Here is a question from a fellow Essential Cuisine student. My answer is below in PURPLE:
Hello Susan,
I purchased your Essential Cuisine DVD's from Food Matters. I am ABSOLUTELY ENJOYING EVERY MINUTE of watching them. You are a delightful lady and make it so fun and easy. I love the warmth of your teaching and the people.
I have been on a personal journey for the last several years to become more educated about food and to dramatically change my eating habits. It has been great! I will consider your Makeover Course. I assume that it is much more than what I have already observed on the DVD's.
Finally, I have watched the soaking nuts segment several times. Am I correct: The pecans, walnuts, almonds, and pumpkins seeds are soaked and rinsed, etc, and then if not using them right away, keep them in water and sitting out on the counter covered. How long can I leave them out like this? A day or two and then be sure to use them?
Also, in the DVD, you said to soak the sunflower seeds for 5 hours only, but how long do the others soak until they are initially ready if you are going to use them right away? I assume that it is best to only soak what you are going to use and not more at one time?
Flax seeds are soaked once and then used? Should not be stored in water?
I guess I should enroll in your course as I have so many questions.
Thank you for your help.
Aloha from Chef Teton,
Thank you for the great compliments. Yeah!!!
After you soak the nuts, have rinsed them and are ready to store them, put then in a container and cover them with water and put them in the REFRIGERATOR. Then you must change the water each day. Now, if you are going to eat them within the day I am sure they are fine to sit out on the counter. Some seeds will begin to sprout (not pecans or walnuts).
As for soaking time. It varies according to the nut and size. Almonds take a good 12 hours. Walnuts take several hours to soak all the way through, but there are times that I have only 15 minutes to soak them. This short time is beneficial and better than nothing because it will wash them and help eliminate mold, enzyme inhibitors or any other particles.
You can also soak sunflower seeds for just a couple hours. They do not take long. Most nuts and seeds are in the 8 hour range. I like to go for overnight. Most all nuts and legumes are soaked enough in the morning. You can rise them and keep them on the counter until ready to use them in the same day. But, if not, then soak them in jars in water and store them in the fridge!
I like to soak enough walnuts to use for a couple days. Sunflower seeds grow their tails fast and will become bitter if you let them go too much. The best things to do is experiment a little at a time. Get a feel for it and see how much you eat.
I hope that helps!
Making every bite count, Chef Teton