Flaxseed Crackers with Hummus

Photo: Raw Food For Real People © 2009 by Rod Rotondi

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Flaxseed Crackers

"This is one of the most popular types of raw crackers. Flaxseeds have a property that makes them ideal for making crackers. When soaked in water, they become viscous, and then when they’re dried, they become crispy. And now I give up my prized recipe for hummus. It’s so easy, and it keeps well for a few days in the fridge. Besides being a great dip/appetizer, it also can turn any salad into a real meal. So make enough for a few days, and you’ll always have a delicious and very nutritious boost to add to salads or wraps."

-Rob Rotondi, author of Raw Food for Real People: Living Vegan Food Made Simple by the Chef and Founder of Leaf Organics.

SERVES
Makes 60 to 80 crackers

INGREDIENTS
1 3/4 cups flaxseeds (brown, golden, or mixed)
1 medium carrot, chopped (about 2 cup)
4 one-inch pieces fresh ginger, peeled and minced (about 4 cup)
3 medium cloves fresh garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup nama shoyu (substitute tamari or 3 cup miso paste to make gluten free)
Dash of curry powder
Dash of ground cumin
3 tablespoons cold-pressed olive oil
1 bunch fresh cilantro leaves, chopped (about 1 cup)
4 cups water, plus additional (up to 1 cup) as needed

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Put the flaxseeds in a large bowl. Combine all the other ingredients with the 4 cups water in a blender and blend well.

2. Pour the blended mixture over the flaxseeds and stir to combine. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 to 15 minutes until it begins to thicken. Stir in more water every 15 minutes until the mixture is goopy and will spread well on a tray but is not too runny.

3. Transfer 2 cups of the mixture to a ParraFlex sheet on a dehydrator tray and spread it thinly with a spatula (or you can even use a plastering float or trowel) until it is approximately 4 inch thick. Repeat on additional trays with the remaining mixture.

4. Put the trays in the dehydrator and dehydrate the crackers for 3 to 4 hours, until the tops are dried.

5. Remove the trays from the dehydrator. To flip the crackers to dry the other side, place an empty dehydrator tray (without a ParraFlex sheet) over the top of one of the cracker trays, hold them both together, and flip them. Then remove the top dehydrator tray and peel the ParraFlex sheet off the crackers. Repeat with the other trays. Put the crackers back into the dehydrator and dry until crispy, 6 to 8 hours.

Sprouted Chickpea Hummus

SERVES
Makes 6 cups

INGREDIENTS
6 cups sprouted chickpeas
For the Tahini Sauce:
2 medium lemons, peeled and quartered
1 cup tahini
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered
3 medium cloves garlic
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/3 cup cold-pressed olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt, plus additional (up to 1 teaspoon) to taste

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Put the sprouted chickpeas in a food processor and blend well. Remove to a large bowl.

2. To make the Tahini Sauce: Put the lemon first, then the remaining ingredients, in a blender and blend well.

3. Pour the Tahini Sauce into the bowl with the chickpeas and mix well. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Voilà!

Raw Food For Real People © 2009 by Rod Rotondi. Printed with permission of New World Library, Novato, CA.

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