Chilli Flaxseed Fire Crackers
Chilli Flaxseed Fire Crackers
I can’t get enough of these little flaxseed fire crackers! They are a play on plain flaxseed crackers but with just a smidge of chilli heat and a subtle hint of thyme. These delicious snacks are gluten, sugar and additive free, ketogenic and low carb diet friendly.Amazing as a crunchy, high-fibre tasty snack, that are super easy to make and if that’s not reason enough to give them a try they are also packed with health boosting goodness.Tiny but mighty, the small flax seed (linseed) carries an incredible nutrient load. They have a similar mineral and vitamin profile to grains but are far superior in fibre, antioxidant and Omega-3 fatty acid content.Did I mention how easy they are to make? The basic recipe is essentially ground flaxseed and water mixed with sweet or savoury flavours to suit your taste and the seasons. It is all mixed together to form a slightly oily pliable dough, then spread out and pressed or rolled flat, cut into shapes and baked on a low heat. It really is that simple! Some of my favourite flavours include; seaweed; parmesan cheese; sea salt and black pepper; sun-dried tomato, olive tapenade and herbs; or for a slightly sweet spiced taste try cinnamon, honey, ginger and nutmeg.They are perfect to create with little ones and cooking with children really is the best way to get them interested in eating new things. I use different cookie cutter shapes to form attention grabbing shapes, we like dinosaurs and ninjas best at the moment!Eat them plain, with oodles of butter or with spreads, such as our Low Carb Family lamb liver pate, walnut paste or zingy pesto.
Servings 30 crackers
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups ground golden flaxseed (linseeds)
- 1 cup filtered water
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- pinch black pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried ground chilli
- 1/2 tsp dried or dehydrated ground thyme
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 320F / 160C (cooking on a low heat retains available nutrients).Mix 2 cups of the ground flax with salt, thyme, pepper, chilli and ¾ of the water together in a large mixing bowl until a dough is formed. Add more water if necessary to achieve a dry not sticky dough consistency, if it is too moist it will be difficult to shape. Add more ground flaxseed if your mixture is too wet. Save the remaining flaxseed flour for dusting as you shape your crackers.Spread half of the dough onto a flax dusted surface. Sprinkle the dough with ground flaxseed and roll out evenly with a rolling pin into a thin flat rectangle shape, 3cm thick. I roll my dough out between 2 non-stick silicone sheets to reduce sticking.
Use your preferred shaped cookie cutters to cut out your crackers and then place cracker shapes onto a flat silicone baking sheet. I use ninjas, heart, dinosaur, fish shapes. Alternatively use a small cup to press small round cracker shapes. I also like to use a butter knife to carefully cut rectangle cracker shapes. Once you have made your shapes and moved them to a silicone baking sheet or greased baking paper lined baking tray reform the remaining dough and repeat until all of the mix is used up.Bake for 16-18 minutes and check until dry, firm and golden but not browned.Enjoy warm from the oven with lashings of unpasteurised butter. Leave the remaining batch to cool, storing in a sealed airtight container to enjoy later.Tips: Double the proportions to make a larger batch in advance for your lunches and snacks through the week.They make ideal school lunch snacks.
Notes
Flax Seed NutritionFlax seed is high in most of the B vitamins, magnesium and manganese and much more. If milling your own whole linseeds in a coffee grinder or blender ensure that seeds are thoroughly ground to a flour consistency so that nutrients are made bioavailable instead of the seeds may pass through the digestion system. Linseeds are very high in both soluble and insoluble fibre, which is beneficial in lowering and cholesterol, helping to stabilise blood sugar, maintain colon and intestinal function. They are a good source of Omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFA), mostly in the form alpha linolenic acid (ALA) thought to benefit the cardiovascular system reducing risk of heart disease. EFAs are known for their anti-inflammation properties, important as many chronic diseases are connected with inflammation, including asthma, eczema, heart disease, arthritis, diabetes and some cancers. High in Phytochemicals including many antioxidants, which protect the cells in your body from free radical damage that can occur from exposure to elements such as chemicals, smoking, pollution. Flax seed is also very low in carbohydrates making it an ideal food when limiting starch and sugar intake, such as with ketogenic and low-carb-high-fat diets.
