Recipes with nuts not specifying to soak first?

[orgfoodaddict]

Hi Everyone-

I've been diving into finding easy and delicious recipes to make for meals. Whats tough is trying to balance all the mixed opinions and directions from various long time raw foodists.

From my understanding and reading- it is essential to pre-soak all nuts before using to deactivate the digestive enzyme inhibitors- is that incorrect? Is there any nuts/seeds that should not be presoaked? Also, after soaking- what the best way to dry them and store them so they do not get moldy? Currently I have been laying them on paper towels on the counter at night and putting them in a countainer and storing in the fridge.

With that said- I notice a lot of recipes using nuts ground- but not saying to presoak them- is it a given in these instances that nuts should be presoaked or do some recipes require the nuts not to be soaked. If so, and they're not soaked- does grinding them counteract the otherwise harsh effects digesting them unsoaked or does it only further hinder absorption?

Also, about a year and half ago- after some complicating health issues and unexpected massive weight loss/candida/leaky gut amongst other extreme symptoms- the ELISA test found me to have delayed allergic reactions to coconut, macadamia nut, grapefruit, chocolate, etc and traditional testing also found me allergic to peanuts. In addition I have gluten sensitivity and sensitivity to the nightshade family. Whats frustrating to me is the majority of raw food recipes I come upon incorporate one or more of these ingredients and I dont know how to get around it. I also worry with the repeated intake of the same nuts/seeds/etc that I could go back to developing a sensitivity or allergy to as was the case of coconut with me- I had been using it daily multiple times only to find later that it was detrimental to my health and healing. Does anyone have any recommendations for substitutions or other advice?

Thanks.

[Ama]

For the nuts, you should soak them before use for best digestion. The optimal (in my opinion) way is to soak a bunch then dehydrate them until completely dry, this way you always have nuts ready. If you don't have a dehydrator, what I have done with success in the past is to soak them then store them in the freezer. The most important nut to soak is the almond and it needs to be soaked for at least 12 hours (I soak mine for 24 or more, just to be sure)

[orgfoodaddict]

Thanks Ama for the info. Do you keep the skin on the almonds after soaking or blanch them or is a matter of the recipe?

[Ama]

I personally always keep the skin on them. I have never blanched them.

[Rawkinlocs]

I agree with Ama about soaking and THEN dehydrating (do this when you first purchase the nuts and store them away to have on hand) but I also feel like, with a lot of the recipes (especially the desserts) there are some "broken rules" even with the combinations alone. So, some recipes WILL be meant to use unsoaked nuts for texture and consistency - soaking them and using wet nuts may make the recipe soggier/mushier than intended.

I sometimes make recipes with unsoaked nuts and it works out just fine...but again, as Ama suggested, if you're really concerned or find that using unsoaked nuts in recipes causes you digestive distress, then soak and then dehydrate them so they are no longer "wet".

[SchoolOfRAWk]

Totally. The cashews I use in my Cinnamon Rolls are dry. If wet, it ruins them. However, it is ideal - as mentioned - to soak them then dehydrate them.