Soaking and Drying Nuts

Have you ever tasted soaked and then dried nuts?  They are delicious and so much easier to digest than their unsoaked counterparts.  

Nuts contain enzyme inhibitors which affect their ability to be digested.  Raw, soaked nuts are also a source of digestive enzymes.  This is why it is important to soak your nuts before you eat them.

You can eat nuts that have been soaked without drying them if you do not have a food dehydrator, but they will not be crisp.  Nuts that have been dried at 95-100 degrees for 12-24 hours will be crispy and so delicious!

I soak and dry my nuts and seeds in large amounts, then freeze them and they are ready for use in any way that you would use ordinary nuts.

Walnuts soaking

Take 8 cups of your choice of nuts or seeds (do not mix - do a single kind of nut or seed at a time) and place in a large glass bowl.  Add 2 T of sea salt and cover with water, making sure that you have 2-3 inches of water above the nuts as they will absorb quite a bit of water.  Let them sit over night or at least 7 hours.

Walnuts getting ready to dry on my Excalibur dehydrator.

Drain your nuts and place in a single layer on a quality food dehydrator.  Dry at 95-105 degrees for 12-24 hours or until completely dry.  The drying time will determined by the kind of nut or seed and the climate you are in.

Place your nuts or seeds in your freezer to maintain freshness and to prevent them from going rancid.

(I love my Excalibur dehydrator.  I can do huge batches of nuts, fruits, or vegies, and I also like to use it to make yogurt.  I feel it was a great investment, especially since mine has a timer.  I have been using it for a year and love it!)