Method of preparing a food product

1. A method of making a dehydrated food product, comprising:

culling nuts and/or seeds to remove foreign objects;

performing at least two cleaning/germinating steps without sprouting the nuts and/or seeds, each cleaning/germinating step comprising rinsing, soaking, and then draining the nuts and/or seeds;

dehydrating the nuts and/or seeds to form dehydrated nuts and/or seeds without sprouts by a method comprising:

maintaining the nuts and/or seeds in a compartment;

heating air in the compartment to a temperature in a range of about 115° F. to about 120° F. for at least about 24 hours to remove moisture from the nuts and/or seeds;

venting the heated air and moisture from the compartment; and

removing the nuts and/or seeds from the compartment and cooling the nuts and/or seeds at a temperature below an ambient temperature in a container having at least one opening covered by at least one screen and/or filter to form the dehydrated nuts and/or seeds without sprouts.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

testing the dehydrated nuts and/or seeds to determine a level of anti-nutrient content.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the container has the at least one opening covered by at least one screen and/or filter at a top of the container.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein heating the nuts and/or seeds includes heating the nuts and/or seeds for up to 48 hours.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compartment forms part of a dehydrator apparatus comprising a heating element and a fan configured to move heated air through the compartment and evacuate at least some of the moisture.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the dehydrator apparatus further comprises at least one humidity sensor, and the method further comprises:

sensing a humidity level in the compartment;

determining if the humidity level is at, above, or below a threshold humidity level.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

automatically turning the heating element off if the sensed humidity level is at or below the threshold humidity level; and/or

automatically turning the fan off if the sensed humidity level is at or below the threshold humidity level.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

automatically turning the heating element on if the sensed humidity level is above the threshold humidity level; and/or

automatically turning the fan on if the sensed humidity level is above the threshold humidity level.

9. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

generating an alert if a sensed humidity level is at or below the threshold humidity level.

10. A method of preparing a dehydrated food product, comprising:

culling one or more nuts and/or seeds to remove foreign objects;

performing an initial cleaning/germinating step comprising:

rinsing the one or more nuts and/or seeds;

soaking the one or more nuts and/or seeds;

draining the one or more nuts and/or seeds;

rinsing the one or more nuts and/or seeds;

performing a final cleaning/germinating step comprising:

soaking the one or more nuts and/or seeds;

draining the one or more nuts and/or seeds;

rinsing the one or more nuts and/or seeds,

the initial and final cleaning/germinating steps performed without sprouting the one or more nuts and/or seeds;

dehydrating the one or more nuts and/or seeds without sprouts to form dehydrated nuts and/or seeds without sprouts, by a method comprising:

maintaining the one or more nuts and/or seeds in a compartment of a dehydrator;

heating air in the compartment to a temperature in a range of about 115° F. to about 120° F. for at least approximately 24 hours;

venting the heated air and moisture from the compartment; and

removing the one or more nuts and/or seeds without sprouts from the compartment and cooling below ambient temperature in a container having at least one opening covered by at least one screen and/or filter to form the dehydrated one or more nuts and/or seeds.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises:

testing the one or more nuts and/or seeds to determine a level of anti-nutrient content.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the method further includes, after cooling the dehydrated one or more nuts and/or seeds, packaging the dehydrated one or more nuts and/or seeds.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein heating the one or more nuts and/or seeds includes heating the one or more nuts and/or seeds for up to 48 hours.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the dehydrator comprises a heating element and a fan configured to move heated air through the compartment and evacuate at least some of the moisture.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the dehydrator apparatus further comprises at least one humidity sensor, and the method further comprises:

sensing a humidity level in the compartment.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

determining if the humidity level is at, above, and/or below a threshold humidity level; and

generating an alert if a sensed humidity level is at and/or below the threshold humidity level; and/or

automatically turning the heating element off if the sensed humidity level is at or below the threshold humidity level; and/or

automatically turning the fan off if the sensed humidity level is at or below the threshold humidity level.

17. A method of making a dehydrated food product, comprising:

performing a plurality of cleaning/germinating steps, each comprising rinsing, soaking, and

draining nuts and/or seeds without sprouting the nuts and/or seeds;

dehydrating the nuts and/or seeds by heating air in a dehydrator comprising the nuts and/or seeds to a temperature in a range of about 115° F. to about 120° F. for at least about 24 hours to remove moisture from the nuts and/or seeds, including venting at least some of the moisture from the dehydrator; and

removing the nuts and/or seeds from the dehydrator and cooling the nuts and/or seeds at a temperature below an ambient temperature in a container having at least one opening covered by at least one screen and/or filter to form the dehydrated nuts and/or seeds without sprouts.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein dehydrating the nuts and/or seeds includes heating the nuts and/or seeds without cooking the nuts and/or seeds.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein cooling the nuts and/or seeds includes cooling the nuts and/or seeds to a temperature at or below a freezing temperature.