The Complete Book of Raw Food (53 page)

B
Y
R
OSE
L
EE
C
ALABRO

A
DVANCED PREP
:
12 to 48 hours for soaking + 14 hours for dehydrating
I
MMEDIATE PREP
:
40 min
Y
IELDS
9 full trays (14- x 14-inch)
S
PECIAL
E
QUIPMENT
Champion juicer or food processor, dehydrator

3 cups almonds, soaked 12 to 48 hours

4 cups carrot pulp

6 cups flax seeds, soaked 4 to 6 hours (not drained)

1 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

4 stalks celery, finely chopped

1 red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 red onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons Celtic sea salt or to taste

½ to 1 teaspoon cayenne or 1 tablespoon curry powder and 2 teaspoons cumin powder (optional)

Process the drained almonds and carrots through a Champion juicer with the blank plate or in a food processor fitted with the “S” blade. Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Spread the dough out about ¼-inch thick onto a Teflex sheet in the dehydrator.

Score the dough with a knife into small squares. Dehydrate at 105°F for 6 hours. Turn over the crackers, remove the Teflex sheets, and continue dehydrating for 6 to 8 hours or until desired consistency is obtained. Store the crackers in glass jars.

Editor’s Note: Whenever you soak flax seed, the water becomes thick and mucilaginous. This is a nutritious, high protein liquid and becomes part of your recipe—don’t attempt to drain soaked flax seed!

Buckflax Savory Crackers

B
Y
J
ONATHAN
W
EBER

A
DVANCED PREP
:
1 to 2 days for sprouting and soaking + 16 to 20 hours for dehydrating
I
MMEDIATE PREP
:
1 hour
Y
IELDS
65 to 80 crackers
S
PECIAL
E
QUIPMENT
Food processor, dehydrator

4 large fresh tomatoes, chopped, or 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked overnight and drained

2 red bell peppers or ½ cup dried red bell pepper, soaked overnight and drained

1 large bunch celery, chopped

¼ cup seaweed, such as wakamé, kelp, or aramé, broken up and soaked overnight then drained

½ cup dulse seaweed flakes

2 cups raisins, soaked overnight and drained (reserve soak water)

3 to 4 cups brown flax seeds, soaked overnight in 6 to 7 cups water (not drained)

3 to 4 cups buckwheat groats, soaked, then sprouted 1 to 2 additional days

2 medium red onions, chopped

1 whole bulb garlic, chopped

½ cup dill weed

1 teaspoon cayenne

2 tablespoons caraway seed

1 tablespoon coriander powder

1 tablespoon sea salt or seasoning salt (or more if desired)

pulp remaining from making nut or seed milks (optional)

soaked nuts or seeds, such as almonds, sunflower seeds, or walnuts (optional)

fresh herbs, such as oregano, basil, or parsley to taste (optional)

Process all the ingredients in 3 or 4 batches in a large food processor fitted with the “S” blade. Begin each batch with fresh or soaked vegetables. Add the celery, seaweed, and raisins and process until well broken up. Add ⅓ of the soaked flax to this mixture and process for 2 minutes. Add some of the buckwheat and process again until creamy. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl.

Repeat the steps above until all the ingredients are processed. Collect the entire mixture in a large mixing bowl. Add the onions and garlic, and mix everything together well. The dill, cayenne, caraway, coriander, and sea salt can either be
added to the mixture in the bowl and mixed in by hand, or processed along with the other ingredients.

Taste the mixture to test its flavor and texture. Some of the sprouted buckwheat can be included without processing for crackers with more texture. If the batch is too moist, add a cup or two of ground dry flax seeds and mix in well. Allow ½ hr.

Place 2 or more cups of the mixture on Teflex sheets in your dehydrator and spread it out evenly with a spoon, knife, or bowl scraper. This batch is enough to fill 7 to 8 large dehydrator trays (15- x 15-inch), depending on the thickness of the crackers. Dehydrate at 95°F for 10 to 12 hours.

Flip the crackers over and remove the Teflex sheets. Score the dough with a plastic knife into cracker sizes and shapes of your choice. Sprinkle the moist side of the crackers with sesame seeds and additional seasonings if desired.

Continue dehydrating to desired consistency—moist or crispy (another 6 to 8 hours). Break the crackers and store them in a sealed container. Enjoy!

Variation:
For fermented sourdough crackers, cover the bowl of dough before dehydrating and set it aside for 2 to 4 days. Stir well once a day. The dough will rise slightly as the fermentation occurs. Stir the dough to keep it down and taste it periodically.

Corn Off the Cob Crackers

B
Y
J
ONATHAN
W
EBER

A
DVANCED PREP
:
1 to 2 days for sprouted buckwheat + 16 to 20 hours for dehydrating
I
MMEDIATE PREP
:
50 min

Y
IELDS
65 to 80 crackers
S
PECIAL
E
QUIPMENT
Food processor, dehydrator

3 cups buckwheat groats, soaked and sprouted 2 to 3 days, then drained

2 ½ cups yellow flax seeds, soaked overnight in 4 cups water (not drained)

2 medium red or yellow onions, chopped

1 to 2 whole bulbs of garlic, chopped

2 to 3 large fresh tomatoes

6 to 8 cups fresh corn, cut from cob

1 tablespoon sea salt or organic seasoning salt

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon cayenne powder

2 cups ground yellow flax seeds (dry and unsoaked)

Place portions of all the ingredients except the ground flax seeds into a large food processor and process with the “S” blade to desired texture. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.

Repeat the steps above 2 or 3 more times until all the ingredients are processed. Collect the entire mixture in a large mixing bowl and mix well, adding the dry ground flax seeds at the end. Mix well.

The salt, chili powder, and cayenne can either be added to the mixture in the bowl and mixed in by hand, or processed along and blended with the other items.

Place 2 or more cups of the mixture onto Teflex sheets in your dehydrator and spread it out evenly with a spoon, knife, or bowl scraper. This batch is enough to fill 7 to 8 large dehydrator trays (15- x 15-inch), depending on the thickness of the crackers.

Dehydrate at 95°F for 10 to 12 hours.

Flip Teflex sheets over on the trays and peel off the cracker mixture. Sprinkle the moist side of the crackers with herbs of your choice for additional seasoning and spice.

Score the crackers into sizes and shapes of your choice. Continue dehydrating until the crackers are dry and crisp or remain slightly chewy (another 6 to 8 hours).

Break the crackers into individual pieces and store the crisp ones in a sealed container. Moist or chewy crackers are best kept in Ziploc bags in the refrigerator.

Variation:
For a tangy sourdough flavor, let the dough remain in a large plastic bowl or bucket covered with a towel for a day or two prior to dehydrating.

Jameth and Kim’s Original Flax Crackers