Lentil Crackers
- Prep in 25 minutes (+ 4 hours soaking)
- Cook in 40 minutes
Gluten free & vegan, these delightful lentil crackers are simple to whip up (with the help of a food processor) & are packed with plant-based protein, fibre & beneficial fats.
Key Facts
- High Fibre, High Protein
- Gluten Free
- Vegan
- Freezer Friendly
Ingredients
1/2 cup green or brown lentils
1 organic vegetable stock cube
1 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
fresh thyme sprigs (or rosemary/oregano depending on what you have to hand)
1/2 cup ground almonds
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
6 tbsp ground flaxseed
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
5 tbsp organic cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
Black pepper
Preparation
- 01
Place lentils in a glass bowl, cover with at least double their volume of filtered water and 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar. Leave to soak overnight or for at least 4 hours.
- 02
Drain and rinse the lentils well, add to a pan with 1 1/2 cups fresh cold water, the stock cube and a few sprigs of fresh thyme. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer, cook gently for 15-20 minutes until soft (they will take longer to cook the less time you soak them for). Drain off the liquid but reserve in a bowl.
- 03
Preheat the oven to 150ºC.
- 04
Add the lentils to a food processor and blend to a smooth paste, then add the flaxseed, olive oil and blend again.
- 05
Next in are the ground almonds, buckwheat flour, 3-4 grinds of fresh black pepper and bicarbonate of soda. Process until a crumbly dough forms. You will need to stop the blender and scrape down the sides to make sure everything is incorporated evenly.
- 06
With the motor running slowly add the reserved lentil broth to bring the mixture to a soft but not overly sticky dough, I find I usually need about 1/4 cup but depending on the lentils you choose to use this might vary slightly.
- 07
Place a piece of baking parchment on your countertop and lightly dust with buckwheat flour. Divide the dough into 2 and place the first ball in the centre of the parchment.Place another piece of parchment on top and roll the dough out to an even thickness of ~2mm. Remove the top layer of parchment and use a pizza wheel or large knife to cut a grid for square crackers, a biscuit cutter to make rounds or do as I have in the picture and go freestyle. Transfer the parchment to a baking tray.
- 08
Bake for 10 minutes then carefully flip with a spatula, this is a good time to go over your cuts as well if they weren’t quite through. Then its back in the oven for another 5-10 minutes until all the crackers are lovely and crisp. They will continue to crisp up as they cool so be careful not to over bake as they will become bitter.
- 09
Leave on the baking tray for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- 10
Store in an airtight container for a week or so, alternatively freeze for 3 months.
