soaking beans and grains: a must

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soaking beans and grains: a must
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Our priority is to use fresh organic produce, dairy, grains and meats. We begin with the groceries available to us (and that we can afford), preferably at a local farmers market and/or co-op. Once we have our ingredients, then we either look them up in the index of one of our fave cookbooks, or barge ahead on inspiration. One thing we are sure of - organic just tastes (feels!) better. Because we really love food, its all about using wonderful ingredients.

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Its difficult to over-estimate the value of farmers and their endeavors. Given the importance of their work to our health, they would seem to deserve all our affection and more. We are encouraged by the recent trend away from big agriculture and monoculture. The small (and large) organic farms that are cropping up all around the world are making life better for their communities, and maybe for all of us. Organic meat, cheese, wine and beer are also making inroads to modern life. Sometimes the word 'conscious' comes up in place of organic: this word denotes the sense of personal responsibility that may lead to a better future.

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on the trail of the archaic revival

see our blog for arcane notes and snippets from our continuing adventures

grains and beans have done much of the humble work of sustaining the human race for thousands
of years. if you are trying to eat consciously, chances are you already know all about soaking and
the different methods. for those who are new to it, we have included this little chart. the acid
medium (vinegar,whey) helps to neutralize the enzyme inhibitors (phytates), making beans and grains
more digestible and nutrient-dense. this practice is found in traditional cultures world-wide.

super soaking chart

how much	acidic medium	soak time
2 cups black beans	2 tbl	24 hours
2 cups black eye peas, pinto, navy etc. beans	warm water	12-24 hours**
2 cups red kidney beans	warm water	12 hours
2 cups brown rice*	4 tbl	7 hours
2 cups split peas	warm water	7 hours
2 cup lentils	2 tbl	7 hours
2 cup millet*	4 tbl	7 hours
1 cup quinoa	1 tbl	12 hours
1 cup chickpea	2 tbl	24 hours
1 cup teff or amaranth	2 tbl	24 hours
1 cup oat groats	2 tbl	12-24 hours

what you'll need:
glass bowls
acidic medium (whey, apple-cider vinegar, lemon juice, keifer, yogurt)
time! (7-24 hours)

place grains or beans in bowl, keep in mind some will double or triple in size while soaking- so be sure you have enough room and water in your bowl. cover with warm water, stir in the acidic medium, and cover the bowl. as to the acidic medium, i prefer whey; those with lactose intolerance may want to use the vinegar or lemon juice.

p.s. we dont encourage people to use a pressure cooker to cook beans or other foods. the high temperature, while speeding up the cooking process, saps many of the vital nutrients

* due to low phytate counts, soaking is recommended but not necessary
** smaller beans need more soak time