I was just looking through these pictures in preparation for this post and realized I probably don’t even need to write anything. It’s pretty self-explanatory, because it really is that easy. Here’s what you’ll need:

1 cup RAW nuts or seeds (almond, hazelnut, sunflower, hemp, etc)
water
food processor or blender
sprouting bag/cheesecloth/mesh strainer (I use a sprouting bag, you can get one here)
various containers, and a funnel helps


Step 1: Soak 1 cup nuts/seeds in plenty of water. Place in the fridge, covered, for 8-24 hours.

Step 2: Drain and rinse nuts/seeds. Place in food processor or blender with 4 cups of water. Here’s where you can get real creative. Add a vanilla bean or vanilla extract for vanilla flavored milk. Add maple syrup or other sugars if you like it sweeter (though it really doesn’t need it.) Add almond extract or peppermint extract or cocoa. Add cinnamon and other spices for a twist on horchata! The possibilities are endless. Now, Blend blend blend!





Step 3: Line a large bowl with sprouting bag or cheesecloth. Pour entire contents of blender into bowl. If using a mesh strainer, pour blender contents through strainer.





Step 4: SQUEEEEZE





No, really. SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEZE!!!





Now you have a bowl of milk!





Step 5: Pour it into a big jar for storage. Here’s where a funnel helps, though obviously not enough. Try not to spill it all over – like I always inevitably do!





Step 6: Save the pulp. It freezes well. This is a nutritious almond meal that can be used in tons of ways, like thrown into smoothies, blended into dips, dehydrated into raw crackers, and much more. Mine most often becomes the crusts in my raw tarts!





And that’s it! Enjoy your alt milk over cereal, in smoothies, in baking, with fresh berries – anywhere you’d use milk. But the flavor is so divine, I do suggest you go for a glass straight up!

Nuts, grains, and legumes are each different kinds of seeds. As such, they have evolved protection mechanisms to keep them safe until conditions are desirable for germination. For example, seeds are difficult to digest in order to facilitate seed dispersal – the animal that eats them carries them away, and then ‘drops’ them right into a pile of ‘fertilizer’. How marvelous! But in order to pass through the gut intact, they must be indigestible.

Further, all seeds need to remain secure until they are able to sprout. This stability is maintained via elements that suppress the enzymatic activity involved in germination. These elements – the ones that render seeds difficult to digest and allow them to lay dormant – are termed antinutrients.

Antinutrients are so named because they may ‘take’ more nutrition than they provide. During healthy digestion our own enzymes work to disassemble food into usable molecules. This begins in the mouth with the enzymes present in saliva, and continues in various forms throughout the entire digestive tract. But antinutrients work by inhibiting our digestive enzymes and preventing them from breaking down food, interfering with healthy digestion.

As well, antinutrients bind to precious minerals like iron, zinc, magnesium, and calcium. Essentially, they steal these minerals from our bodies. A diet rich in antinutrient-containing foods can lead to mineral deficiency and may contribute to poor bone density.

One of the most prevalent antinutrients is phytic acid. Grains are relatively high in phytic acid, though it exists in seeds and legumes as well. In situ it’s found bonded to phosphorous, residing in the bran of the seed. The bran is the hard outer layer rich in fiber, protein, and omegas. Phytic acid in the bran prevents premature sprouting. It has a strong affinity for minerals, and any mineral it binds to will become insoluble. This is how phytic acid leaches nutrients from the body.

Other antinutrients include flavanoids, like tannins, starches, and some proteins, such as lectins. All of these may irritate the stomach and interfere with digestion. However some, like flavanoids, are cancer-fighting and have other nutritive qualities. Clearly, nutrition science is complicated and convoluted – more on this at a later date.

SO, soaking seeds initiates germination. That’s the whole point. By ‘kicking off’ the sprouting process, antinutrients are disabled and enzymatic activity increases. Phytic acid is deconstructed and inhibitors are neutralized. The acid used in the soaking medium breaks the bonds that bind important minerals, and they become bioavailable. Thus, the seeds become digestible – and nutritious.

Soaking also begins to ‘pre-digest’ the seeds. For example, soaking and sprouting can break down certain proteins, such as gluten. This can facilitate digestion as well – some people with gluten sensitivity can eat soaked and sprouted glutinous grains. Phytase is the enzyme that is responsible for cleaving phytic acid from phosphorous and other minerals. Probiotics are a critical source of phytase, so eat your beasties!


Well, How Do You Soak?

There are four simple components that go into soaking seeds: liquid, acid, temperature, and time. That’s it!


To soak the whole seed, like almonds or rice or oatmeal or lentils . . .

1. Cover with water, enough to allow the seed to swell.
2. Add an acid, either lemon juice or vinegar, about a tablespoon per cup of water (rough estimates are okay).
3. Allow to sit at room temp for at least 7, but ideally 12-24, hours.
4. If possible, drain and then proceed as normal.

~OR~

1. Cover with an acidic cultured liquid, like kombucha or water kefir (for nuts, whole grains, legumes) or yogurt or ‘milk’ kefir for (for oatmeal, porridge).
2. Allow to sit at room temp for at least 7, but ideally 12-24, hours.
3. If necessary, drain and then proceed as normal.

To soak flour for use in a recipe . . .

1. Mix the flour with whatever liquid is called for in that recipe, plus the sweetener (if called for) and the fat (if called for)
2. Add 1tablespoon of acid, either lemon juice or vinegar, per cup of liquid.
3. Allow to sit at room temp for at least 7, but ideally 12-24 hours.
4. Add the rest of the ingredients and proceed as normal.

So that’s it – the why and the how of soaking seeds (nuts, grains, and legumes). I hope it helps to clarify things, and maybe even inspires you to tackle this traditional, nutritive technique.

BONZAI

And you can too! No matter where you are in the northern hemisphere, it’s not too late to grow your own little slice of the red heaven. You might not be able to start them from seed, but you can certainly get some seedlings planted. Just don’t delay! You’ll want to get these babies into the ground ASAP.

And if you want the strongest, hardiest, most fruit-bearing transplants ever, here’s what you’ve gotta do:





Begin with your tomato start (hey, is that a tp roll?). With very sharp scissors, cut off each leaf ‘branch’ at the base, leaving only the leaf cluster at the very top.





In your garden bed dig a long shallow trough. If you have it, lay some compost along the bottom. Then lay the tomato plant on it’s side in the trough (atop the compost). If you don’t have compost that’s fine.





Carefully cover the tomato plant, roots and stem, so that only the top leaf cluster is exposed. Pat the soil down firmly and water the transplant into its new home. Voila!

The stem will send down shoots at each of the trimmed nodes, ensuring a sturdy root system capable of maximum mineral extraction. Thus, tomatoes transplanted in this manner tend to have a much higher yield.

Good luck in the garden!

The pac choi, very well groomed

I was in the middle of this process last weekend – pulling up seedlings and flinging them onto the compost heap – when it hit me. Hey! These are totally edible! Of course I felt like an idiot as soon as I made the realization (think of all the greens I’ve wasted!) Just because they’re not fully matured, doesn’t mean they’re not ripe for your kitchen. In fact, sprouts and seedlings are nutrient powerhouses!

The pac choi carnage. I had to pull up a lot of starts.

You can save and eat all sorts of seedlings, from lettuces (of course) to hardy greens (like collards or kale) to brassicas (like broccoli or cabbage) to beets. Sprouts are touted by raw foodists and other health aficionados as awesome, enzyme-rich and nutrient-dense little wonderfoods. So don’t make the same mistake as me and discard these garden treasures! Bring them inside, clean them up, and put them to work nourishing your body.





You can pretty much use them as you would use their older counterparts, aside from steaming or sautéing by themselves (they’re too tender for that). Make a fresh salad, or throw them into a stir fry, pack them into a hummus wrap or top off a sandwich, cook them into a scramble or just munch them by the handful. Or, you can do like I do and blend them into a delicious, delectable green smoothie!








So, how are your gardens growing? Will you be thinning the beds any time soon? What will you do with your sprouts?

Green smoothie for life!!!!

A few days ago I was returning home from running some errands. I pulled my car into the driveway, glanced over towards the stairs, and just about did a double take. “WHAT THE -??!”

The bulbs are coming up. How is this happening already!? Where did the winter go? And didn’t the groundhog just say I had more time??

I know that those of you in the eastern US are getting your fair share of winter right about now (good luck guys!). But other parts of the country – and the northern hemisphere in general – is beginning the beautiful awakening process. Here in the PNW we’re getting amazing, early spring weather, and the sunshine sure is a sight for sore eyes (and vitamin D-deficient bodies!) And of course, I’m realizing it’s already time to start prepping this years garden – so exciting!

Unfortunately for me, my garden will have to be a bit more modest this time around (I am, after all, busy growing something else at the moment). But that doesn’t mean I won’t be farming in my own way. I’m a horticulturist at heart, and that will never change! (plus, I simply could not live without homegrown tomatoes)

In the meantime, I did a lot of leg work last year that all you new gardeners out there may find useful. Here’s a list of links to help you get started:

• How Yo Make Newspaper Seed Starter Pots

• How To Start Seeds Indoors
• Growing From Seed, Continued
• Hardening Off
• Tips For Transplanting

• How To Grow Potatoes In Tire Towers
• And The Tire Tower Follow-Up

• An Introduction To Container Gardening

Are you guys as excited as I am for the coming seasonal shift? Outdoors! Sunshine! Dirt! Fresh veggies!!! So whether it’s an acre in the country or a window box in the city, dig out your trusty trowel guys – it’s farm time!

Here’s what you’ll need:

• An old men’s collared shirt (long sleeved)
• Needle and thread or sewing machine
• Elastic
• Embellishments (optional)

For the sake of these photos I made this example entirely by hand, to show how it can be done. But I’m totally machine-spoiled, so my hand sewing skills suck! Sorry ’bout that.

To make the body of the java jacket, you’ll be using the wrist band of the shirt. So first things first, cut it off!





This is what you’ll end up with:





Clean it up by removing those ugly buttons. A seam ripper works best for this, but scissors will do in a pinch.





Next you’ll need to finish up that frayed edge. I used red thread so you could see my work, but you can use white if you want to hide it, or whatever color suits your fancy.





Continue until you’ve secured the entire jagged edge, like so:





Now you’ll want to cut a length of elastic. The wide-band type works best here. Cut a piece about 2 inches thick, slightly tapered.





Pin the elastic into the cuff. It helps here if you have a standard 16-oz ‘to go’ cup to measure on, to make sure you get the circumference correct.





Sew the elastic into place. Since I was using red thread and going for a decorative look, I kept it going around the entire perimeter. But this wasn’t necessary, function-wise.





And guess what? That’s it! All that’s left is to decorate as you see fit. I kept this one simple . . .





And the other one extra fancy!





The possibilities are pretty much endless. And I’m dying to see what you guys come up with! These are so fun to make and super customizable, I really think they’re the perfect gift. And bonus – they make adorable, wearable wrist cuffs!





Happy Holidays!

The first holiday season that Damian and I spent together, I was a starving college student. So I thrifted the softest cashmere sweater I could find (this was pre-vegan), disassembled it, and sewed it into a pillowcase. I needlepointed ‘Damian’s Head Here —->’ into the corner. Damian, who is sort of obsessed with really soft things, loved it. It’s still on our bed.

Last year we made all our gifts together – our attempt at canning. All our friends and family got our truly terrible plum syrup, sugar-free strawberry jam, and tomato starter sauce. Hey, it was our first time! And it’s the thought that counts, right?

Anyway, there I go reminiscing. Pregnancy and the holidays have got me all nostalgic! But all of this story-telling serves a purpose: to introduce this years gift projects. First up – candle making!


How To Make Candles In A Crock Pot

All you need is some wax, some wicks + wick bases, and some candle-holders. I used soy wax because it’s vegan and I think it makes superior quality candles (just my preference, I love soy candles!). It’s available at any craft store along with a selection of other options. I used precut wicks that came in their bases, because they were really cheap. But you can also buy wick string and cut it yourself. Both are available at the craft store. For candle holders, I just used a bunch of shot glasses I’d purchased years ago for a party, and never even opened. You could also upcycle your old candle holders, or hit the thrift stores for anything from shot glasses to tea cups, whatever you can imagine can become a funky candle holder.

Optional additions include color (candle dye is available at the craft store) and smell. I used eucalyptus essential oil, but you can also buy scents specifically designed for candles (though you certainly don’t need to and can use any essential oil you’ve got). You’ll also probably want a wooden skewer for stirring hot wax (a chopstick or a length of wire, like from a hanger, would probably work just as well)

Once you’ve gathered all your supplies, set aside some time when you’ll be around the house for a couple of hours. I made these candles on Sunday afternoon, whilst cleaning the kitchen and then suggling with the husband for movie time. Just make sure you’ll be nearby and available for frequent checks. You don’t want to deal with a waxy mess (or worse!).

1) Spoon the pieces of wax into your candle holders and arrange them in the bottom of the crock pot. Don’t overcrowd and definitely don’t stack! Turn the crock to high, cover, and go do something else.





2) 20-30 minutes later you can check back. Your wax will probably be melted and you’ll probably notice your candles aren’t as full as you’d like. So carefully add more wax to each container. You may have to do this for a few rounds.





3) When the candles are as full as you like and you’ve let them get good and hot and melty, it’s time to add the essential oils. You’ll need to call for an assistant. “Assistant!”





3.5) He was very helpful. So, using a dropper add 5-15 drops of your odor-of-choice to each candle. I wanted a more mild, mellow vibe so I only used 5 drops. If you were to use color, this is where you would add the dye as well.





4) Stir it up! (note bulging belly creeping into the pic)





5) Add your wicks. Carefully insert them and make sure they’re centered. They should stay straight up on their own, so don’t worry about that.








6) Turn the crock pot off. Leave it uncovered. Go do something else.





Over the next few hours the wax will cool and harden. They’ll be hard enough to handle if you’d like to remove them after a few hours, but give them at least 6+ hours before you really toss ‘em around. They need plenty of time to get good and set.

And that’s it, just a few hours of monitoring and six easy steps gets you these adorable, customized gifts that anyone would be delighted to receive. They’re so cute, no?





Happy Holidays!

So adding to our arsenal of deodorant, toothpaste, and shampoo/conditioner, we can now tame our fly-aways and fashion our mohawks in an ethical and eco-friendly manner. Trés faboo, non?





There’s 3 levels of ‘hold’ here:

Level 1, Smoothing Serum
“You want your hair to stay soft and silky, but dry air and static cling are seriously cramping your style.”

No problem! Just apply a small dollop of pure Vitamin E Oil to the center of your palm. Rub your hands together, and then run both palms over your hair, starting at the roots and moving down. A little goes a long way, and don’t use too much or it’ll end up looking oily. For split or dry ends, apply a bit more E directly to the tips.

Level 2, Light Hold
“You’re looking to keep that ponytail in place or set those bangs, despite the blustery wind waiting for you outside.”

For a little bit of action, Vitamin E isn’t enough. You’ll need to get your hands on some pure (99%) Aloe Vera Gelly. Apply it straight, just like you would with any store bought hair product. It’ll offer a gentle hold that won’t look gummy or gunked-up.

Level 3, Hard Helmet
“You like it spikey, pomped, or hawked. You require some serious hold in order to achieve your aesthetic of choice, perfect for the active lifestyle of an activist like you! If only it weren’t made from beeswax or gelatin . . .”

Never fear, my dears – Seaweed is here! The Bonzai Hair Hold is made from Aloe Vera Gel and Japanese Agar Agar. Derived from seaweed, agar is common in foods like jelly desserts, and is also the culture medium used in most bio labs (which is where I first encountered it). It is sold in thin sheets or flakes and is available at health food stores, ethnic markets, or online. Don’t be alarmed by the initial investment – a little goes a looooong way, and a bag will last you for years.





For a ‘normal hold’ hair gel, use the Agar Agar at the concentration listed on the package. For an even tougher product (perhaps to take on your liberty spikes?), you can mix up a batch at 150% or 200% concentration.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Agar Agar (concentration of choice)
1/4 cup Aloe Vera Gelly
10 (+/-) drops Essential Oil of choice (for aroma only)

Instructions:
Prepare 1/2 cup of Agar Agar as instructed on the package, usually by simmering and stirring. When all the agar flakes are dissolved, remove from heat and whisk in the Aloe Vera and Essential Oil. Transfer the solution to a container of your choice and refrigerate, at least 6 hours or overnight.





Once the agar is set, you’re good to go! Store the in bathroom as normal.








This stuff is awesome, I’ve been using it to set my mess for about a week, with absolutely no complaints. I love it, and I’m so glad to share it with you!

BONZAI!!!

I’m resigned to replacing each of my store-bought products as they run out. You may remember my first foray into kitchen cosmetics, with my homemade deodorant – a resounding success (I’ll never go back!) Just recently I’ve traded my shampoo for ‘no-poo‘, and we’ll see how that all pans out.

So what about the toothpaste?

Just like the deodorant, this recipe centers around baking soda and coconut oil. And of course, it’s crazy cheap and easy to make. It goes like this:


Sayward’s Homemade Toothpaste Recipe

4 tablespoons baking soda
2 tablespoons coconut oil (warmed to liquid state)
3 teaspoons xylitol
15 drops peppermint oil

Mix everything in a small bowl until it forms a uniform paste. Add more peppermint oil 5 drops at a time, tasting as you go, if you like it stronger (I added quite a bit more but I figure this is a good base). Transfer to a small glass jar or storage container with a tight-fitting lid. The toothpaste will keep unrefrigerated for months.





The only thing you may have trouble with is procuring the xylitol. The natural sweetener is excellent for this application, because it actually benefits teeth. Alas, it may be hard to find. It’s available online, but if you want to forgo it you can. Just use a dash of stevia – but just a bit! – that stuff goes a loooong way.





This toothpaste has been working great. Damian and I have been using it for a couple of weeks now, with no complaints. It *did* take a while to adjust to the flavor . . . eek. Sort of hyper-saline and hard on the tongue, but you do get used to it. Consider yourself warned!





And one last note: I’ve come accross a lot of concern regarding the potential for baking soda to damage tooth enamel. Apparently, there is an Abrasive Index for all toothpastes, called the RDA Index, which measures a product’s grittiness. After all, toothpastes are abrasive – that’s how they work! But according to the RDA Index, baking soda is the second least abrasive option, right above plain ol’ water. So no worries!

I planted my snow peas first thing this season, way back at the beginning of February, and they bore their yield before anything else, in June. And as it goes, they’ve already died back, thus freeing up a precious plot for fall crops.

But I’ve saved my pea seeds this year! Saving seed is super easy, economical, and of course, ecological. If your annuals were able to thrive in your soil, you know you’ve got a botanical match. Go ahead and save the seeds of all your successful plants. *But*, if your veggies struggled or your flowers floundered, they may not mesh with the mineral composition of your yard. You might consider skipping out on the seeds of these low-yield or sickly varieties.

This process is pretty standard for all legumes, so feel free to use this method for any pea, bean, or lentil you may have grown. You’ll want to start paying attention when the plant begins to lose it’s color and the pods start to shrink up, like this:

Some people suggest clipping the vines at the base and hanging them out to dry, but I was much more successful just allowing them to die back naturally. The stems will brown before the pods, so just keep an eye on them over the weeks to see that they aren’t molding. Some ‘healthily’ dying pea plants:

It will take a few weeks, but eventually the entire plant, including it’s pods, will be nicely dehydrated. Here you can see the pods I hung to dry inside (left) and the pods I allowed to dry in the ground (right). The hung-dry plant remained strangely green even when it was crunchy crisped, and the pod shriveled up extremely tight. The seeds that came out were small and wrinkled – not nice at all. As I said, I strongly suggest the in-ground approach, as the beauty on the right demonstrates:

To collect seeds, select fully dried cases that ‘rattle’ a bit when you shake them. Gently pry them open at the ‘seam’ – if they are ready this shouldn’t be too difficult at all. Many will have already begun to split.

And it’s easy as that! Collect as many seeds as you want (there should be more than enough) and store them in a cool dry place, like a spice jar in a closet. Remember to label the jar!

Good luck, and happy gardening!