~ "By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; Through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures." ~ "Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing" ~ "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy." ~ "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."~

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Flax Seed Crackers... Gluten-Free/Egg-Free/Flour-less.

Flax Seed Crackers... Gluten-Free/Egg-Free/Flour-less. Sorry, I'm back to making crackers again:). But ever since I made the chia seed crackers, I knew I wanted to try the flax seed version. This time around I chose to sort of  "get rid" of some seeds, grain and nuts I had in my fridge. I often manage to buy certain seeds, nuts or grains  for specific recipes... use some of them, but then sort of "forget" about the rest. Oh, I know they are there,  because I see them every time I open my fridge:). Nuts normally aren't a problem, as we like to munch on them whenever we look for  a snack. Sunflower seeds tend to be used in salads... and as of recent, for making sunflower seed "flour" to use in gluten-free recipes. Made some gluten-free french macarons using sunflower seed flour and it works really well.... in case you are interested in trying it:). In any case,  flax seeds, chia seeds and millet sort of get forgotten. So this time around my intention was to "clear" out my fridge... got all my little containers  with various seeds, nuts, and millet to make these crackers.

The resulting crackers were delicious! Even though this batch of crackers weren't grain-free or nut- free(like the chia crackers), I felt they had more character:). The flax seeds and millet provided quite a bit of extra texture... and the almonds gave the crackers added flavor. You'll have to overlook the fact that some of the seeds can get stuck in your teeth:). 

Because I SO loved the flavor of  onion in the chia seed crackers, I decided to add it to these crackers as well.  Personally, I think the onion flavor is what really elevates the crackers and makes them unique. I like to eat the crackers as a snack, sort of curbs my appetite for chips.... even my husband likes them:). They go wonderfully well with various cheeses and dips. So if you you are looking for yet another cracker recipe that's a bit different, you might want to give this recipe a try. Hope you enjoy...

Note: If  you notice the cracker is not crisp when you break it in pieces, it probably wasn't dried enough in the initial baking process... so all you'll need to do, is to bake it for another few minutes until the crackers are crisp. It can be anywhere from 10-20 extra minutes.  

You will need:

1 cup flax seeds(I used golden)
1 cup water
1 cup sunflower seeds( I used 1/2 cup raw +1/2 cup roasted)
1/3 cup millet
2/3 cup raw sliced almonds
2 tsps  dried onion powder 
chile flakes to taste, optional
11/4 tsp kosher salt, or to taste

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, add all ingredients. Mix well to combine evenly. Allow to sit for 10 minutes or more ... until mixture "clumps" up and forms a thick "batter". 
At this point, you can proceed to bake the crackers, or you could let the cracker mixture soak for 2 hours or so... which is what I ended up doing. The mixture does get drier, but it still works.
  • Preheat oven to 170 deg F
2. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper, and place cracker mixture in center. With wet or oiled hands press the mixture into a thin even layer... about 1/4 inch thick. You will need to wet your hands often, as the mixture can be quite sticky.
3.  Place pan in preheated oven and bake for 60-80 minutes. Turn cracker sheet over and bake an additional 60-80 minutes... or until you notice the cracker sheet is no longer soft in the center. 
When turning the cracker sheet over, you might find it helpful to use another baking sheet of the same size to help you turn it over without breaking in pieces.
4. Turn oven off and allow cracker sheet to dry further in the oven with the residual heat. I leave mine overnight... 
I placed a range in baking time, because this depends on how thick or thin the cracker was spread... and all ovens are different. Mine took about 70 minutes on each side.

4 comments:

Joanne T Ferguson said...

G'day! These crackers are healthy as can be!
Might put this on the list to make based on your photos and recipe! Thank you!
Cheers! Joanne
What's On The List
http://www.whatsonthelist.net

Ellie said...

Hi Joanne, I sure hope you can give the crackers a try. They aren't difficult to make... are a bit on the healthy side. Maybe too healthy:)
But thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Anonymous said...

Hello, how long can these crackers be stored? Also, do they have to be refrigerated? Thank you! :)

Ellie said...

Anon, Well, most resources say that flax seeds can last for quite some time at room temperature... even up to a year in an airtight container. I personally like to freeze mine and not have to worry about them getting rancid.

I think they'll be perfectly fine in an airtight container for a week or so... longer than that I'd just pop them in the freezer and remove as needed. Hope that helps!