flax seeds

SuperSeed Crackers!

Jennifer Leave a comment

seed crackers

A couple of weeks ago, I was working at the coop (required for membership) and needed a snack. One of the customers purchased a box of Mary’s Gone Crackers, which looked like a healthy option. I loved them and before I knew it, I had polished off the entire box! (not unusual :P). They reminded me of these raw seed crackers that I had tried in culinary school while helping out with a dinner for another class. Therefore, I decided to try making a similar version at home, instead of buying another box. This recipe is supereasy, healthy, and yummy; hence, a great snack option 🙂 Not only are these crackers packed with omega 3s and antioxidants, they are also gluten-free, raw, and low-carb!

Ingredients:
1/3 cup chia seeds
1/3 cup flax seeds
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup coconut water
1 teaspoon za’atar
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions:
1. *If using oven, preheat to 300 degrees. Combine all seeds and blend for about 10 seconds in the Vitamix or other powerful blender. Do not make into fine powder; leave some texture.
2. Add remaining ingredients to blender.
3. Blend again to fully incorporate ingredients. The batter should not be as thick as cookie dough but not as thin as pancake batter. It should resemble fluff, just not as sticky.
4. Using a spatula, spread onto Tefflex-Lined Dehydrator Screens or silpats about 1/8th of an inch thick. The thinner you spread it, the crispier the cracker.
5. If using oven, bake for about 30 min on each side, watching it closely. If using dehydrator, set to 155 degrees for 8 hours on each side, until crisp. If this doesn’t end up being crispy enough, you may have to put it into the oven.
6. When done to desired crispness, break apart and store in airtight container.

Snickerdoodles!

Jennifer Leave a comment

snickerdoodles

Since I will be going to a potluck tomorrow, I’m planning on bringing these snickerdoodles, which I’ve been making for years. They’ve been a favorite of my friends and aren’t incredibly unhealthy, considering the recipe yields close to 4 dozen cookies! My friend’s toddler is allergic to eggs, so I decided to use flax eggs this time. Organic cane sugar has some redeeming qualities in that it is less processed than white sugar and is also free of pesticides. With less processing, sugar retains more of the nutrients present in cane juice, including 17 amino acids, 11 minerals, and 6 vitamins, as well as antioxidants. But, of course, sugar is sugar and should be consumed sparingly. At least this will make you feel a little better about having a cookie or two 🙂 These cookies hold up nicely in an airtight container and also freeze well. Enjoy!

Yield: about 4 dozen

1 cup butter (2 sticks), room temperature
1 ¾ cups natural cane sugar
2 eggs or 2 flax “eggs”**
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon sea salt
natural cane sugar and cinnamon for rolling (about ½ cup sugar mixed with ½ teaspoon of cinnamon)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a sheet tray with a silpat or parchment paper.
2. Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs or flax “eggs” until uniform.
3. In a large bowl, sift together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.
4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
5. Using a 2-teaspoon ice cream scoop, form dough into balls and roll in the cinnamon/sugar mixture.
6. Place on prepared sheet tray and flatten slightly, leaving about 1 ½ inches between them, to allow room for spreading. They will puff up as they bake and then flatten out as they cool.
7. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until barely golden. Remove from oven before they flatten out. Allow cookies to cool on sheet tray for 5 minutes and then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

**each flax egg requires 1 tablespoon of ground flax seed and 3 tablespoons of water. Grind whole flax seeds in coffee grinder and stir in water in a bowl. Allow to set for 10 minutes before using.