Green tea noodles. Zhang Wei / China Daily

The nutrients beans have are mostly protein and carbohydrates, but once they begin to grow, they will have more vitamins inside, Trowbridge explains.

Also, he says, the longer the soaking, the less heat is needed to cook the soybean milk, so fewer nutrients will be destroyed by heat.

The Israel lentil bowl also contains rice that gets a long soak in water, for at least 24 hours until they sprout, before getting boiled for a short time and steamed.

The base underneath is five grains－red rice, brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat and millet－and the topping is spiced lentils, pickled peppers, toasted cauliflower and beet hummus. It is served with green tahini sauce.

The rice is flavored with vinegar and honey; the lentils and cauliflower with turmeric, cumin and fennel; and the beet hummus gets extra zip from lemon and orange juice. The large family of ingredients suggests healthy and nutrient-dense eating.

My favorite dish that day was the "cheesecake" made of raw beets and cashews.

The chef softens the two ingredients by soaking them. Then he smashes the beets and cashews, sweetens the mix with honey, and puts the mixture in a refrigerator for five to six hours before serving with seasonal fruit.

The cashew and beet combine to produce a texture like cheesecake, but provide healthy protein and vitamins instead of fat.

The restaurant has a large menu of drinks, including various fruit juices, and sells coffee made with organic beans and milk at a competitive price.

Tribe Organic also holds seminars focusing on healthy eating every month.

If you go

10:30 am-10:30 pm daily; Building 3, China View, 2 Gongti Dong Lu, Chaoyang district, Beijing. 010-8587-1899. Tribeorganic.com.

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