More Hip Than Hippie #284 - Soak Your Nuts

The traditional practice of soaking grains, legumes, nuts and seeds can enhance the nutritional qualities of these foods.

Do you soak your nuts? If not, you're missing out on a lot of important nutrition. The Hipsters invite Carol Albrecht back (by listener request) to talk about the how and why of soaking and sprouting your nuts, grains and seeds. Also, Dori's daughter turns another year older while Val's son checks into the Hormone Hotel!

Beer and Chocolate:

Beer: Our homies at Sierra Nevada Brewery have teamed up with God to produce Ovila Abbey Ales. We're Dubbel happy! Dori: 4 hips; Val: 5 hips

Chocolate: Vegans, rejoice! Angell vegan organic Fair Trade chocolate bars don't taste like cardboard. Eat No Evil! Dori: 4 hips Val: 5 hips.

Hip News and Finds

Finds:

• Flower Power. Just in time for Earth Day, here's a pair of comic crimefighters with plantable pages. The Gardener and April Showers are more powerful than pollution!
• Plantstic? Pepsi says they've cracked the code for making plastic from plants, and they're testing new petroleum-free bottles.
• Sounds good! Hit up iTunes for the new Songs for Japan album benefitting the Japanese Red Cross.

Hip News

• So long, and thanks for all the fish. The US government is withholding info about the investigation into dolphin deaths in the Gulf of Mexico. Scientists have been told to keep their findings confidential.
• Hold the veggies. In Greece, a couple has been barred from adopting a baby because of their vegetarian diet.

Teenie Weenie Greenie™

Sheet happens! Listener Ashanti in Texas needs to find a way to reuse dryer sheets. OK, let's 'bounce' a few ideas: scrub your shower door, dust your blinds, repel insects & rodents, freshen drawers & luggage...Hipsters, toss in some more suggestions!

Soak Your Nuts

From Listener Sarah in New York City:

I would love to see you bring back the Chicken Chick to talk about sprouting and soaking grains/seeds/nuts. What's the best way to grind the seeds into flour after sprouting? How can you get different consistencies of flour?

• Learn why it's important to soak and sprout nuts, seeds and grains.
• Do it yourself with some wide-mouth jars and a sprouting screen.
• Keep this Soaking and Sprouting Chart handy.
• You can order sprouted flour and foods from places like Shiloh Farms, or grab some Trader Joe's sprouted breads and pasta.
• Grind your own sprouted berries with a grain mill.
• Carol Albrecht is co-leader of our local Weston A. Price Foundation chapter.

Listener E-mails

We love to hear from you, and we love your photos too! Join the More Hip conversation by sending us an email at hip@greenfeet.com. Check out our blog!

• Roy in Alaska thinks we're hot, so we researched Oregon Tilth for him. He also recommends Midnight Sun Brewing Co beer. Send us a bottle of Meltdown, would ya?
• Erin in Washington found a cool site for recycled bottle crafts. We may have a bottle or 2 lying around...
• Stephanie in California seeks some Earth Day projects and crafts for kids.
• Donna in England is greening her world after her husband's bouts with cancer. Check out her handmade soaps at The Soap Folk.
• Chelsea in Georgia feels her eco-mojo flowing. Thanks for listening!

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