Most commercial crackers are packed with questionable ingredients like hydrogenated oils, gluten and genetically modified ingredients. Healthier brands have taken supermarkets by storm, but are often very costly and still contain hydrogenated vegetable oils and preservatives.
Save money and control what goes into your food by making your own crackers at home. It’s easy! Plus there are low-carb and low-fat options that can fit any budget. All of these crackers are either baked or dehydrated and don’t require the use of hydrogenated or genetically modified oils. Here’s how you can make these nutritious crackers at home using only simple, natural ingredients.
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Whole-Grain, Low-Fat Crackers
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| Prep Time: |
| 15minutes |
| Cook Time: |
| 10minutes |
| Total time: |
- 1cup whole-grain flour (you can use brown rice flour, oat flour, buckwheat flour or quinoa flour)
- 1/2cup cooked, whole buckwheat, quinoa, amaranth or a mixture (optional)
- 2tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil
- 1/2teaspoon sea salt
- 3 - 4tablespoons water
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
- Stir ingredients in a bowl and spread thinly (about a 1/4-inch thick) onto the parchment paper.
- Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
- Cut into squares or rectangles. If you want the cracker to be smooth, leave out the whole grains and just use the whole-grain flours. For a crunchier texture, leave them in.
- Stir ingredients together in a bowl. Spread mixture onto a nonstick dehydrator sheet until it is a 1/4-inch thick.
- Dehydrate at 145°F and then lower the temperature to 115°F for 6–8 hours.
- Flip your cracker sheet over after 3 or 4 hours.
- Gently cut your crackers and enjoy.
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Grain-Free, Low-Carb Seed Crackers
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| Prep Time: |
| 20minutes |
| Cook Time: |
| 3hours |
| Total time: |
- 1cup whole flax seeds
- 3tablespoons whole chia seeds
- 3tablespoons each of sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds, or sesame seeds and poppy seeds
- 1cup water
- 3teaspoons organic tamari or liquid aminos
- 1teaspoon maple syrup, honey or cane syrup
- Preheat oven to 200°F.
- Mix the water with the tamari or liquid aminos and a natural sweetener.
- Add the flax and chia seeds.
- Stir and allow to sit for 10–15 minutes.
- Combine all the seeds and spread onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Score lightly with a fork in a grid pattern.
- Pop in the oven and allow to cook for 3 hours.
- Flip the cracker sheet at the halfway mark.
- Break the cracker sheet along the score lines.
- Combine the wet ingredients in a bowl.
- Stir in the flax and chia seeds.
- Allow to sit for 10–15 minutes.
- Add remaining seeds and stir to combine.
- Spread thinly onto a nonstick dehydrator sheet.
- Lightly score the cracker sheet with a fork into a grid pattern.
- Dehydrate the cracker sheet at 115–120°F for 8–12 hours, flipping it over at roughly the 5–6 hour mark.
- Gently break the seed crackers apart, using the grid lines as a guide.
Natural ways to flavor your crackers
There are so many ways to play with these crackers and make them as sweet or as savory as you like. You can make quick, healthy treats, or take your time and dehydrate them to retain all of the enzymes. What is your preferred method: baking or dehydrating? Do you follow a low-fat diet or a low-carb diet? Let us know your thoughts below.
—Nicole Manuel
Nicole Manuel, CPC is a certified life coach with a degree in economics and over five years of professional writing experience. Her goal is to help others discover ways to incorporate sustainable solutions that can improve their health and well-being on a budget.
Sources:
http://kulamama.com/secret-unhealthy-ingredient-in-crackers
http://blog.fooducate.com/2014/05/10/22-healthier-store-bought-snacks
http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=608525
http://mayihavethatrecipe.com/2013/04/22/flax-chia-seed-crackers-vegan-gluten-free
http://www.eatingvibrantly.com/raw-flax-crackers