Whole-wheat Oats Herb Crackers, Healthy Crackers, Baked Crackers

Hearty, crunchy, full of goodness – whole-wheat crackers are a great idea if you have friends dropping in or have a Netflix series lined up for the evening. Pair them with a Bhut Jolokia Hummus dip or Guacamole. Better yet, dunk them in your evening chai. The lingering aroma of herbs along with the spice-kick from paprika flakes and ginger gives them a unique flair – a far-cry indeed from your boring store-bought refined flour variety. Make snacking a healthier affair with these crackers!

I tried this on a whim one day when some friends were coming over – a risky move, considering I’d never baked these before, but one that paid off handsomely nevertheless. Not only did they love it (a generous lot, these people 😊), my scepticism of baking came down another significant notch as I baked these sesame-crusted beauties.

What I love best – homemade crackers can be versatile like you never imagined. Add parmesan shavings/ cumin/ garlic for a different version. Heck, you could add some palm sugar and cinnamon powder to go the sweet route so you miss those cinnamon rolls a bit lesser while you’re on a diet 😉. Looking for a no simple-carb option? Use oatmeal or buckwheat flour as the base. Want a more savory option? Add some chilli-oil and soy sauce to the dough while kneading. Get my drift?

The prep-work is minimal for this recipe. One skill I’m still least interested in developing is rolling out dough into rotis and chapatis, so I rendered the help’s services for that part. Once the dough is rolled out fairly thin, you will need to cut out crackers in the shape your heart desires – a pizza cutter or knife can be used for cutting into strips, while a round lid or small bowl can be employed for round shapes.

Some believe that the oil used for kneading affects the ‘healthy quotient’ as well. While I believe that your health shouldn’t have to depend on the 1.5 tablespoons of oil used in making an entire box of crackers that will ideally be devoured as a light snack or meal inclusion, go on and choose between coconut oil/ olive oil or even applesauce if you want to leave no stone unturned in your pursuit of health. I do use coconut oil sometimes if it ties all the seasonings together. However, it is mostly sunflower oil that I use since it merges beautifully with the seasonings used.

RECIPE: WHOLE-WHEAT OATS HERB CRACKERS

Serves 8

Preparation Time: 60 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup oatmeal/ oats
• 1/3 cup mixed herbs (I use sage, oregano and rosemary)
• 3 tbsp sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp flax seeds
• ½ tbsp ginger, finely grated
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 tsp paprika flakes
• Water, for kneading
• 5 tbsp sunflower oil

METHOD

Grind oats and flax seeds together to a fine meal.