As a mommy of a toddler, I truly understand the importance of keeping snacks handy. My diaper bag is literally filled halfway with diapers and wipes, and the other half contains nothing but snacks. Two-year-olds have no concept of patience and are incredibly egocentric so when they are hungry, they demand to eat immediately! Toddlers are little balls of energy and need plenty of time and space to explore, so my daughter and I are always on the go: museums, play dates at the park, etc. With our schedule, sitting down for a full meal is not always an option so I never leave the house without at least five different snack options for my daughter to munch on.
When preparing snacks, I always try to make sure that they are healthy (mainly fruit and vegetables) but I also focus on providing my little girl with variety to expand her growing palate and foster a desire to try new foods. I have given her crackers in the past but did not feel that those were good snacking options because of the lack of nutrients. Many crackers are just empty calories. I try to make sure that everything that my family eats is nutrient-rich: I throw broccoli and spinach into my daughter’s smoothies; cauliflower or squash puree into mashed potatoes. So when I attempted to make my own crackers, I made sure they were as healthy as they could be and they turned out to be delicious. The best part is that they are full of great, nutritious ingredients: chia seeds, flax seed meal, basil and quinoa.
What is really awesome about these crackers is that they are great snacks for everyone! They are filled with protein (thanks to the quinoa), healthy fats (the olive oil), fiber and magnesium (the chia seeds) and omega 3 fatty acids (from the flax seed meal). Chia seeds and flax seeds (or flax seed meal) are amazing super foods that can be added to just about everything. I use them in baking, smoothies and even soups and sauces. They are perfect ingredients to be added to these crackers, which are now my family’s favorite nutritional snack.
Gluten Free Quinoa Crackers
2 cups of gluten free flour
2 cups of cooked quinoa
2 cups of water
½ cup of chopped basil
¼ cup of flax seed meal
½ cup of chia seeds
¾ cup of olive oil
3 tablespoons of sea salt
1 tablespoon of pepper
1. Mix flour, quinoa, flax seed meal, chia seeds, basil, salt and pepper together.
2. Add oil and water and mix well. The mixture should be watery and not like paste.
3. Coat a cookie sheet with a non-stick spray and pour mixture out. You should have enough batter to make two rounds of crackers or use two cookie sheets. Make sure the batter is nice and thin or it will not be crispy.
4. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or longer based on your batters consistency.
5. Use a pizza cutter and slice into squares while still hot or the crackers will crumble when cool.
6. Pair with a yummy hummus or a spicy salsa and enjoy!
Also by Sorina: Pumpkin Pecan Sorbet
Zucchini Pasta with Avocado Mushroom Sauce
Sweet and Salty Garbanzo Beans
Also with Quinoa: Easy Quinoa Pizza Bites
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Photo: Sorina Fant
