Dehydrated Omega 3 Italian Crackers (Gluten, Dairy, Sugar, Oil Free, Plant Based)

Have you been noticing there are more and more unidentifiable ingredients in crackers? I’ve been walking out of the store more and more without any of the available options, so today I’m sharing my recipe for dehydrated Omega 3 Italian Crackers.

They are gluten free; in fact they are actually grain free. Also, there’s no dairy, no sugar, and even no oil. Plus they’re whole food plant based vegan.

Why Dehydrate

There are a variety of dehydrators available, and each comes with it’s own set of unique characteristics and limitations, as well as sizes and price tags. I happen to have a L’equip FilterPro. I bought it about 10 years ago, because it was (and still is) a great price and I wanted to begin dehydrating food.

By choosing to dehydrate these crackers at a low temperature, I am able to access all the available nutrients in the ingredients for the best possible benefits.

Yes. It does take several to dehydrate to a cracker, but I only need about 20-30 minutes of prep work and then I just walk away and the dehydrator does the rest of the work while I’m doing something else.

Dehydrator Liner

Because this recipe starts off a little moist, I choose to line my trays with wax paper to keep everything in place and for an easier clean-up. And to make it easier to get a flat-laying liner, I’ve made a template to quickly cut and insert liner sheets on the 3-4 trays I usually need for this recipe. It’s nothing fancy, but it does make spreading out the cracker mix easier.

For a template, I simply used a sheet of card stock and traced around the edge of a tray sheet. Then I just cut off what I didn’t need. My template covers 1/2 of my tray, so I can easily deal with the vent/support hole in the middle.

Because I trimmed the edges of the liner, it lays flat in the tray, keeping whatever I’m dehydrating from leaking into lower trays and making for an easier clean-up.

Time to Make These Dehydrated Omega 3 Italian Crackers

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Dehydrated Omega 3 Italian Crackers

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

6 hrs

 

These dehydrated omega 3 Italian crackers are easy to make and tasty too with loads of nutrients + they're GF, DF, SF, OF, and plant based.

Author: Elaine Watkins | Food and Living Coach

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Flax seed (whole preferred)
• 1/2 Cup Chia seed
• 2 1/2 Cups Water
• 1/4 Cup Hemp seeds
• 1 Tablespoon Oregano (Fresh or dried)
• 1/2 Tablespoon Rosemary (Fresh or dried)
• 1/2 Tablespoon Minced dried garlic or garlic powder
• 1/2 Tablespoon Minced dried onion or onion powder

Optional

• 1/4 Cup Chopped greens or green powder
• 1/2 Tablespoon Turmeric
• Salt and Pepper (to your preferred taste)
• 1/4 Cup Nutritional Yeast

Instructions

1. Grind up flax and chia seeds

2. Add ground seeds together or to separate bowls and stir in water (1 cup for chia/1 1/2 cup for flax)

3. Grind up any large dried ingredients and stir into flax/chia mixture (rosemary, oregano, dried onion and garlic)

4. Add remaining ingredients and stir well

5. Thinly and evenly spread dough on lined dehydrator trays and dehydrate for about 1 1/2 hours

6. Remove each tray, score your dough into cracker sized sections, and return to dehydrate to preferred crispness

7. Once dehydrated, break apart crackers and serve or store in a sealed container

Recipe Notes

1. A soft, dehydrated cracker will take about 4 hours in my humid area; a crisp cracker will take about 8 hours
2. Trimming the liner paper and removing the additional dehydrator tray sheets might help with air flow

I started another batch of this recipe this morning and basically forget about it dehydrating all day. Aside from the ingredient prep and mixing and then scoring about 1 1/2 hours later, there’s no work, and it makes your house smell yummy all day.

Omega 3

Chia, flax, and hemp seeds are loaded in Omega 3s, a beneficial polyunsaturated fat. They have been shown to contribute to the structures of cell membranes, particularly in the eyes, brain, and sperm. They are also a great source of energy, and studies show contributions to gut health, immunity, hormone health, blood sugar management, reduced inflammation, and cardiovascular health.

To just lightly touch on a few of the benefits of the ingredients in this recipe, you’ll also find high amounts of potassium, dietary fiber, iron, copper, calcium, phosphorus, niacin, and a variety of amino acids, flavonoids, and antioxidants that can contribute to healthy brain and nerve function, healthy cholesterol levels, keeping you satiated, and keeping things moving through.

Highly processed foods tend to lower your access to Omega 3s and other necessary nutrients and can increase your potential for disease. For this reason, why not start incorporating more health-supporting, nutrient loaded options into your daily choices.

You’ll also find high amounts of potassium, dietary fiber, calcium, phosphorus,  and a variety of amino acids, B vitamins, and more that can contribute to healthy brain and nerve function, healthy cholesterol levels, keeping you satiated, and keeping things moving through.

Try It! You’ll Like It!

I hope you decide to try these crackers. They make for a great meal when combined with your favorite hummus.

And in case you’re looking for a hummus recipe, here are two of our favorites to try: