We’ve gone gluten-free and have discovered the secret key to staying that way: these sunflower and flax seed cracker recipes. The perfect on-the-go snack and the ideal pair to luscious dips and spreads like this broccomole and neon beet hummus, we always make sure to have a bag on hand. Unlike typical crackers, these are loaded with nutrients. Rich in vegan protein and healthy fats, they are also an excellent source of immune-boosting and hormone-stimulating zinc and blood-sugar-balancing manganese and copper. Another bonus: They’re free of the typical fillers, inflammatory wheat and toxic oils that are found in conventional crackers. In fact, these crackers are so clean and packed with the good stuff, they are an integral part of the Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS) diet.
We discovered these recipes in the The Heal Your Gut Cookbook, which is a resource for repairing the GI tract through the GAPS diet. GAPS refers to physiological and psychological disorders – including ADD/ADHD, autism, addictions, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder – that stem from, or are exacerbated by, leaky gut and dysbiosis. The diet is designed to restore the balance between beneficial and pathogenic intestinal bacteria in order to seal the gut and remedy its related issues. If you’re looking to take clean eating to the next level, try your hand at these two cracker recipes by the authors, Hilary Boynton and Mary Brackett…
I discovered flax crackers one day in the grocery store, and after spending $40 on crackers, in various flavors, that were all gone in about 2 days, I decided I could knock these suckers off. You can get creative and add a blend of Mexican spices, Italian seasonings, or even cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice for sweet crackers.
Simple Flax Crackers
makes 20-30 crackers
Ingredients:
4 cups flax seeds
2 cups pumpkin or sunflower seeds, soaked
1 Tbsp sea salt
5 Tbsp coconut aminos (optional)
1 bunch fresh cilantro
1 bunch fresh parsley
zest and juice of 1 lime
1 tsp black pepper
Directions:
Put the flax seeds in a bowl, and cover with filtered water. Let them soak for 6 hours.
Add all of the ingredients, except the flax, to your food processor. Blend until you reach a slightly chunky consistency. Add the flax, and blend until well incorporated. The flax will not be ground.
Spread the dough out on three nonstick dehydrator sheets and dehydrate at 90°F for 10 to 12 hours.
At this point, flip the giant cracker (you can score it into desired cracker shapes if you wish – we just break it up at the end) onto a standard drying sheet and dehydrate for another 10 to 12 hours or until crisp. This will allow it to cook evenly on both sides. Break up into smaller crackers and enjoy.
Onion Crackers
serves 8-10
Ingredients:
3 large sweet yellow onions
¾ cup raw sunflower seeds, finely ground into meal with a food processor (be careful not to make nut butter)
½ cup coconut aminos
½ tsp sea salt
1 carrot, shredded
1 zucchini, shredded
⅓ cup olive oil
1 cup ground flax seeds
sesame, poppy, and/or pumpkin seeds, to garnish the top
Directions:
In a food processor, mix the onions, sunflower seed meal, coconut aminos, salt, carrot, zucchini, and olive oil until smooth.
Add the flax seeds and blend until well incorporated. Spread thinly on nonstick sheets and sprinkle with a variety of seeds for garnish. Be sure to press these into the batter gently with the back of a fork, so they stick once the crackers have been dehydrated.
Dehydrate at 110°F for 6 hours. Carefully flip the crackers and dehydrate for another couple of hours.
Cut or break crackers into your desired sizes. Put them back into the dehydrator and dehydrate for an additional 18 to 24 hours.
Store in airtight containers in the fridge. You may want to double the batch, as these will get gobbled up quickly!
Note: If you want to take it up a notch, you can caramelize your onions first! Slice and cook for 30 minutes with a pinch of sea salt and 2 tablespoons of coconut oil or ghee in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat.
These recipes are from The Heal Your Gut Cookbook by Hilary Boynton and Mary G. Brackett (Chelsea Green Publishing, 2014) and are reprinted with the permission of the publisher. For more information, visit www.chelseagreen.com
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