18 April 2014

A cracking recipe for crackers and dip!

A 'cracking' recipe for crackers and dip! Get it?! 'Cracking' and 'crackers'?! hehe

When I want a healthy cracker for social occasions I usually make a raw chia cracker in the dehydrator. But the whole chia seeds can be a little tricky on digestion so I don't have them very often.

Plus they're very 'seedy' and not quite the same as a regular cracker. I want something different!

I'd made my yummy beetroot tapenade this week and definitely needed a paleo-friendly cracker to go with it. So what to do?!

I was thinking of using my chia meal flatbread/pizza base recipe and making it work for crackers. But I'm not eating coconut at the moment (2 weeks off of it to see if it gives me any skin problems) and this recipe calls for coconut oil and coconut flour.

So I thought, maybe I could remove the coconut and just make a thinner version.

I did! And it worked!


Okay so the crackers don't look all that pretty but they taste good so that's the main thing!

This is just the most basic of recipes. It's up to you to add in flavours you'd like. You might want a hot and spicy cracker, so add spices, pepper etc. You might like a fresh herb flavour so add in your favourite herbs. For a really salty cracker which is nice with some dips, add in plenty of Himalayan pink salt to the mix. You get the idea!

I used the dehydrator to make these crackers. I'd probably prefer using the oven but ours doesn't work at the moment. If you'd like a raw cracker go for the dehydrator but I think the oven would give a more crispy result.

Chia Arrowroot Crackers

You'll need:

1 cup chia seeds ground up blender to make flour
1 cup organic pure arrowroot powder 
1/2 tsp bicarb soda
1 tbsp cold-pressed olive oil (or butter/ghee if using oven)
1/2 tsp baking powder - rice and gluten-free
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 cups water 

To do:

1. Add all dry ingredients into a bowl and stir to combine well (this is where you'll add herbs, spices etc)
2. Stir in the apple cider vinegar
3. Slowly mix in the water and allow it to absorb into the mixture. You may need less or more water, you want to end up with a dough but not too watery.
4. Mix really well to ensure there are no dry lumps throughout. This is a thick dough so it takes a bit of work. The dough should be sticky but not too wet.
5. DEHYDRATOR: Place mixture on a large sheet of baking paper, with another the same size on top. 
6. Use a rolling pin to roll out mixture so you get an evenly flat shape, about 3-4mm high. It will shrink slightly when dried so you don't want it too thin or with any gaps/holes showing
7. Once you have the desired thickness, cut into rectangles the size you'd like for crackers, keep the underneath sheet of baking paper there, discard top sheet, then place in the dehydrator and place on medium temp until the mixture is completely dry and breaks easily
Or: OVEN: follow steps 5 and 6 but place onto an oven rack/dish and bake on medium temp for a lot less time than a dehydrator! Maybe try 170-180 degrees for 40-45 mins but keep checking on it so it doesn't burn.

You can leave the mixture as one large square/rectangle to dry/bake then break apart into cracker sizes later. Up to you!

Store in an air-tight container.

My crackers were still slightly soft even though completely dried so I think baking them in the oven may create more crunch. But they're a simple and healthy cracker option, eliminating many common allergy foods, so they're a great option for parties and picnics.

#grain-free #gluten-free #dairy-free #egg-free #coconut-free #seeds #paleo #primal


Click here to see the recipe for my Beetroot Tapenade.

This time I used sheep feta, cold-pressed olive oil, apple cider vinegar and salt/pepper. Because the oven isn't working I had to fry the beetroot on the stove but baking definitely produces better flavour and is easier to do!

So that's my take on healthy and easy crackers and dip!

If you're looking for a dehydrator to have at home you can grab one here in the Primal Pantry :)

Enjoy and let me know how you go if you make this!

-Aimee




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