Better then Bacon Pumpkin Seeds

This is a great little recipe for many reasons: it's sprouted, easy, very good for you and it's a good replacement for bacon when used as a garnish. My kids call these salty seeds. You do need a dehydrator so, if you don't have one, borrow one from the neighbors. This recipe takes quite a bit of inactive time but it's worth it! To preserve the enzymes in these sprouted seeds, dehydrate under 115 degrees (Green Smoothie Girl keeps her temperature at 105 degrees. See the note below on the benefits of sprouting.

Better then Bacon Pumpkin Seeds

3 cups raw pumpkin seeds (hulled)

Water

2 1/2 TBS Bragg’s Liquid Aminos

Soak pumpkin seeds in water overnight. Drain well. Dry seeds in dehydrator for 3-4 hours until they are mostly dry (to be able to absorb liquid again).

Mix pumpkin seeds with Liquid Amios well. Let sit to absorb liquid, stirring occasionally, until all liquid is absorbed (15-30 min.). Taste and add another 1/2 to 1 teaspoon if more flavor is needed. Spread on teflex sheets in dehydrator and dry until crispy, for a few hours.

Adapted from 12 Steps to Whole Foods

Note: Sprouting seeds, grains, nuts, and legumes causes the starches to convert to easily

digested sugars. Germinating activates the enzymes so the plant begins to produce

vitamins that it needs for its own growth. According to research performed at the

University of Minnesota, sprouting increases the nutrient density of foods. Sprouted

wheat had 28 percent more thiamine (B1), 315 percent more riboflavin (B2), 66 percent

more niacin (B3), 65 percent more pantothenic acid (B5), 111 percent more

biotin, 278 percent more folic acid, and 300 percent more vitamin C than non-sprouted

wheat. In some legumes, vitamins multiply by up to 500 percent after the bean is

sprouted. Enzyme content is sometimes more than 40 times higher in the sprouted grain,

and even fiber multiplies 300 to 400 percent over the ground, dry whole grain! Another

change brought about in the sprouting process is that carbohydrates decrease and protein

increases substantially, as atmospheric nitrogen is absorbed in the breakdown of carb

molecules, reformed as amino acid building blocks of protein. Source: Green Smoothie Girl's 12 Step Program.