Looking for a quick, guilt-free, homemade cracker? These are so easy, full of heart healthy fats, and perfect for a slow quarantine day.
Like many, I'm now working from home during the COVID 19 pandemic. And I'm constantly searching for something to eat! Oh, it's terrible! My "office" is in my dining room, which is right next to the kitchen. I don't quite have a schedule down yet with my own work and my kids' remote schooling - including my meals and exercise. So, I've been perusing through my kitchen cupboards a bit more than I need.
So, I've since made a workout schedule, a dinner schedule (especially since we're limiting our grocery store trips) and had my kids make their own schedule for the day, too (essential if you want schoolwork done in a reasonable time). That has helped a lot.
So what's wrong with store bought crackers? Many are made with simply enriched flour, added sugars, excessive sodium and, possibly, unhealthy trans fats. There are certainly some crackers that are healthier, but if you can make these really easy flaxseed crackers at home, you'll be avoiding all the junk found in boxed stuff!
And our super ingredient in these crackers is....flaxseed meal! So, what's so good about flaxseeds, anyway? Flaxseeds, or linseeds, are full of cholesterol-lowering fiber (they're about 95% fiber), heart healthy ALA fats (the richest dietary source, trumped only by chia seeds) and vitamins and minerals. So why not make crackers with them??
I came across the idea of making crackers out of ground flaxmeal, so I experimented a little and came up with a guilt-free cracker on which I added canned sardines or salmon. They accompany hummus and bean spreads nicely, as well. Or, if you're looking for something sweet, omit the savory herbs and spread some preserves on them.
All you really have to do is throw all the ingredients in a bowl, spread on parchment or a foil-lined baking sheet and bake. That's it. Experiment with different herbs - my first batch was plain; in my second batch, I added fresh rosemary. Super yum.
I also experimented making these guilt-less flax crackers with and without chia seeds - and I honestly didn't see much of a difference. The crackers without chia seeds held together just as well as the ones without.
A few notes: if you have whole flaxseeds, just grind them up in a coffee grinder. Once they're the texture of flour (or you already purchased flaxseeds as flaxmeal), you're ready to go!
Healthy Flaxmeal Crackers
1/2 cup flaxmeal
1/2 cup whole wheat flour (OR you can use 1 cup flaxmeal)
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon herbs (optional)
1 Tablespoon sunflower seeds (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine flaxmeal, flour and salt in a bowl. Add chopped herbs, if you're using. Add in water.
2. Spread mixture on parchment paper or slightly greased foil on a baking sheet. Then, smoosh it down and smooth it out with the back of a spoon. The dough will be a little sticky. Spread it about 1/2 inch thick or so - you don't want it too thin, otherwise, the crackers will burn. Then score it into cracker shapes.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes. (And check to make sure they're not burning!)
Makes about 20 crackers.
Nutrition Facts: Per 4 crackers:
Calories: 68g, Fat: ~2g, saturated fat: 0g, polyunsaturated fats: ~1.5g, monounsaturated fats:~.5g, cholesterol: 0g, sodium: 216mg, carbohydrates: 12.5g, protein: 3g
Did you try it? Tell me about it!