Recipe #1: Meal-Replacement Crackers

These meal replacement crackers will keep you going longer than fruits and vegetables alone and have a broader nutritional and amino acid profiles than nuts at a fraction of the price.  There are two components to these: dry mix and puree.  The dry mix serves an oxidation protection layer for the puree and absorbs moisture to create a gel that hardens to form a crispy texture.

I prefer whole buckwheat, rolled oats, and chia seeds as the principle dry mix ingredients in a ratio of about 1:1:2 along with a fair amount of coconut when making a fruit version. Flax seeds can be substituted for chia seeds to reduce cost, but they must be ground unlike chia seeds.  Also flax oils will eventually go rancid after grinding, whereas chia seeds do not require grinding and oil rancidity is not a limiting factor in product shelf life.

Raw Fruit and Grain Chip Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups whole organic chia seeds (or ground flax)
• 1.5 cups rolled oats
• 1-2 cups chopped raw mixed nuts and/or seeds, soaked for 8 hours and dehydrated for 24 hours
• 1 cup organic coconut shreds
• whole fruits of any kind (frozen or fresh)
• 5-10 dates
• 1 cup cranberries
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 2 cloves (optional)
• 1 tsp stevia extract or 1 Tbsp whole stevia leaf (optional)

Equipment:

• Blender or food processor
• Spatula
• Dehydrator with thermostat

Protocol:

1. Mix 1 cup oats and 1 cup chia seeds with cranberries, nuts, nutmeg, and other spices in a bowl.
2. Spread half of the dry mix evenly on several dehydration trays to cover the bottom.  You can optionally grind oats into a flour and put that on the trays before the dry mix to prevent any sticking or spray the trays with olive oil.
3. Blend fruit into a puree with 1-2 cups of water (if needed) along with stevia and any other "soft" or powered ingredients you want to add.
4. Add dates a couple at a time and enough water (if needed) to get them into a thick puree or thin paste when the dates are well chopped.
5. Add 1/2 cup chia seeds and 1/2 cup rolled oats and blend on low to mix.
6. Pour the puree on the dehydration trays on top of the dry mix and spread with a spatula.
7. Cover with more dry mix and press down with a clean, dry spatula or another tray.
8. Dehydrate for 32-40 hrs at 115F, cutting (or perforating) the trays into small wafers with a butter knife after 12 hours, and flipping after 24 hrs or solid enough to flip with a knife.
9. Refrigerate and optionally vacuum seal product for extended storage.

Variations:

1. The recipe can also accommodate vegetables.  Just start with a recipe for a salad or spread you like (hummus, tabbouleh, guacamole, etc.) and substitute the ingredients in place of the fruit in about the same ratio as your recipe.  Exclude coconut unless you are going for an Asian flavor.
2. Soak seeds such as sesame, quinoa, and amaranth, pumpkin, and sunflower to blend with the fruit.  Small soaked seeds are digestible and have vitamin content similar to fruits and vegetables.  They can reduce the cost and increase nutritional density of the chips.  They also help to balance out sugary fruits.
3. Add probiotic (fermented) drinks such as rejuvelac or kefir to the puree for a more digestible product.  Water kefir is excellent for this purpose.  Add additional dried fruit to account for the sugar lost to continued fermentation during dehydration.