food 4 tots

Gluten-free Brown Rice, Quinoa and Seeds Crackers

Gluten Free, Brown Rice, Quinoa, Sesame Seeds, Flaxseeds, Crackers, Whole Grain, Eggless, Flourless, Sugar Free, Dairy Free, Toddlers, Kids-friendly

 

Apart from vegetables, fruits, and proteins, eating more whole grains is an important component for an overall healthy diet. Whole-grains are made up of the entire grain kernel consisting of the bran, germ and endosperm. Thus, they provide more proteins, fiber, vitamins and minerals than those of refined grains. Some of the common whole grains products are brown rice, millet, buckwheat, quinoa, rolled oats, oatmeal, popcorn, whole rye, whole grain barley and whole wheat bread. (For full list, please refer to this LINK).

 

While whole grains have gained popularity among nutritionists and health experts, many people are still steering clear of them because they think whole grains don’t taste as good as refined grains. And, some are totally ignorant about it and don’t really how to prepare them. For us, we don’t follow a whole-grain diet diligently but still make sure that the grains we consume daily are made up of half or more whole grains as recommended in MyPlate, a nutrition guide which was published on June 2011 to replace MyPyramid.

 

Gluten Free, Brown Rice, Quinoa, Sesame Seeds, Flaxseeds, Crackers, Whole Grain, Eggless, Flourless, Sugar Free, Dairy Free, Toddlers, Kids-friendly

Gluten Free, Brown Rice, Quinoa, Sesame Seeds, Flaxseeds, Crackers, Whole Grain, Eggless, Flourless, Sugar Free, Dairy Free, Toddlers, Kids-friendly

 

All along, I have been cooking whole grain rice and porridge. And so far, my family has no complains. But, when it comes to adding whole grains (especially gluten free) in baking, it’s a real challenge for me to find a suitable recipe. There are many gluten free whole grain baking recipes available in the internet but I was always put off by certain unfamiliar, hard to find and expensive ingredients which I would probably never use again. But, today’s recipe is an exception. I was so inspired when I first chanced upon it. I gave it a try and I love it!! Thanks to Sarah Britton of My New Roots for this awesome creation. Sarah is a certified nutritional practitioner and also the founder of New Roots Holistic Nutrition. Her blog is set up with the aim to educate others to become an active participant in their own health and healing. Do check out her wonderful blog which is full of nutritional value recipes and stunning photos.

 

This recipe is about a marriage of simplicity, versatility, wholesome foods and pure snacking pleasure. These crackers are easy to make by blending four ingredients (*brown rice, *quinoa, flaxseeds and sesame seeds) with a little seasoning. You don’t need an electrical mixer. Instead, a blender or food processor will suffice. These four ingredients are wholesome and nutritious super foods which are loaded with protein, fiber, minerals and healthy fats. These crackers don’t just help to fill up your “nutrition tank”, but also burst you with subtle, pleasant nutty and savour flavour. The texture is so crispy and flaky that you will get addicted easily. But, don’t worry, it’s one healthy snack that you can munch non-stop without any guilt.

 

Gluten Free, Brown Rice, Quinoa, Sesame Seeds, Flaxseeds, Crackers, Whole Grain, Eggless, Flourless, Sugar Free, Dairy Free, Toddlers, Kids-friendly

 

If you go through the ingredients, you’ll notice that this recipe doesn’t have any egg or flour. Have you ever wondered how these ingredients can bind so well? The secret lies in the flaxseeds. Flaxseeds have a unique content called mucilage (gum), a water-soluble, gel-forming fiber. To take advantage of this unique feature, flaxseeds are pre-soaked to form a gel binding all the ingredients. This also helps to delay gastric emptying and can improve intestinal absorption of nutrients. How brilliant!

 

This recipe is VERY VERY versatile. You can mix and match any nuts, seeds, vegetables, dried fruits, spices and herbs based on the suggestions given in the recipe. This means that you can have a few types of combinations and flavourings for the same batch of dough. And the best thing about this recipe is you don’t have to bake them all in one go on the same day as the the dough can be refrigerated or frozen for later use.

 

It’s simply the BEST eggless, flourless, sugar-free, dairy-free and gluten-free recipe I have ever seen! If you think eating whole grains sounds daunting, then this recipe may change your mind.

 

 

Note: Not all whole-grains are gluten free. Below is a list of gluten free whole grains:

  • Amaranth 苋米
  • Brown Rice 糙米
  • Buckwheat 荞麦
  • Corn 玉米
  • Millet 小米
  • Oats** 燕麦
  • Quinoa 奎藜籽 (pronounced keen-wa)
  • Sorghum 高粱米
  • Teff 画眉草
  • Wild Rice 菰米

**Oats are inherently gluten-free, but are frequently contaminated with wheat and other gluten containing grains during growing or processing. So, please consult your physician or dietitian before adding oats to your gluten-free diet.

If you notice any error in my Chinese translation, please inform me. 🙂

(Source: Whole Grain Council)

 

Nutritional facts about brown rice and quinoa

* Brown rice 糙米

  • It’s less processed than white rice. It’s rich in protein, dietary fiber and a good amount of vitamins B1 and B3. High levels of manganese, selenium and manganese make brown rice a great purveyor of some essential nutrients that are often lacking in unhealthy diets.

* Quinoa 奎藜籽

  •  It’s called “mother grain” by the ancient Incas and the Indians of the Andes mountains. Modern researchers called it “super grain”. It provides complete protein which means it has all nine essential amino acids, making it an alternative source of proteins for vegans and vegetarians.

 

Click on PAGE 2 BELOW for Gluten-Free Brown Rice, Quinoa and Seeds Crackers.

 

Gluten Free, Brown Rice, Quinoa, Sesame Seeds, Flaxseeds, Crackers, Whole Grain, Eggless, Flourless, Sugar Free, Dairy Free, Toddlers, Kids-friendly

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54 Comments

  1. I’m always on the look-out for rice cracker recipes. I’ve made crackers using rice flour. your crackers look really good, never come across a recipe that uses cooked rice. definitely will try out. thanks for sharing!

  2. evelyn says:

    Cracker I like it. Can’t wait to try becos I have habit of snacking at night. 😉

  3. Aww you are so creative – I love your photos. I am on diet now and trying to eat “healthy” snack. This is definitely the one, and the great part is that it looks delicious!!!

  4. wokandspoon says:

    These are fantastic and look great! Very informative post too.

  5. Joanne says:

    I’m always trying to get more whole grains in my life! These crackers seem like the perfect snack to do so.

  6. Priya says:

    Mindblowing crackers,highly healthy.

  7. LCOM says:

    Oh wow, this is sure a one healthy snack!

  8. Anita says:

    These look awesome,
    I am about to try to make them tonight.
    Just to clarify – we are supposed to use 1 cup uncooked rice/quinoa, which means we’re using 2 cups each, if measured when cooked? Right?
    Thank you!!!

    • food-4tots says:

      Anita: Thanks! The ratio for 1 cup of uncooked rice = 2 cups of cooked rice/ quinoa is just an estimation if you use steaming method like what I did. To make these crackers, you need to make sure the right measurement is based on cooked not uncooked. In short, you just need to measure one cup of cooked rice and quinoa respectively. Hope I have clarified your doubt. Happy trying! 😉

      • Anita says:

        Thank you so much for a quick response!
        That makes sense.
        I guess I’ll just have to make a double batch then! 😉
        If they turn out half as good as yours look in the photo, I doubt one batch would last us a day anyway! Thanks again!

        • food-4tots says:

          Anita: Hope everything turns out just right! Looking forward to hearing your feedback. 😉

          • Anita says:

            Okay,
            I made them twice so far, and plan on making again. My hubby loves them! They were delicious both times, however not as pretty as yours…. When it comes to scoring I can’t seem to get a ‘clean cut’ and while they bake they connect again anyway… First time I stretched them too thin (you said “the thinner the better”,and I am an overachiever ;-), but second time had the same problem with thicker crackers) Then I just broke pieces off with my hands – they looked ruggedy and natural, and tasted great.

            • food-4tots says:

              Anita: Thanks for sharing your kind feedback!! After baking for about 20-25 minutes, remove the tray and use a scissor to cut the crackers. Then, continue to bake until they turn crisp. Give this method a try if your next attempt. 🙂

  9. mycookinghut says:

    What a healthy snack! I love flaxseeds and sesame seeds in snacks! 😉

  10. Janine says:

    oh yum this sounds super yummy! i too have been introducing more whole grains into my family’s diet and i find that quinoa and millet added into the daily rice (i eat a wild/black/red/brown rice mixture) gives it more interesting textures!

    and i’ve also tried lots of baking with those grains and seeds you mentioned, it’s not that difficult to find recipes online, especially if you hunt for the gluten-free blogs 😉

  11. food-4tots says:

    Yumgoggle: Hope this recipe suits you and your family’s palate. Will check out your new site. Thanks for informing. 😉

  12. These look so crunchy and wholesome!
    Fantastic styling and photos.

  13. Lynn says:

    I have an almost 3 year old son and I am worried if this will cause constipation.

    • food-4tots says:

      Lynn: If your toddler suffers from frequent constipation, then you may need to restrict his intake of these crackers. Otherwise, having one or two on alternate day should be fine (p/s: make sure he drinks plenty of water too). Besides your kids, these crackers are healthy snack for adults too. 😉

  14. tigerfish says:

    The furthest I have gone for multigrain in cooking is to make porridge! I don’t even try to cook rice as the ratio of water for each grain is different and often, the rice consistency turns out not as desired. Your snack is super-nutritious and healthy.

  15. Grace says:

    I just tried these yesterday. Very yummy and ‘feel good’ snack ;D. My 1.5 yr old daughter enjoyed it very much.
    Thank you again for sharing, as well as the site to a whole new lists of healthy recipes. 🙂

  16. Brian B says:

    Sorry to burst your bubble, but your recipe is not exactly gluten free. Soy sauce, the regular and the low sodium variety, contain wheat. It’s the second ingredient on the bottle.

  17. fiona says:

    can you use rice cooker to cook the rice or quinoa?.have you try?

    Thanks,

    Fiona

    • food-4tots says:

      Fiona: I haven’t tried it before as I don’t own a rice cooker. Anyway, I don’t see any problem using rice cooker. Maybe you need to adjust the cooking time accordingly. Happy trying! 😉

  18. Angela says:

    Very tasty and relatively easy to make in double batches…only challenge is still getting to the desired “CRISP”…I’m now double backing them like biscotti…once at the higher heat for 35 minutes, then the whole cut up batch again in a very low oven for another 45 minutes, before turning the oven off and leaving them in there overnight to cool slowly.

  19. […] To get the full recipe and detailed ingredients please check out the recipe over here. […]

  20. Joel says:

    Thanks, sounds great, but I am allergic to sesame – are those seeds critical to the texture in any way, or can this be easily made without them?

    • food-4tots says:

      Joel: I haven’t tried without seeds. But your modification sounds feasible. Just replace the amount of seeds with quinoa or brown rice. Do let me know how it turns out. 😉

  21. JB & Renee says:

    Oh my god, I love your pictures! So creative!

  22. […] To get the full recipe and detailed ingredients please check out the recipe over here. […]

  23. Lyn Richardson says:

    My friend made these yesterday and we couldn’t leave them alone. Plain or dipped in homemade pesto they were delicious. I will be making my own.

  24. food-4tots says:

    Yn: As mentioned in my post, flaxseeds are important as they help all the ingredients to bind well. Without them, I’m not sure about the outcome. 🙂

  25. Anna says:

    Is the blending necessary ?

  26. Jaclyn says:

    Do you think it would taste good if I used white rice instead of brown? Love the recipe. Thanks for sharing

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