Herbed Seed and Nut Crackers

The philosophy behind Urban Homesteading is to find a balance between what we consume and what can make ourselves. We all know that our food is fresher in taste and quality when prepared in our home kitchens. The ritual itself eliminates the need for preservatives and reduces consumer packaging, meaning less waste, more sustainability. Though it's more time consuming than hopping over to the store, I think you'll find that carving out a little time to make something yourself will leave you with a feeling of pride and accomplishment. What have we sacrificed in order to maintain our health? A little television time? Compulsively checking email? I have no doubt that everyone leads a busy life in one way or another so what I'm getting at is, find a time when you can devote an hour or so to creating something delicious and healthy for yourself and your families. It will inspire you to share your success with others which in turn creates a higher consciousness in communities as we inspire, lift up and co-author our lives together. 

 These crackers are really high in plant based protein, omegas and fiber. The addition of fresh herbs greatly enhances their artisan like quality and makes them really good with a cheese plate, fresh tomatoes, other nut cheeses and spreads.

This is yet another recipe where I get to use my almond meal in place of flour for a gluten free pastry like cracker that is light and fragrant. The sesame seeds make it really nutty and the cashews have a creamy note. I use flax and chia meal in just about everything possible, which is really easy to make yourself. You can buy the whole seeds and put them into a coffee bean grinder or small food processor. If you don't have either of those, they are also available in powder form.

Picking fresh herbs for a meal is so satisfying. It's really worth the investment to start a kitchen garden. These herbaceous perennials are my constant companions. Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano and Lavender are evergreen so I get to use them all year long. Other tender herbs like Basil, Cilantro and Parsley only grow as an annual in Oklahoma. These can still be enjoyed in small pots indoors during cold weather, and pinched until spring when they can be transplanted outside again.

You can also preserve the delicate flavor of herbs by chopping them and making herbal vinegars or infused oils which makes a great marinade for vegetables, chicken and fish. Another easy way to keep them over the winter is to fill ice cube trays half full and top with olive oil. Wrap with a few layers of plastic wrap and they can be thawed quickly in a saute pan or soup.

I love this miniature chef's knife. Perfect for herbs and tiny things. Rosemary goes through a secondary flowering in the fall and puts on little purple blooms that make a pretty garnish for your dish when you are plating up.

This dough is made in the food processor, then wrapped in plastic and chilled in the refrigerator for an hour or overnight. It's so beautiful and simple with flecks of green herbs and sesame seeds running through it.

After you take your dough out of the refrigerator, put it between two pieces of parchment paper and roll it out with a rolling pin to about 1|8 inch thin. Thicker than that, the crackers won't be as crispy and thinner than that, they will fall apart and can't retain their cracker shape. I like the irregular edges.

Using a pizza wheel or sharp knife, cut the dough into what ever shape you like. You can do triangles or rectangular bistro style cuts. There is no real science to this part. Do letters or hearts with a cookie cutter - have fun!

The aroma of these cooking is quite heavenly. I love cooking smells in the home. It's always been a source of comfort for me. I come from a long line of green thumbs and homesteaders. These sensory images are something I have always known.

INGREDIENTS
1|2 cup almond meal
1|2 cup raw cashews
2 tablespoons flax|chia meal
1|3 cup sesame seeds
2 tablespoons freshly chopped herbs such as thyme, rosemary, oregano or a combination of them
1|2 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 tablespoons filtered water

DIRECTIONS
Combine the almond meal, cashews and flax meal in a food processor and pulse until it is evenly ground. Add the sesame seeds, herbs, half of the sea salt, maple syrup and the coconut oil until combined. Add the water a little at a time until everything starts to stick together. Form the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for a minimum of one hour or up to overnight.

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and put it between two pieces of parchment paper. Roll it out to 1|8 inch thick. Cut the crackers into a desired shape. Using a sharp edged spatula or pastry knife, gently lift the crackers up and place them 1|4 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake the crackers 12-14 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the cook time. The edges should be toasted, light brown and crispy. Sprinkle the remaining sea salt on top upon removing. Let cool completely.

Serve these with the Lemon Rosemary Cashew Cheese or your favorite hummus. I think they would be good with any kind of creamy addition and of course fresh tomatoes. Add them to a fruit and cheese plate for the holidays or serve with a hearty soup. The possibilities are endless!

ENJOY!!