Dehydrated Onion Vegetable Crackers

Everybody uses or buys products that are preserved using the conventional methods, which are: canning, freezing, pickling, pasteurizing, chemical preservatives and smoking.

Dehydrating is an excellent option, it is a way to preserve the enzymes and nutrients in foods. As the water is removed the flavours are enhanced and concentrated (raisins are sweeter then grapes). A dehydrator can be used to preserve but it can also be used to create interesting and flavourful snacks.

I have been experimenting with different recipes and (homemade) snack ideas for my clients and myself. I don’t eat any grains and I try avoid any foods that have been processed, so I do not have any pre-packaged breads or crackers. The dehydrator is an excellent addition to a holistic kitchen. With the dehydrator I can enjoy nut breads, crackers, veggie/fruit chips (my favourite is kale chips) and desserts or sweet treats. 

On the weekend I made Onion and Vegetable Crackers in my dehydrator, they turned out more like flat bread and were very delicious (they didn’t last long). The recipe is below, it is very easy to follow and the ingredients are not hard to find in the grocery store or health food store. For this recipe you will need a dehydrator, a grater (I used my food processor with the grating attachment, which saved a lot of time) and parchment paper to line the dehydrator trays. Give it a try, I hope you enjoy the crackers.

Onion Vegetable Crackers

1 medium zucchini, shredded

1 large carrot, shredded

1 large onion, shredded

¼ cup olive oil or hemp seed oil

2 tbsp nut butter (I used sunflower seed)

1 cup ground flax seeds

1 cup ground sunflower seeds

½ tsp Himalayan sea salt

½ cup water

Directions:

1. Mix together the grated vegetables, oil and nut butter in a bowl.
2. Add the ground flax seeds and sunflower seeds and combine. Add the water a little bit at a time and stir until mixture has a slight paste consistency.
3. Spread a ¼ inch thick layer of mixture evenly on parchment lined drying trays and sprinkle whole brown or golden flax seeds on top.
4. Dehydrate at 145°F for 1 hour, then turn the temperature down to 115°F and continue for 18-24 hours. (Half way through, flip over, score into the desired cracker shapes and remove the parchment paper). Leave in the dehydrator until dry but still pliable for bread or leave until crispy for crackers.
5. Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Enjoy!

For more tips and recipes about dehydrating or to schedule an appointment for a nutritional consultation contact Michelle in Barrie Ontario by email or by phone, 705-970-1473.