Almonds, October 2013
Soaking and dehydrating almonds improves flavor and makes them crispy, it also decreases acids and releases substances that aid digestion. You might be able to buy sprouted almonds (my local food co-op carries them), or you can soak and dry them yourself.
To soak and dehydrate almonds, place whole raw almonds in a bowl and add about twice as much water as nuts. Cover with a clean dish towel or other cover and soak about 7 hours or overnight. Then drain the water and rinse. Repeat if desired to remove even more of the acids and allow them to begin to sprout. (If you plan to use the nuts for snacking, you can dissolve salt into the water, stirring in about 1 tablespoon for each 4 cups of nuts, during a single or final soak.)
Nuts are best dried in a food dehydrator because at low temperatures enzymes are preserved. However, you can dry them in your oven. To do so, spread nuts in a single layer on baking sheets, and use the lowest possible setting. Watch them carefully, stirring a few times and removing from the oven when completely dry and crispy.
If using a food dehydrator, dry at about 115°F until crisp, 12 to 24 hours.
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