Yes there are a some gluten free cracker options available I am usually just not so happy with the ingredients most of them are made of and often very pricey. The obvious reason for creating these grain free seeds and lentil crackers. The three main ingredients in these crackers are quinoa, millet and red lentils. Pretty easy to make and you get quite a lot out of this recipe which you find along with the nutritional info below this post.
I cooked the seeds and lentils in water until soft. Quinoa and millet are “pseudo-grains”, seeds from shrubs or bushy plants, not grasses. Amaranth and Buckwheat also fall in this category. These seeds re easy on the digestion and are gluten free. For thousands of years people have been consuming lentils are part of a healthy diet.
A few benefits are,
- Lots of fiber, both insoluble and soluble fiber, they make you full and improve digestive and immune function by cleaning out the intestines and carrying waste, excess fat and toxins out of the body
- Lentils are one of the best sources of soluble fiber, this makes them very important and beneficial for lowering cholesterol and preventing heart disease.
- Lentils are great in managing blood sugar levels which is important for preventing energy dips, moodiness, but also diabetes, insulin resistance or hypoglycemia.
- Lentils are a great source of plant based protein, also rich in critical minerals like iron, folate, zinc and manganese, all needed for a healthy strong body and immune system
I pulsed 3/4 of the cooked mass and left 1/4 of it whole to add some texture to the crackers.
Added in some flax, onion powder, garlic powder and gluten free soy sauce ( or tamari ). You can of course use any seasoning or herbs you like, think of this as a blanch canvas …
The dough is pretty sticky so I rolled it out with a sheet of parchment paper, this keeps it from sticking to your roller. This recipe is enough for 3 sheets with crackers, about 35 pieces per sheet.
Carve in the cracker shapes you desire. When done with baking you can brake them easily into squares.
I turned them after about 15 to 20 minutes of baking to get the other side also crunchy. I love these baking sheets I have been using lately! Nothing sticks to them and are easy to clean.
They get thinner while baking because all the moisture evaporates and this makes them crispy. When totally cooled store them air tight container to keep them from getting soft too fast. The crackers can of course be reheated to crisp them up. I froze a batch and they stay super crispy! You don’t need to defrost them, the crackers can be eaten right away.
These grain free seeds and lentil crackers are delicious with this creamy broccoli soup, spread with a spinach artichoke hummus or this vegan egg salad. They can even be crumbled on a salad to add some crunch … They are low in fat but have a nice amount of plant based protein.
Let me know if you tried them!
Tina x
If you like this recipe you can pin the picture below to your Pinterest board,
Grain Free Seeds and Lentil Crackers
Equipment
- oven
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup red lentils, rinsed well
- 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed well
- 1/2 cup millet, rinsed well
- 1/4 cup flax seeds
- 1 and 1/2 tbsp onion powder
- 1 to 2 tsp garlic powder, to taste
- 1 to 2 tbsp soy sauce, braggs aminos or tamari
- 1/4 cup water, add by the tbsp. if needed during processing
- 2 and 1/4 cup water if using a pressure cooker, otherwise cook according to instructions on the package
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F / 175C
- Rinse the seeds and lentils well and cook them in water until soft.
- Pulse 3/4 of the cooked mass into a puree-ish consistency and mix in the remaining ingredients and herbs. Add flavorings to taste. The flavor will get concentrated a bit while baking because the water evaporates out of the crackers.
- Roll 1/3 of the dough out between layers of parchment paper until thin, it will get thinner while baking.
- Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes and turn them to get the other side even. When done let it cool on a wire rack and store in an air tight container for up to a week.
