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"Training is everything. The peach was once a bitter almond; cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education." -Mark Twain
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After reading a wonderful article extolling the many virtues of almonds, especially sprouted raw almonds, I decided to finally try my hand at sprouting my own. I must say it was far simpler than I imagined and after tasting a few...I'm convinced that I am going to start sprouting a lot more often!
I tried adding these sprouted almonds with a few medjool dates (my raw candy recipe), and the combination was superior than when I used regular raw almonds. Here is the super easy "recipe"...if you can even call it that:
Ingredients
Raw almonds (they have to be truly raw to be sproutable, a problem for California almonds)
Celtic sea salt
Filtered water
Equipment
Large bowl
Refrigerator or cooler
Steps
1. Wash and rinse-off your raw almonds very very well. Place them in a large bowl, and rinse again so that the water runs clear.
2. Pour filtered water in the bowl so that the almonds are completely covered. You don't need to have them floating in a large amount of water, but at least give them some room to expand...because they will.
3. Add a pinch or two of celtic sea salt.
4. Place in the fridge (or cooler...or other cool spot) for 12 hours or so.
5. Pour out the water, rinse them once more, and place your almonds on a dry towel or sheet. Let them dry completely. Once completely dry, enjoy them or store them in a jar/container for later.
End notes: I have probably over-stated this...but it is really important toi get quality ingredients. Although I like the price of Trader Joe's raw almonds...I consider them neither truly raw nor high-quality. There are some great online vendors where one can purchase high-quality raw nuts and other excellent raw food items. The next step for me is to try some raw Marcona almonds...which could be the best almond variety on earth.
"We're always attracted to the edges of what we are, out by the edges where it's a little raw and nervy." -E. L. Doctorow
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This recipe is so simple it really should not be called a recipe.
It's an easy fix for those who get a hankering for something sweet, but not so unhealthy that you feel bad or guilty afterwords. My solution to this raw candy that is comprised of two simple ingredients: OrganicMedjool Dates and Organic Raw Almonds (real raw almonds, not the fake steamed kind). Like most edible concoctions, the better the ingredients you use the better the results.
Ingredients
Organic medjool dates
Organic raw almonds
(These will be used on a one-to-one basis.)
None really...
Steps
1. Cut or pull open your medjool dates, and pull the pits out. (Make sure you completely get rid of the pits, as mistaking one of them for a skinny almond could prove disastrous for your teeth.)
2. Place one or two almonds inside each medjool date.
3. Push and close the medjool date back together. Now you have your very raw candy to enjoy...it's really that simple.
End notes: High-quality medjool dates are really good for you...and are a staple of typical middle eastern breakfasts (usually consumed with flat bread and yogurt). I purchased my dates from the People's Food Coop in PDX, and I would behoove you to find a good source for your dates too if your a big fan of them. The medjool dates at Trader Joe's are very inexpensive, but also very mediocre...but they're an acceptable alternative if you have no other options. Ditto with the almonds. ;) I know a lot of people who do not like the taste/texture of dates...does anyone have an other simple recipes for healthy raw foods on the sweet side of things?
"Never cry over spilt milk, because it may have been poisoned." -W.C. Fields~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I stopped drinking traditional bovine milk at about the same time that I became a vegetarian...which was about six years ago. In the same way that I suddenly realized that all of those soda beverages were nothing bunch a heap of 
nasty (read: shitty) chemicals, I came to the conclusion that there might be something a little strange with consuming the milk that was intended for bovine youth. For a long while I switched around between soy milk, almond milk, rice milk, oat milk, and even hemp milk. None of them were really excited me all that much and were merely passable...with the one exception being hemp milk...which carried a completely revolting flavor. I was also fairly unimpressed with the freshness and quality of the milk alternatives as some were only marginally healthier than organic bovine milk. Fortunately, I don't have any of these problems any more...all thanks to discovering the benefits of homemade raw nut milks.
I first started making my own raw cashew milk about three or four months ago...and I have been incredibly impressed how wonderful of an alternative it has been. Here is a step-by-step recipe for creating your own unique batches of nut (cashews, almonds, walnuts, macadamia) milk.
Ingredients
3-4 cups Filtered Water
1-2 tablespoons Vanilla
1-2 tablespoons Raw Honey
1-2 pinches of Celtic Sea Salt
Equipment
1 Blender
1 Large Bowl
Steps:
1. Soak 1 Cup of raw cashews with 1 Cup of filtered water for 24-36 hours. Some people prefer a shorter soaking period, but I have found that soaking them for this longer period makes for much smoother and richer nut milk. Also, make sure you are getting raw nuts...roasted/salted/cooked nuts will not work well in this case. Change the water out and rinse the nuts once a day.
2. Rinse your soaked nuts very well...at least three solid washes to get out any nasties that may have been floating about. Once they have been soaked well and rinsed off they should look like this.
3. Place the soaked nuts in a blender and pour in 1 cup of filtered water. Blend well for at least a minute. Once this has been blended up well is should appear thick and smooth.
4. At this point you will add your desired ingredients. I add my vanilla (liquid or bean works great) and raw honey by sight. As you get more comfortable with making your own nut milk you'll discover just how much vanilla and raw honey you like. (Some people prefer medjool dates or agave syrup in place of honey.) Add the pinch or two of Celtic Sea Salt...it's not used for taste, but as a thickening agent. It really makes a big difference to add this high-quality salt!
5. Add 2 cups of filtered water if you like your nut milk thick and creamy, or add 3 cups of filtered water if you like a more watery texture to your milk.
6. Blend it all well for at least a minute, but more preferably two or three minutes.
7. Pour it into a sealable glass container and it will stay good in your fridge for at least a week. Enjoy it with cereal, granola, or drink it straight!
End notes: Cashew milk tends to come out a little creamier than almond or walnut milk, so some people like to strain the little nutty pieces out of those types...it's never bothered me, and actually adds some texture to your cereal, but straining is an option albeit a wasteful one if you don't consume the strained mush. Also, high-quality ingredients tend to yield high-quality nut milk, and vice-versa. Experiment and share you variations!
So how did your nut milk turn out? Did you find it to be a better alternative than bovine milk or conventional alternatives like store-bought soy, rice, and almond milk?
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