Savory Almond Crackers w/ Pumpkin Pesto

Food marketing has gotten so good that it can be hard to identify packaged food and snacks that are genuinely healthy from the ones that are pseudo-health foods. This is a much bigger problem than you might think. Even wellness leaders like Whole Foods are still using canola oil in all of it’s prepared foods (tsk tsk Whole Foods – let’s work on that?!). And similarly, other brands that market 'healthy almond crackers' are mostly rice and potato starch with a dash of almonds thrown in.

While I am a firm believer in choosing your battles when it comes to food, I also think education is essential – it’s important for us to know what is in our food and to feel connected to it.

This is exactly why I love creating my own crackers from scratch – it’s both fun to play in the kitchen AND a fantastic way to reduce food waste. This recipe calls for almond meal – you can either buy from a store or re-purpose the leftover almond pulp from home-made almond milk (recipe here).

This is a great nutrient dense snack option for those of you who are on the go – just a 20 minute investment can save you many moments of hanger (you’re welcome!). Almonds are super high in fiber and fat, stabilizing your blood sugar levels an in turn improve your energy levels while also supporting fat loss.

I also love this recipe because it’s compliant with so many different diets –gluten free, vegetarian, paleo, SCD diet, low FODMAP, you name it. Enjoy on the go, dipped in the pumpkin pesto (recipe also below), hummus, guacamole or anything other delicious spread that is calling your name. 

"Activate" your nuts & seeds by soaking them for 6 hours before using them – it increases their digestibility to make them easier on your gut. If you're in a time pinch you can always skip this step.

SAVORY ALMOND CRACKERS

1x large pasture-raised egg

¼ tsp sea salt

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

¼ tsp herbs de provence

1 ¾ c almond pulp or almond meal

filtered water

Preheat your oven to 350F. Whisk the egg and spices together. Add the almond pulp and mix with your hands until incorporated, adding 1 tsp filtered water at a time until you can get the dough in one solid mass. If you’re using homemade almond pulp, you may not need to add water.

Sandwich the dough between two sheets of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, flatten out the dough until it is about 1/8” thick. Take the top layer of parchment paper off, lay on a baking sheet and use a knife or pizza cutter to make 1” square crackers.

Bake for 14-16 minutes until sides are golden brown. The crackers on the outside of the dough may brown before the ones in the center – please feel free to remove them and add time as needed.

PUMPKIN SEED PESTO

½ cup chopped scallions (greens only)*

1/3 cup garlic infused olive oil (store bought or home-made)* - http://paleogrubs.com/garlic-infused-olive-oil

½ c pepitas, soaked for 6 hours and drained

2 cups fresh basil leaves

1-2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Sea salt

Cracked pepper

Red pepper flakes (optional)

Pulse in a food processor until you reach the desired consistency. Store in an air tight container for up to 6 days. Enjoy as a dip or mix with olive oil as a dressing

*These ingredients make this meal a low FODMAP recipe. If you are not following a low FODMAP diet, please feel free to substitute:

·      Garlic infused oil for extra virgin olive oil + 1 clove of fresh, chopped garlic

·      ½ c chopped scallion greens for ½ c white onion or ½ c scallion bulb and greens chopped