Chia Flax Crackers

Some time ago, I spotted  Doctor in the Kitchen Flackers at our local Whole Foods. I did a quick look at the nutrition information and ingredients and knew I could easily make these for a fraction of the cost. I dug deep in my wallet and bought a box of the Savory Flackers so I would have an idea of taste and texture.

While I liked the Flackers, after eating a whole box (not in one sitting), I knew I wanted to make a few changes.  The texture of the Flackers were a bit more chewy and a little less crunchy as they are made with whole flax seeds. To make my healthy Chia Flax Crackers more crunchy, I used a combination of both flax seeds and flaxseed meal. I also added Chia seeds, because in addition to being an Omega-3 powerhouse (*SEE FOOTNOTE), they add a little crunch as well. A couple other tweaks were made and after a few test batches I had a lovely gluten-free and low-carb Chia Flax Cracker.

Chia Flax Crackers

Printable Recipe

Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cook Time: 35-40 Minutes
Servings: 8 Servings, 3 Crackers Per

Ingredients

• 1/2 c.  Bob’s Red Mill Golden Organic Flaxseed Meal
• 1/4 c.  Navitas Naturals Organic Chia Seeds
• 1/4 c. Bob’s Red Mill Golden Organic Flax Seeds
• 1 c. Filtered Water
• 1/4 tsp. Organic Garlic Powder
• 2 Tbsp.  Coconut Secret Raw Coconut Aminos
• 1/8 tsp. Celtic Sea Salt

Directions

1. In bowl, combine ingredients. Let stand for 10 minutes to thicken.
2. Evenly spread mix on parchment lined baking sheet.
3. Bake at 350°F  for 15 minutes, remove from oven and cut into 24 even squares.
4. Return to oven for 15 minutes, then flip crackers over and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes.

Recipe Notes

I have made these crackers with both already ground flaxseed meal as well as fresh ground flax seeds. The end result is the same, however, when baking with flax it is very important your flax seeds or flax seed meal is fresh. Whole flax seeds as well as flaxseed meal should be kept free of moisture and stored in a dark & airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer. I love coconut aminos and use them in sauces and marinades that call for soy sauce. You could use a gluten-free organic soy sauce in place of the coconut aminos in this recipes, however, I would skip the salt and maybe even use a low-sodium soy sauce. There is a fine line between baked and crisp and burnt with these crackers, watch carefully the final minutes of baking.

Flax and chia seeds are a source of Omega-3 in the form of Alpha Linolenic Acid (ALA). ALA is metabolized in the body into the Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA), Docosapentaenoic Acid (DPA) and Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA). However, there is debate on how well the body converts ALA into EPA, DPA and DHA and whether or not we get elevated blood levels from this process. I asked Dr. Doug Bibus about this specifically, as I know that some of my readers are quite smart and savvy when it comes to fatty acid metabolism. This was his response:“From a scientific standpoint we clearly metabolize ALA into EPA , DPA and DHA.  The big question is if we can get elevated blood levels of EPA and DHA seen with fish/fish oil consumers or Omega-3 scores/ratios that have more therapeutic levels.  When you eat a 1:1 ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 this may be possible. Limited conversion is an accurate statement when we are consuming 20 grams a day of Omega-6 (soybean oil, corn oil, etc.) as that directly competes with ALA.”

STAY TUNED FOR

Oh Mega: Part Three

We will discuss dietary strategies to increase Omega-3 status.