PXL_20211226_102653712.PORTRAIT.jpg

Happy New Year Hive friends. I wish you all the best for 2022. I hope you had an amazing time with family and friends and are ready to rock the new year.

For me, the first day of the year started crazy busy. Though busy is good I hope I will find some more time between all the craziness at our shop to be more active on Hive.

I've got some exciting garden, herbal, and recipe posts lined up. Now it's a matter of finding the time to share them with you.

First up.....

HOMEMADE SEED CRACKERS AND SPICY GUACAMOLE

I don’t know why it took me so long to finally make my own healthy, vegan version of seed and/or nut crackers to serve with guacamole, hummus, or other yummy plant-based dips. Prob a lack of time or maybe we haven't eaten enough guacamole last year!

The seed/nut crackers I made for our Christmas dinner last week are incredibly easy and quick to prepare. Plus, they are super nutritious, delicious, and gluten-free. Though I added some cashew nuts, if you have table guests with nut allergies, they can be made 100 percent nut-free.

Served as an appetizer with a slightly spicy guacamole and our version of a mimosa - a cocktail made from prosecco, fresh orange juice, and bitters - our Christmas evening started off just right!

The past week, I have made a few more batches. They are such an easy, healthy savory treat to have at hand.

PXL_20211226_102511820.PORTRAIT.jpg

INGREDIENTS

For the guacamole (makes about 1 to 1.5 cups)

1 ripe avocado
1 clove of garlic, minced
½ tomato, roughly chopped
¼ onion, chopped
Splash of olive oil
Himalayan pink salt and black Kampot pepper to taste
A squeeze of lemon (or lime)
Chili flakes to taste

For the crackers (makes about half a baking sheet)

200 grams seeds and/or nuts
1-1.5 tbsp melted coconut oil
1 chia egg (1 tbsp chia seeds + 3 tbsp water)
Herb mix to your liking

Ingredient Notes:

For the nut and seed mix, I used 80 grams of sunflower seeds, 80 grams of pumpkin seeds, and 40 grams of cashews.
For the herb mix, I used Himalayan pink salt, black Kampot pepper, smoked paprika powder, dried oregano, dried basil, and asafoetida

PXL_20211226_102615382.PORTRAIT.jpg

Instructions

For the guacamole

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Or if you like more chunky guacamole, chop the ingredients finer and smash all ingredients together in a bowl.

For the crackers

Preheat to oven to 180C.

Make a chia egg by combining 1 tbsp chia seeds with 3 tbsp water. Stir and let sit for a few minutes.

PXL_20211226_092455523.MP.jpg

Add half of the seeds and all the cashews if using (or about 120g of your seed/nut mix), coconut oil, and chia egg to a blender or food processor. Process until fine structures. The finer you blend them the thinner and crispier you can make your cracker.

FYI: I added all the cashews to the blender as they are quite big so if you want to keep some pieces from big nuts in your crackers, chop them up first.

Transfer the blended mixture to a mixing bowl and add the remaining seeds/nuts and the herb mix. Mix well using your hands or a fork until you are left with a sticky dough ball.

PXL_20211226_093531521.MP.jpg

Add the dough ball to a piece of baking paper and flatten. Add another piece of baking paper on top. Using a rolling pin or bottle, roll out the mixture until desired thickness.