Whole-Wheat Crackers

Crackers with cream cheese, hummus, pesto, tuna salad, or even plain, my kids munch their way through a lot of crackers. We usually opt for Mary’s Gone Crackers because they are nutrient-dense and come in a variety of flavours but I actually enjoy making my own as well. It’s been awhile since I made some and I’m not sure why because they are super easy to make – no yeast/ baking powder, or kneading required plus it’s a fun activity to do with little ones. I use whole grain flour and mix in a combination of sesame seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, black pepper, dried onion flakes, and dried kasthuri methi (fenugreek) leaves. Cumin, fennel, and black pepper is not only great for flavour but for digestion as well. You can add chia seeds, flax, dried herbs of your choosing but they are so awesome this way!

Whole-Wheat Crackers RECIPE

Ingredients:

• 3 cups whole grain flour
• 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. cumin seeds
• 1 Tbsp. fennel seeds
• 1 Tbsp. black sesame seeds
• 1/2 Tbsp. dried fenugreek leaves
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a medium size bowl, mix together the flour, salt, black pepper, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, sesame seeds, and dried fenugreek leaves.
3. Add the oil and water and mix until soft, slightly sticky dough forms. If the dough seems too dry, or if there is flour left at the bottom of the bowl, add a tablespoon of water at a time and mix until no excess flour remains.
4. Shape the dough into a square and roll it out to cover the surface of the entire baking sheet. The thinner, you roll, the crisper the crackers will be.
5. Cut the dough, into squares or small rectangles, and prick the pieces with a fork to prevent puffing during baking.
6. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until edges are brown.
7. Once baked, transfer to a wire cooling rack and let cool completely before storing in an air-tight container. Crackers can be stored for 3 to 5 days.

NOTE:

• If extra thin crackers are preferred, divide the dough in half and roll out each half separately. Bake for 10 minutes or until edges are golden brown.