until salsa is as hot as desired, or leave out completely for a mild salsa.

Servings: 6

Source: Raw & Tasty Gourmet

Here’s a tasty Kale Salad Recipe,– the cheese is optional.

Recipe: Raw Mulberry Jam Cookies

Summary: If fresh mulberries are not available you could use dried mulberries, just soak them in to rehydrate. You might like to try other berries [raspberry, strawberry, blueberry, blackberry] as filling possibilities, or one of these fruit fillings [peach, apricot, apple, or banana].

Diet type: Vegan

Diet (other): Gluten free, Raw

Number of servings (yield): 20

Meal type: dessert

Culinary tradition: USA (Traditional)

My rating: 5 stars: ★★★★★

Microformatting by hRecipe.

Visit Purely Delicious Magazine for more delicious recipes

By: Delicia Beaty and Sharon Foutch

Soaking nuts, grains, seeds, and legumes
Nature has set it up so that the nut, grain and seed may survive until proper growing conditions are present. Nature’s defense mechanism includes nutritional inhibitors and toxic substances that can be removed naturally when there is enough precipitation to sustain a new plant after the nut, grain or seed germinates. When it rains the nut, grain or seed gets wet and can then germinate to produce a plant. So we are mimicking nature when we soak our nuts, grains and seeds.

Nutritional inhibitors and toxic substances found in nuts grains and seed can be minimized or eliminated by soaking. These inhibitors and toxic substances are enzyme inhibitors, phytates (phytic acid), polyphenols (tannins), and goitrogens.

What are Enzyme inhibitors?
There are digestive enzymes and metabolic enzymes. Digestive enzymes help break down food. Metabolic enzymes help every biological process the body does. Enzyme inhibitors will clog, warp or denature an active site of an enzyme. They may also bind to the enzyme, which will prevent the intended molecule from binding. “Once again, the habits of traditional peoples should serve as a guide. They understood instinctively that nuts are best soaked or partially sprouted before eaten. This is because nuts contain numerous enzyme inhibitors that can put a real strain on the digestive mechanism if consumed in excess.”

What are Phytates?
“All grains contain phytic acid in the outer layer or bran. Untreated phytic acid can combine with calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and especially zinc in the intestinal tract and block their absorption. This is why a diet high in unfermented whole grains may lead to serious mineral deficiencies and bone loss. The modern misguided practice of consuming large amounts of unprocessed bran often improves colon transit time at first but may lead to irritable bowel syndrome and, in the long term, many other adverse effects.”

Why soak nuts, grains and seeds?

• 1. To remove or reduce phytic acid.
• 2. To remove or reduce tannins.
• 3. To neutralize the enzyme inhibitors.
• 4. To encourage the production of beneficial enzymes.
• 5. To increase the amounts of vitamins, especially B vitamins.
• 6. To break down gluten and make digestion easier.
• 7. To make the proteins more readily available for absorption.
• 8. To prevent mineral deficiencies and bone loss.
• 9. To help neutralize toxins in the colon and keep the colon clean.
• 10. To prevent many health diseases and conditions.

“Soaking allows enzymes, lactobacilli and other helpful organisms to break down and neutralize a large portion of phytic acid in grains. Soaking in warm water also neutralizes enzyme inhibitors, present in all seeds, and encourages the production of numerous beneficial enzymes. The action of these enzymes also increases the amount of many vitamins, especially B vitamins. During the process of soaking and fermenting, gluten and other difficult-to-digest proteins are partially broken down into simpler components that are more readily available for absorption.”

What can be used to soak nuts, grains and seeds?
I have found many references to soaking nuts, grains, and seeds in water, salt water, or a warm water mixture with something acidic like yogurt, whey or lemon juice. It seems within 7 to 24 hours the enzyme inhibitors are neutralized and the anti-nutrients are broken down regardless of the method you choose. There is evidence that the process works when you see sprouting begin.

How long does the soaking process take?
“As little as seven hours of soaking in warm acidulated water will neutralize a large portion of phytic acid in grains. The simple practice of soaking cracked or rolled cereal grains overnight will vastly improve their nutritional benefits.” “Flour products should be soaked at room temperature for at least twelve hours but better results may be obtained with a twenty-four hour soaking.”

Are the nuts, grains and seeds used wet?
I have enjoyed almonds wet. If you choose to try consuming anything in the soaked state, make little batches and store them in the refrigerator. Usually everything that is soaked is dried in a dehydrator or oven on the lowest possible setting for 24 – 48 hours to remove all moisture.

Wheat berries can be soaked whole for 8 to 22 hours, then drained and rinsed. Some recipes use the whole berries while they are wet, such as cracker dough ground right in the food processor. You can also dry sprouted wheat berries in a low-temperature oven or dehydrator, and then grind them in your grain mill and use the flour in a variety of recipes. Nuts, grains, seeds and legumes can be ground up to use as flour in many recipes after they have been dried.

Any advice on what to do with legumes?
Maureen Diaz recommends soaking any beans or legumes in water and vinegar for at least twelve hours before cooking. Soaked and dried beans may be ground up and used as flour for thickening and baking. This is helpful for those on a gluten free diet.

One recommendation includes placing soaked kombu or kelp seaweed in the bottom of the pot when soaking legumes. Add one part seaweed to six or more parts legumes. This is for improved flavor and digestion, more nutrients, and faster cooking. “Soak legumes for twelve hours or overnight in four parts water to one part legume. For best results, change the water once or twice. Lentils and whole dried peas require shorter soaking, while soybeans and garbanzos need to soak longer. Soaking softens skins and begins the sprouting process, which eliminates phytic acid, thereby making more minerals available. Soaking also promotes faster cooking and improved digestibility, because the gas-causing enzymes and trisaccharides in legumes are released into the soak water. Be sure to discard the soak water. After bringing legumes to a boil, scoop off and discard foam. Continue to boil for twenty minutes without lid at beginning of cooking to let steam rise (breaks up and disperses indigestible enzymes).”

Source (pdf): wss.nourishingconnections.org

Ingredients

1 cup raw sunflower seeds

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 celery stalk

1/8 medium onion

1/3 carrot

2 tbsp minced fresh parsley

seasonings as desired

Directions

Soak the sunflower seeds for at least 1 hour until soft.  In food processor combine onion, celery, and carrot, and chop until fine.  Add the soaked sunflower seed, salt,  parsley, and any desired seasonings.  Process till finely chopped (do not over-process or the end result will be a pate which makes a great dip).  Serve by itself,  stuffed into a tomato, bell pepper, mushroom, or rolled in a lettuce leaf.

• 1/4 cucumber
• 1 stick celery
• 1/2 small pineapple
• handful of spinach leaves
• 1/4 lime, peeled
• 4 Golden delicious apples
• 1/2 ripe avocado
• 1 heaped teaspoon of Spirulina powder
• Small handful of ice

Instructions: Juice the cucumber, celery, pineapple, spinach, lime and apples. Place juice and Spirulina in a blender with avocado and ice and blend for 45 seconds. Pour into a glass and enjoy! As per usual everything should be as fresh and organic as possible.

Sprouting takes a nut or seed that is dormant and brings it to life. You can watch as a food that has been sitting in a bag on a shelf for months begins to grow a little sprout and transforms. One of the easiest foods to sprout is buckwheat. Buckwheat becomes packed with live enzymes and vital nutrients when sprouted.

Sprouted buckwheat is an amazing food because it tastes like a grain but is actually gluten and wheat free and not a grain at all. It is one of the most complete sources of protein on the planet, containing all eight essential amino acids. This makes it perfect for diabetics and those who want to cut down on their sugary carbohydrates and to balance their blood sugar levels. It is also known to lower high blood pressure.

Sprouted buckwheat also cleanses the colon and alkalizes the body. Buckwheat is a wonderful super food for people who have varicose veins or hardening of the arteries. One of the reasons is that it is full of rutin, which is a compound that is known as a powerful capillary wall strengthener. When veins become weak, blood and fluids accumulate and leak into nearby tissues, which may cause varicose veins or hemorrhoids.

This healing food is also rich in lecithin, making it a wonderful cholesterol balancerbecause lecithin soaks up “bad” cholesterol and prevents it from being absorbed. Lecithin neutralizes toxins and purifies the lymphatic system, taking some of the load off of the liver. Sprouted buckwheat is also a brain boosting super food. 28% of the brain is actually made up of lecithin. Research suggests that regularly consuming foods rich in lecithin may actually prevent anxiety, depression, brain fog, mental fatigue and generally make the brain sharper and clearer.

Buckwheat is high in iron so it is a good blood builder. It also prevents osteoporosis because of its high boron and calcium levels. Sprouted buckwheat is high in bio-flavonoids and co-enzyme Q10. It contains all of the B vitamins, magnesium, manganese, and selenium, as well as many other health giving compounds.

How to Sprout Buckwheat

Place 1 1/2 Cups of buckwheat groats into a bowl and cover it with 2- 3 times as much room temperature water. Mix the seeds up so that none are floating on the top. Allow the seeds to soak for about an hour. Drain the water in a colander and let them stand, rinsing 3 times per day with cool water for 2 days. You will notice a gooey substance on the buckwheat, which is starch. Make sure that you wash this off thoroughly. Spouts will form after a day or two.

Sprouted Buckwheat Breakfast Cereal

(serves 4)
2 cups of sprouted buckwheat
1 tablespoon of cinnamon powder
1 cup of chopped seasonal fruit (apple, orange, banana etc)
1/2 cup raisins
1 or 2 tablespoons of honey to taste
Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl and serve chilled.

Article Source: www.naturalnews.com