Preheat the oven to 150 °C (300 °F). Line two standard baking sheets (32 x 40 cm) or one extra-large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Preparing the cracker mixture
Bring the water to a boil. Place the sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl and cover with the boiling water. Set aside to soak for 5 to 10 minutes. While they are soaking, go on to the next step.
In the original recipe, the sun-dried tomatoes are dry, not oil-packed.
Grind 3/5 of the chia seeds in a coffee grinder or a high-speed blender and combine with the whole chia seeds and all other ingredients in a large bowl.
If you want gluten-free crackers, use gluten-free rolled oats. If you don’t have black sesame seeds, use more white sesame seeds instead.
With a slotted spoon, scoop the softened sun-dried tomatoes out of the soaking water and transfer to a mini food processor, reserving the soaking water. Process the tomatoes until minced. Alternatively, you can chop the tomatoes by hand — just be sure to chop them very fine so the crackers are easy to slice.
Scoop the tomatoes into the bowl with the seed mixture. Add the tomato soaking water to the bowl with the seed mixture. Stir for about a minute, until the water has been mostly absorbed by the seed mixture and is no longer pooling on the bottom of the bowl.
Transferring the cracker mixture to the baking sheets
Transfer half of the seed mixture to each baking sheet (or if using one extra-large baking sheet, spoon all of it onto the sheet). With your hands, spread the mixture starting in the center and pushing outward, until you form a large, misshapen rectangle, no more than ¼ inch (5 mm) thick. The mixture will be very wet but this is normal. Be sure that the dough is uniform in thickness and the corners aren’t too thick.
Baking the crackers
Put the baking sheets in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the baking sheet(s) and using a pizza slicer carefully slice the dough into large crackers. Carefully flip each cracker using a spatula or your hands. Don’t worry if a couple break here and there!
If for some reason the crackers are sticking to the parchment paper, just leave them as is and remove them after the second bake.
Return the baking sheet(s) to the oven and bake for 23 to 25 minutes more, until the crackers are golden. Watch closely during the last 5 to 10 minutes of baking to ensure they don’t burn. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet(s) for 5 minutes. Transfer the crackers to a couple of cooling racks and let cool completely.
Storing the crackers
The shelf life of the crackers varies depending on how they are stored. You can find more information about different ways of storing the crackers and how this influences shelf life under Tips.
Cracker variations
In the original recipe, the author suggests variations of this cracker recipe. You can find these under Alternative preparation.
Detailed Nutritional Information per Person for this Recipe
The majority of the nutritional information comes from the USDA (US Department of Agriculture). This means that the information for natural products is often incomplete or only given within broader categories, whereas in most cases products made from these have more complete information displayed.
If we take flaxseed, for example, the important essential amino acid ALA (omega-3) is only included in an overarching category whereas for flaxseed oil ALA is listed specifically. In time, we will be able to change this, but it will require a lot of work. An “i” appears behind ingredients that have been adjusted and an explanation appears when you hover over this symbol.
For Erb Muesli, the original calculations resulted in 48 % of the daily requirement of ALA — but with the correction, we see that the muesli actually covers >100 % of the necessary recommendation for the omega-3 fatty acid ALA. Our goal is to eventually be able to compare the nutritional value of our recipes with those that are used in conventional western lifestyles.
Sun-Dried Tomato and Garlic Super-Seed Crackers are nutritious, gluten-free, nut-free, and rich in fiber.
Quantity: The quantity of ingredients given is suggested for 4 servings and makes around 35 crackers (5 cm squares).
Sunflower seeds: Sunflower seeds contain over 90 % unsaturated fatty acids as well as vitamin E, vitamin B, vitamin A, vitamin F, carotene, calcium, iodine, and magnesium. However, they have a very poor ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids, making sunflower oil one of the unhealthiest oils in terms of consuming fatty acids.
Rolled oats: Rolled oats contain high levels of protein and many essential amino acids. And they are also rich in vitamins and minerals — but depending on the processing (heat and steam), they may contain fewer vitamins. This recipe is only truly raw if you use raw rolled oats. People who suffer from a gluten intolerance (celiac disease) have an immune reaction against gliadin, but they can tolerate glutenin. This means that they have to avoid traditional grains such as wheat, but that they can usually eat oats. However, it must first be verified that the oats did not come into contact with wheat or other grains containing gluten during processing and that they were cleaned in a special manner. You can purchase rolled oats that fulfill these requirements; they are labeled as gluten-free rolled oats.
Hemp seeds: Raw hemp seeds have a slightly nutty flavor and contain all of the essential amino acids.
Pumpkin seeds: Pumpkin seeds are rich in nutrients anc contain particularly high levels of protein, dietary fiber, and various micronutrients.
Sesame seeds: Sesame seeds are rich in selenium and contain a considerable amount of calcium. If you suffer from allergies, we advise you to be careful as sesame allergies are common. Black sesame seeds are one of the oldest seeds. They are particularly rich in valuable nutrients and have a more intense flavor than white sesame seeds.
Chia seeds: Chia seeds, originally from Mexico, stand out on account of their high levels of calcium, iron, soluble fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids. Our body can reap the benefits of these substances best when the chia seeds are ground since the whole seeds primarily function as fiber. The iron content is about twice as high as in grains. In addition, our bodies can use the amino acid tryptophan along with the enzymes tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) and aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) to produce the neurotransmitter serotonin. Serotonin is known to improve our mood by making us feel more happy and calm. About 95 % of the serotonin in our bodies is stored in the gastrointestinal tract.
Coconut blossom sugar: Coconut blossom sugar is a type of palm sugar. It is obtained by boiling and dehydrating the sap of cut flower buds of the coconut palm. Coconut blossom sugar is basically sucrose as is common table sugar. However, its glycemic index (GI) is only about half as high as compared to conventional sugar, which makes it easier for people who are sensitive to sugar to tolerate. It has a slightly malty flavor, and the consistency is a bit like caramel.
Tips
Preparing and storing chia seeds:To make ground chia seed, in a high-speed blender, grind ½ cup (125 mL) chia seeds on high until a fine powder forms. Store any unused ground chia seed in the fridge in an airtight container.
Storing the crackers: Store the cooled crackers in a paper bag on the counter for up to 1 week. You can also store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week or in a freezer-safe zip-top bag in the freezer for 3 to 4 weeks. If the crackers soften while storing (this can happen in humid environments), toast in the oven at 150°C (300°F) for 5 to 7 minutes, then let cool completely. This is usually enough to return their former crispness!
Alternate preparation
Sesame seeds: If you don’t have black sesame seeds, use more white sesame seeds instead.
The author provides two variations of the recipe:
—To make it kid-friendly,serve roasted garlic and sun-dried tomato hummus (recipe on page 84 of the same book) with the crackers for dipping.
—For 9-Spirce Super-Seed Crackersomit the sun-dried tomatoes and use 1 ½ cups (375 mL) room-temperature water (it doesn’t have to be boiling since you don’t need to soak the tomatoes anymore). Swap the garlic powder, garlic clove, oregano, basil, and cayenne for about two tablespoons of 9-Spice Mix (see page 258 of the same book). Proceed as directed.
Note: Both variations are based on a quantity of ingredients that makes 4 servings.
