Awakening to new things...

A friend recently introduced me to "awakened almonds" by telling me about her process of soaking them in brine for 12 hours, then rinsing them off and drying them in the food dryer for 24 hours. Then she suggested I do research on my own about the awakening process.

The process of soaking or sprouting the almonds [any many other nuts and beans/seeds] changes the chemistry of the almonds by changing the Phytic Acid.  The Phytic Acid in tree nuts makes them difficult to digest for some people. The sprouting process changes the taste of the nut, and the nutritional value goes way up.  The first batch made me very curious as to whether or not the nuts actually sprouted, so I cracked a few open to see if there really was a sprout. Voila! There it was, tiny but definitely there.

I've experimented now and have come to my own conclusions about the process. I read a lot of posts on the internet about how long to soak them, what strength of brine, and how long to dry them. I would have to assume [I know, Danger Batman] that different geographical areas with varying altitudes and relative humidity have an affect on the process. I felt comfortable experimenting based on these variables.

For my altitude [2780 AMSL] and relative humidity [30% + /-] I now soak my almonds for 14 hours in a brine solution of 1/2 to 3/4 Cups of Kosher salt for 5 Cups of nuts. I mix a few cups of warm water with the salt in a gallon jug, the add the nuts [5 Cups] and then I fill the jug with cooler water and shake it well. I put it on the kitchen counter and give a twirl a few times.  I usually start the soaking about 6-7 p.m. and let them soak overnight. The next day, I rinse the nuts well in a strainer and  put them in the food dryer at 160 Deg. F. for 24-27 hours.  With the last batch, I took out a handful of the soaked nuts and put them in my oatmeal.  Very tasty, without the crunch.

I've used the 'awakened almonds' after drying in pancakes [chopped], and eaten them just plain. They are the perfect snack for me. Crunchy, tasty, easy to digest, nutritionally good, and very satisfying. What more could I ask for?  The awakened almonds also have less calories than the plain raw almonds. Go figure!

I hope I've given you something to think about and enough information to give it a try. Let me know what you think.

May you try something new today!