Buckwheat, Seed & Lentil Crackers (Raw & Gluten-Free!)

The hardest thing about cutting gluten out of my diet this month hasn't so much been not eating gluten, as it is not baking. I LOVE baking. Cookies, biscotti, bread, pizza, galettes... Ok, ok, I love eating all those things, too. But being in the kitchen is a lot more difficult when I'm not bustling around with a new baking project. Recently I tried these crackers, made from rice, flax, quinoa and sesame. They are good,  especially as a vehicle for hummus or bean dip or nut butter (i.e. not so much on their own). Always up for a challenge, I pledged to make my own gluten free crackers, and try making some more gluten-free snacks.

After talking about The Vegetarian Mother's Cookbook, by Cathe Olson in this post, I happily came across a copy to add to my cookbook collection. It's a great book, and not just for pregnant and breast-feeding mothers. There are a ton of healthy, nutrient-dense, tasty and creative recipes. And it happened to have just the cracker recipe I was looking for. Gluten-free and packed with lots of yummy & nutritious things: lentils, buckwheat, flax, sesame, sunflower and pumpkin seeds. They, too, are a wonderful vehicle. My favorite way to enjoy them is with some tahini and honey:

Buckwheat, Seed & Lentil Crackers

Ingredients:
1/3 cup red lentils (or another kind of lentil)
1/3 cup toasted buckwheat groats
1/3 cup flaxseeds
1/8 cup sunflower seeds
1/8 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
pinch of sea salt

Directions:
1. Soak the lentils, buckwheat and seeds overnight in enough water to cover.
2. Drain the lentils, buckwheat and seeds with a strainer that has a fine mesh. Rinse and blend with the pinch of salt and a little bit of water to facilitate good blending.
3. You should have a pasty mixture now. Spread this onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, about 1/8 of an inch thick.

4. Bake at 250 degrees F for about an hour, or until the mixture has hardened and can be removed in one piece from the parchment.

5. Place the cracker directly on a baking rack in the middle of the oven. Bake for another 6 - 7 hours at the same temperature.

The finished cracker, ready to break into smaller pieces. 

6. Remove the finished cracker, break into whatever size pieces you want your crackers to be. Store in a airtight container (room temperature is fine). 

Enjoy with nut butter, honey, hummus, salsa, cheese, or what ever you can fit on a cracker!