Seed Crackers

This months topic for the Recipe ReDux is A New Ingredient for the New Year

Pick a new ingredient that you’ve been wanting to try… and cook or bake up a new recipe in the new year. Are you curious about nutritional yeast, fish sauce, matcha, teff – or maybe even ugli fruit? Show us how you’re cooking with something new (to you!) in 2016.

Psyllium is a seed, rich in soluble fibre, that forms a gel when combined with water or fluid.  It is naturally gluten-free and makes a useful fibre-booster and binder in gluten-free recipes.  I have seen it on the supermarket shelf and as a food ingredient, but never cooked or baked with it myself.

Some ways to include psyllium:

• drink mixed with water or juice
• add a tablespoon to a shake or smoothie
• incorporate it into baked goods
• sprinkling it on cereal or yoghurt
• mixing it into hot dishes

Psyllium is best known for its ability to help keep you regular.  It adds bulk and helps hold more water acting as a gentle, natural laxative to prevent constipation. Studies have also shown that intake of 7 to 10 g/day of psyllium can reduce total and LDL cholesterol by about 3% in adults with normal and high cholesterol.

A 10 g (1 tablespoon) serving of psyllium provides 7,8 g fibre and 38 kcal.

As with any fibre intake it is best to increase the amount taken slowly to allow your gut to become accustomed and be sure to drink plenty of water.

Seed crackers are so easy to make and are a naturally gluten option.  I’ve topped mine with smooth cottage cheese, but these crunchy little bases would be lovely topped with cheese slices, pesto and tomato; hummus; baba ghanoush; butter bean dip…

Print

Seed Crackers

Makes: two 26 cm x 38 cm or 10 inch x 15 inch baking trays (approximately 70 small square crackers as pictured)

Servings: 70 small crackers (as pictured)

Author: Cheryl Meyer, Dish & Delite

Ingredients

• 2½ cups (400 g) mixed seeds - sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, linseeds and pumpkin seeds
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons psyllium husk powder
• 2 cups water

Method

1. Combine the seeds, salt, water and psyllium husk powder in a bowl, stir to ensure the seeds are evenly distributed.
2. Allow to stand for about 10 minutes to allow the psyllium and water to form a gel.
3. Line two 26 cm x 38 cm or 10 inch x 15 inch baking trays with baking paper and coat with non-stick cooking spray.
4. Once the mixture forms a spreadable dough, divide onto the two baking trays and use the back of a spoon to thinly and evenly spread the mixture across the tray.
5. Bake at 180°C for 30 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and cut into desired size and shapes (squares, rectangles, triangles...) using a sharp knife or pizza cutter (avoids them shattering)
7. Return to the oven for a further 30 minutes, or until the crackers are dry and crisp.
8. Cool, break into crackers and store in an airtight container.

Notes

Personalise by adding:

• 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese or
• 1-2 teaspoons fresh herbs e.g. rosemary, sage, thyme or
• 1-2 teaspoons spices e.g. ground cumin, paprika, garlic powder or
• chili flakes to taste

Be sure to check out the links below to what new ingredient the other ReDux’ers have tried this month…

Cheryl x

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