Flax Crackers and Hummus

I'm not much of a snacker. Give this girl three good meals a day and I'm set.

Though I won't say no to an afternoon bite, especially these June, July and August days, as dinner o'clock creeps further into the hour of eight. Some yoghurt and/or nuts might show up around 4pm but I certainly wouldn't call myself a snacker, a grazer. If I were to snack more regularly, however, I would certainly appreciate these flax crackers on my plate.

I initially found the concept of making my own crackers intimidating, but they're super simple. They're also wonderfully customisable and the perfect vehicle for spreads and dips and cheese and all things good. Flax crackers + all those good things make for a nutritionally balanced snack. I made flax crackers for the first time with my dear friend Lucy, then again the following week for a class I was teaching. And since these first two experiments I have been pretty consistent with my flax cracker production, tinkering a little with the ingredients each time - a dash of dukkah here and sweet paprika there, sometimes thyme and often poppy seeds...it's both fun and tasty. You really can't go wrong. In terms of spreads and dips and all things good, this hummus recipe is my most favourite of late. It's based on a Valli Little recipe so you know it'll be solid. I think the touch of cumin and keen amount of lemon do the trick.

So go forth, friends, and flax cracker your days! Snack happy and make your afternoons delicious and bright. Or walk my path and serve the crackers and hummus alongside a big salad at lunch or boiled eggs and sliced radish for breakfast. They also make a lovely snack when knitting with your friends one Sunday, which is how I enjoyed these featured bowls. And when I say "knitting", I really mean "watching my talented friends create scarves and jumpers and beanies while I made flax crackers and hummus and sliced Japanese turnip". First we flax, then we scarf.

Flax Crackers

Makes a large sheet of crackers, broken into 30-40 pieces depending on how large you make them. Inspired by this recipe. Note: these crackers are very light and cannot handle a super heavy topping (or too eager scoop) without potentially breaking. You might like to play around and add more seeds if you'd prefer a sturdier cracker.

Ingredients
3/4 cup Flaxmeal (ground flax seeds)
1/2 cup Sunflower Seeds
1/2 cup Pumpkin Seeds
3 tablespoons Poppy Seeds (or sesame seeds or a mixture)
1/4 teaspoon Salt 1 cup Water

Method
1. Preheat your oven to 150 degrees Celsius and line a large baking tray with baking paper.
2. In a mixing bowl combine the flaxmeal, seeds and salt. Add 3/4 of the water and stir to combine, drizzling in the remaining water until a thick paste forms. Leave the mixture to absorb the water for 10 minutes.
3. After 10 minutes, stir the mixture. It should be very moist but not sloppy. Spread it very thinly and evenly on the baking paper. Use a moistened underside of a spoon to help smooth and thin it out.
4. Bake in the oven for ~55 minutes until golden and hard, rotating the sheet halfway through to ensure even browning. Certainly avoid burning, so cover with foil if the crackers are over-browning but are still soft.
5. Remove from the oven and lift the baking sheet onto a wire rack. This will allow the crackers to cool and harden appropriately. When completely cool, cut or break the crackers into pieces. Store in an airtight container. The crackers are best eaten the day they're made, though they will last ok in the container for a few days.

Hummus

Makes ~1 & 1/2 cups. Adapted from Valli Little's hummus recipe.

Ingredients
400g canned Chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon Hulled Tahini
1 juicy Lemon
4 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 clove Garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon ground Cumin
1 tablespoon Water
Sea Salt and freshly cracked Black Pepper, to taste

Method
1. Place the chickpeas, tahini, half the lemon juice, 3 tablespoons of the oil, the garlic, cumin and water in a food processor. Blend until smooth.
2. Taste and add the rest of the lemon and a little more oil, plus sea salt and pepper, as desired. The proportions listed above yield my personal favourite hummus.
3. Serve in a bowl with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of cumin or smoked paprika. Store any leftovers in an airtight container topped with a layer of olive oil.

 Heidi xo