Proper Preparation of Vegetables, Seeds, Nuts, Grains, and Beans

The Native American ancestors were aware of how to turn their available plant foods into bioavailable nutrition without the anti-nutrient factors so many today have just more recently rediscovered and stress extensively about.

Something of which, all modern humans have forgotten, and another reason why vegan, vegetarian, and plant-based diets simply do not compare to a nutrient-dense whole food balanced Neolithic diet that we evolved on as human beings.

They prepared their corn, beans, and squash with an extensive week or two long process, that included soaking with salts (our water used to be rich in mineral salts, as I have noted many times) and acids/bases (citrus juice/vinegar, for modern examples, and ash), sprouting where applicable, fermenting, THEN cooking, and refrying in the cases of beans. Refrying was not simply for entertainment or taste, but NUTRITION.

More information can be found by searching "Native American Three Sisters", but I will be laying out a more simple framework to read over and look back on whenever you encounter these foods, as I realize really nobody has time for this extensive of a preparation process with our modern schedules today.

This applies today now more than ever. Here's a big secret... Earth, almost all of its oceans, and all foods being eaten have been toxin-loaded since forever. The real secret is to recognize it always has been and always will. We are intelligent enough to adapt and that is how we've evolved. We can turn poison into medicine via the acid salt soak which also draws in the healthy minerals and such if they are present at the same time as the soaking process. Then all ancestral culture recipes were prepared with cleansing detox facilitators, or herbs, vegetables, spices. Many of the common herbs, vegetables, and spices actually facilitate our detox capacity (glutathione), as well as protecting from the potentially toxic byproducts that can be created by cooking meats and other foods. Mother Nature or God is very intelligent, it has provided us everything we need to adapt, survive, and THRIVE.

A solution of 1 tbsp baking soda, 1 tbsp sea salt, and 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar removes nearly every pesticide, herbicide, and fungicide in use today, soak and rinse well. These ingredients can be included to the instructions below, but be mindful of the bubbling reaction with the baking soda and acids, make sure to pour in slowly.

So...

Vegetables (leafy greens/ cruciferous veggies, anything else), to break down oxalic acid and phytic acid to unlock the full nutrient profile from the plant cell wall structure:

• 1/2 tbsp Magnesium chloride salt flakes/powder, 1/2 tbsp sea salt flakes/powder, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or lime/lemon juice dissolved in CLEAN water to dilute the solution sufficiently (not too dark, not too light) in a glass, ceramic, or wood bowl (plastic is fine, though try not to make it a habit with the salts)
• Soak and thoroughly rinse your vegetables for about 10-20 min
• Shake until dry and cook to preference. These will also make for an excellent stew or stock

Fermentation is optional and recommended with foods like cabbage and beets. Here is an excellent review for the cabbage for sauerkraut, spices can be included to taste, and just scroll past the nonsense introduction: https://toriavey.com/how-to/how-to-ferment-cabbage-and-make-sauerkraut/

And a simple fermentation recipe for the beets: https://homesteadandchill.com/fermented-pickled-beets-recipe/

Seeds (depends which one specifically, but can be verified online with a quick search), to break down oxalic acid, phytic acid, and other nutrient inhibitors to unlock the full nutrient profile from the seed cell wall structure:

• Use a glass mason jar and fill the jar with the designated amount of seeds
• Fill the jar with clean water to about an inch about your seeds
• 1/2 tbsp Magnesium chloride salt flakes/powder, 1/2 tbsp sea salt flakes/powder to your jar, close lid, and shake until dissolved
• Let soak for 12-24 hrs depending on the type of seed (smaller will be around 12, larger will be around 24 for reference)
• Changing out the water throughout this process is optional, though I've found it isn't absolutely necessary
• The soak water will be murky once the process is complete
• Dry outside in the sun or on a cooking pan at the lowest temperature setting in the oven

Sprouting:The seeds must be viable to be sprouted. If they are bought already pre-roasted or in any way cooked, then just do the soaking process. Here is an excellent review on sprouting sunflower seeds as an example: https://www.greensguru.com/how-i-grow-sunflower-microgreens-soil-free-and-win-all-the-time/

Nuts (depends which one specifically, but can be verified online with a quick search), to break down oxalic acid, phytic acid, and other nutrient inhibitors to unlock the full nutrient profile from the seed cell wall structure:

• It is the same process applied with the seeds, quite simple

Ancient grains and oats to break down oxalic acid, phytic acid, and lectin to release the full nutrient profile from the plant cell wall structure (fermentation is recommended for grains, as they were traditionally prepared) (organic, non-GMO, rolled oats are optimal, avoid powdered oats):

• Grab a glass mason jar and fill it with your designated amount of grains or oats
• Fill the jar with clean water to about an inch above your grains/oats
• 1/2 tbsp Magnesium chloride salt flakes/powder, 1/2 tbsp sea salt flakes/powder, 1 tsp-1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar or lime/lemon juice to your jar, close lid, and shake until dissolved
• Open the lid back up and add 1 tsp of kefir (goat is preferred, though whatever you have available is effective), close the lid again, and shake well
• Let sit on the counter for 12 hours or overnight for the oats and 12-24 hrs for the grains, again depending on which type. Shorter soak time seems to produce a more tasty, better-textured endproduct with grains and oats)
• Open up the jar every few hours and let it breathe and release the CO2 created
• After the designated time, cook to preference

For proper preparation of oats, you have to soak your oats for 12 hours in clean water with some lemon/lime juice or vinegar and salts. Magnesium chloride salt is especially useful here while adding to total nutrition content.  And toss that water and rinse your oats again one last time. Then put in a pot for a long slow cook until you’ve got like soggy gruel.  Add some tasty things to it, like oat straw, astragalus powder, raw honey, or cinnamon.

An excellent review for sourdough einkorn bread (avoid if you have leaky gut or are gluten-sensitive, wheat is always optimal to avoid): https://jovialfoods.com/recipes/einkorn-whole-grain-sourdough-bread/ 

Beans and legumes (exact soak time will depend on the type of beans and legumes, and this is advice for dry beans as canned beans will already have gone through most of this process, minus the acids and salts) to break down the oxalic acid, phytic acid, lectin, and nutrient inhibitors to release the full nutrient profile from the plant cell wall structure (fermentation is optional here for beans, as it will smell and can be an
especially extensive process):

• Grab a glass mason jar and fill it with your designated amount of dry beans or legumes
• Fill the jar with clean water to about an inch above the beans
• 1/2 tbsp Magnesium chloride salt flakes/powder, 1/2 tbsp sea salt flakes/powder, 1 tsp-1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar or lime/lemon juice to your jar, close lid, and shake until dissolved
• Let soak for 12-48 hrs for legumes and 48-72 hrs for beans and rinse well with clean water when complete (this soaking process can be cut down with a pressure cooker to about 24 hrs, which includes the soaking and additional heat and pressure to further break down the nutrient inhibitors)
• Cook well to preference

Here is an excellent review for fermenting beans: https://www.culturesforhealth.com/learn/natural-fermentation/fermenting-beans-and-legumes/

Here is an excellent review for fermenting lentils to give you an idea for how to work with the legumes: https://homekitchentalk.com/can-you-ferment-lentils/

I am not affiliated with any of the blog/recipe websites, I just noted they covered every aspect of the fermentation process that I would do while I was eating a vegan diet.

As always, if you have any questions, feel free to ask!