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Light-n-Crispy Chia Crackers

 

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Fresh Cracked Pepper & Sea Salt Chia Cracker topped with home-made sauerkraut, mung sprouts, avocado & Dijon.

 

Light-n-Crispy Chia Crackers are perfection for SO many reasons…

  • Nutritional powerhouse
  • Boasting the richest vegetable source of beautifying omega-3's
  • Major calcium power (more calcium by weight than whole milk!)
  • Antioxidant rich (giving chia a shelf life of over 2 years!)
  • Packed with complete protein (all 9 essential amino acids!)
  • Fueling long lasting energy (Chia's slow conversion of carbohydrate in to sugar in the body provides a constant stream of energy)
  • Brimming with cleansing, satiating fiber 
  • Oh so crunchy, crispy & light &
  • Totally customizable to suit your mood!

   

I've made both savory and sweet varieties including Sea Salt & Fresh Cracked Pepper, Garlic & Herb and Cinnamon-Vanilla Crisps.  Even a fantastic Cheesy Jalapeno Dippers version (Which I hope to share soon- great with fresh nut cheese & salsa!)  Depending how thick you spread the mixture you can make these thicker like crackers or super duper thin into airy crisps (my fav).  I store my Chia Crackers & Crisps in an airtight baggie in the pantry to have on hand whenever a snacking mood strikes.

 

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 Slice up some banana to top Cinnamon-Vanilla Crisps.  Or…

 

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 Avocado to top a few Sea Salt & Cracked Pepper Crackers.

 

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I love breaking the Cinnamon-Vanilla Crisps into a bowl with fresh nut milk, bananas & organic molasses for a protein, calcium, iron & omega 3 rich breakfast .  

 

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As always the options are endless and ridiculously simple.  It's all up to your mood and imagination!

Let me know your favorite twist!

 

Recipe for Light-n-Crispy Chia Crackers

Equipment

  • Dehydrator (I like the Excalibur) If you don't own a dehydrator, try using your oven on the lowest setting with the door propped open.

Ingredients

  • 1 Cup Chia Seeds
  • 5 Cups Filtered Water
  • Sea Salt to taste
  • Optional:  Fresh chopped herbs & spices. For a sweet variation try vanilla, cinnamon + your favorite sweetener, or cacao, maca, cinnamon, vanilla + sweetener.  A chai flavor can be achieved with ginger, cardamom, clove &/or star anise and even a bit of dried tea ground together in spice grinder + sweetener.  All of these sweet varieties delicious with a cup of tea in the afternoon 🙂

Method

  1. Mix the 1 cup chia, 5 cups water (yes that's right, 5 cups – chia holds up to 10 times it's own weight in water) and sea salt to taste together in a large bowl.  (If you plan to add any optional savory or sweet additions mix them in at step 1 as well.)
  2. Allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes until a thick gel has formed
  3. Spread onto teflex sheets of your dehydrator as thick or thinly as you choose.  Don't be worried about going too thin- the crisps hold together beautifully.
  4. Optional: score the crackers or crips with a knife so that they break apart uniformly- or just leave as one mass and break apart when finished for an artisinal look which is just as yummy and easier too!
  5. Dehydrate on 115 for several hours (amount of time depends on the humidity of the season, where you live etc. so check on them periodically to determine when the top is dry) then flip to dry the other side (just place another sheet on top and flip, then peel off the top layer of teflex)

Add your favorite toppings or enjoy as is!

 

What is your favorite way to enjoy Chia?

Have you ever owned a chia pet?!

 

Much Love,

Juliane

 

Thank you for visiting!

 

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Creamy Chia Rice Pudding
Creamy & Tangy Herbed "Goat" Cheese

Creamy Herbed “Goat” Cheese

 

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Fresh herbed goat cheese slathered on a sesame-flax (tastes-like-a-Ritz-recipe-coming-soon) cracker. Vegan never tasted so good 🙂

 

Creamy Herbed "Goat" Cheese is a dream!  Perfect for entertaining amongst a gorgeous platter of fresh fruit, crudites or crackers.  Or, keep it all to yourself for a yummy sandwich spread and endless other options.  I know I always say this, but this pristine yumminess tastes better than dairy-based cheese… hands down better than store-bought vegan varieties also.  Rich, creamy & smooth with an irresistible tang and a zing from your favorite herbs and spices!  Being vegan just keeps getting better and better.  

This recipe is so fun to customize too!  Swap out the macadamias for pine nuts or cashews.  Have fun making your cheese into a classic wedge shape, a cheese log or ball.  Coat it in your own personalized mixture of favorite herbs or try a chic coating of fresh cracked pink, green & black peppercorns, lemon zest and himalayan sea salt!  

Making my own raw vegan cultured cheese always feels like such the accomplishment!  Yet, in actuality it's amazing how very simple the process is – especially compared to the incredibly delicious end results.  Add to that, the amazing nutritional, energizing, beautifying & longevity building qualities of this probiotic, protein and enzyme rich treat, and we have a major win win winner!

Have fun!  Let me know your customized twist on this insanely simple delight.

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Creamy Herbed "Goat" Cheese is amazing with fresh fruit, crackers, as a sandwich spread or all by itself!

 

Recipe for Creamy Cultured Herbed "Goat" Cheese

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups raw Macadamia Nuts soaked overnight & rinsed
  • 

1/2 teaspoon probiotic powder or 1 cap of your favorite probiotic
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon Himalayan salt (or to taste)
  • 1/2 cup filtered water
  • 2-3 tbs of your favorite herbs finely chopped

 (Finely grated lemon rind, fresh ground pink and black peppercorn & Himalayan salt is yummy too!)

Method:

1. Add nuts, probiotic, himalayan salt and water to a high-speed blender (such as a Vitamix). Blend using a tamper until smooth.

2. Scrape mixture out onto a piece of cheesecloth and wrap tightly. Alternatively use a nutmilk bag. 

3. Place wrapped cheese into a mesh strainer set inside another bowl. Place a weight on top of your cheese package to assist to drain.



5. Store at room temperature for 1-2 days to allow your cheese to culture.

6. Once fermented, remove mixture from cheesecloth or nutmilk bag and make into a ball, log or triangle shape.  Roll, pat or dip your beautiful cheese into your favorite assortment of chopped herbs until completely covered on the outside.

7. Serve drizzled with extra virgin olive oil.  Delicious with a rainbow of beautiful vegetables, fruits, crackers, on fresh crusty (gluten free) bread, as a sandwich spread… endless possibilities 🙂

Store in the refrigerator.

 

 What customizations will you make to the recipe?  Let me know your twist!

  

Much Love,

XX

Juliane

 

Thank you for visiting! 

 

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Snack Time Chips, Dips and Dippers!

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Endive Scoops, Grains Galore Crackers & Sea Salt Baguette Crisps

I 'm a huge believer in snacking.  It saves me from afternoon slumps and unhealthy food cravings, keeping me fueled from early morning workout til my head hits the pillow at night.  Knowing I have something yummy to look forward to between meals means I never feel deprived and I find I eat a lot less when I'm allowed to eat whenever I'm hungry or even when I just feeling like munching something crunchy, sweet or salty.  These snack time chips, dips and dippers are a few of my favorites:

Endive Scoopers

Sea Salt Baguette Toasts

Grains Galore Crackers

Artichoke Hummus

Clams Casino Dip

They're great for entertaining too!

 

Endive Scoopers Recipe

  • 5 endive spears
  1. Remove the leaves from each endive spear. Arrange on a platter to use as calorie free scoopers for your favorite dips!  Their firm leaves hold up brilliantly.

 

Sea Salt Baguette Crisps Recipe

  • 1 whole wheat baguette sliced into 1/4" slices
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  1. Arrange oven racks to the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat oven to 375 F. 
  2. Arrange the bread in single layer on 2 large sheet pans. Spray tops of bread lightly with olive oil spray. Sprinkle with sea salt.
  3. Bake about 12 minutes. Cool on wire racks.


Grains Galore Crackers Recipe (Makes 72 Crackers)

  • 4 Tbsp sesame seeds
  • 3 Tbsp flax seeds
  • 2 Tbsp chia seeds
  • 1 large egg white
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 6 10" whole-grain or flour tortillas 
  1. Arrange oven racks to lower and upper thirds of the oven. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. In a small bowl, mix together seeds. 
  3. In a separate small bowl, whisk together egg white, chili powder and sea salt. 
  4. Brush tops of tortillas with egg white mixture then sprinkle evenly with seeds. 
  5. Cut each tortilla into 12 triangles. Arrange chips, seed side up, in single layer on a two large sheet pans (make sure not to crowd pan so that they fit into a single layer).
  6. Bake until golden and crisp, aproximately 15 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Repeat with remaining chips.

(Crisps & Cracker Recipes "Tested & Approved" from Prevention Magazine Jan 2012)

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Artichoke Hummus

 

Artichoke Hummus Recipe (Makes about 2 cups)

  • 1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, rinsed and drained
  • 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 2 Tbsp tahini
  • 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil + extra for finishing
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp hot paprika
  • 1 c chopped fresh basil
  • sea salt
  • fresh cracked pepper
  1. Combine all ingredients except basil in food processor.
  2. Pulse until smooth. 
  3. Transfer to serving bowl. 
  4. Stir in basil and season with sea salt & fresh cracked pepper to taste. 
  5. Drizzle top with a touch of the EVOO for finishing.


Clams Casino Dip Recipe (Makes about 2 cups)

  • 8 oz 1/3 less-fat cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 c reduced-fat sour cream
  • 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 3/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 c finely chopped red bell pepper (reserve a few for garnish)
  • 3 scallions, thinly sliced (reserve a few for garnish)
  • 2 Tbsp finely chopped parsley
  • 2 cans (6.5 oz each) whole clams, rinsed, drained and chopped
  • 2 slices bacon, cooked until crisp then chopped
  • sea salt 
  • fresh cracked pepper
  1. Stir together the cream cheese, sour cream, lemon juice & Worcestershire. 
  2. Fold in the red bell, scallions, parsley, clams and chopped bacon.
  3. Season to taste with sea salt & cracked pepper.
  4. Garnish with reserved red bell and scallions.
  5. Chill until ready to serve. 

(Dips "Tested and Improved" from Prevention Magazine Jan 2012)

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Clams Casino Dip -that's it all the way in the background!

 

Question of the Day:

What is your favorite snack?

Do you have a go-to entertaining snack?

Favorite Snacks Fridays ~ Chevre & Black Cherry Jam Crisps

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Chevre and Black Cherry Jam Crisps

At my house these are called cutting board snacks. When we gather around the big cutting board and dole out tidbits such as Chevre and Black Cherry Jam Crisps. I'm telling you these are awesome; a simple collaboration of three beautiful ingredients I'm inspired to share with you!

I pretty much only purchase St. Dalfour Jam because it's all fruit, sweetened with only apple juice, and produced in many beautiful flavors like Red Raspberry Pomegranate, Wild Blueberry and the aforementioned Black Cherry. Pair it with the creamy, subtle tang of a fresh goat's milk cheese such as a Loire Valley Chevre atop a light, fresh cracker (my fav: Wasa Crisp-n-Light 7 Grain) that allows the flavors of the toppings to shine. 

A lovely, light and delicious treat!

What are some of your favorite tidbit treats?

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Soon-to-be Chevre & Black Cherry Jam Crisps