Maybe it is just Vancouver, but I feel like everyone around me is turning into a foodie! Vancouver has always been a foodie town, but lately, I find people here are super conscious about where they buy their produce, what they cook and what restaurants they frequent. Being a food blogger is like being a drug dealer in a town of addicts. Maybe that’s not the best example, but you get the idea – it is good to be a food blogger in Vancouver!
When I am not cooking or eating, I like to research and read up about ingredients I can use in my recipes. I recently came across a superfood I had never cooked with before – Amaranth seeds. The more I read about this ingredient, the more excited I have become to include it more in my daily diet. The benefits of using Amaranth as a substitute for wheat or other grains are enormous. To start off, Amaranth contains more protein than any other gluten-free grain and contains fewer carbohydrates compared to grains like wheat. One cup of raw amaranth contains 28.1 grams of protein, which is the equivalent of a chicken breast! The proteins in Amaranth are also easily digestible compared to other grain-based proteins. Amaranth is rich in calcium, magnesium, iron and fiber. I know that’s a long list, so the only question was, why hadn’t I cooked with this little beauty before?!
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Since I had never cooked with Amaranth, I decided to create a simple recipe to try out this ingredient. Here is my recipe for Amaranth Crackers, a gluten free snack that is full of protein and fiber. Some whole-grain crackers have the texture of cardboard, but not this one! I was surprised at how crumbly and crunchy the crackers turned out! I wanted to make a dip to serve with these healthy crackers, I made a cauliflower dip with goat cheese. The creamy dip pairs nicely with the crunchy crackers. So whether you are an NBA, NFL, or NHL fan, these crackers and dip will get you ready for game time! Go Canucks!
Gluten Free Snack – Healthy Amaranth Flour Crackers
Cook time:
recipe:
makes 30-35 crackers (size approx 3″x1″)
2 cup amaranth flour
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp honey (optional)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup water
Heat oven to 350°F.
Mix amaranth flour, baking powder and salt. Rub olive oil and honey to flour mixture. Put the mixture in a food processor and add water gradually, form dough. The dough shouldn’t be too dry or too sticky – you might need more or less water depending on the flour.
Lay parchment paper on the kitchen counter, put the dough in the middle and cover with another sheet of parchment paper on the top. Gently roll the dough to the desired thickness. Cut the crackers using a cookie cutter or pizza cutter. Place the crackers on a parchment paper lined baking sheet without overcrowding. Prick with the fork couple of times on each cracker. Brush the crackers with water and sprinkle with desired toppings like sesame seeds, sliced almonds, shredded coconut, flax seeds, caraway seeds etc.
Bake crackers for 15-20 minutes until golden brown around edges. Let them cool completely. Store in air-tight container.
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Roasted Cauliflower Dip
1 head of cauliflower – washed , cut in florets
1 small onion – peeled and sliced
4 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup goat cheese
1 tbsp capers
1 preserved meyer lemon or juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp cinnamon powder
salt & pepper
Heat oven to 350°F.
Mix cauliflower florets, onion, garlic and olive oil on parchment paper lined baking sheet. Generously season with salt and pepper. Place baking sheet in oven and roast for 30 minutes until all the vegetables get caramelized slightly.
Remove from oven, put the vegetables in a food processor with goat cheese, capers, lemon juice and cinnamon powder. Blend until you get a smooth and thick consistency. If the dip is too thick you can add little water or olive oil. Taste for seasoning.
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Hi Medha,
looks wonderful again!And no, it’s not just Vancouver, I have the feeling there is a global food awareness going on! Good for us, seems we’re going in the right direction! I have been looking for a healthy pizza-dough substitute, so maybe amaranth could do the trick..? I’ll keep you posted! 😉
Amaranth would work for a thin crust, but if you are looking for the chewy texture, you might have to mix Amaranth with other flour. Let me know how it turns out!
These look lovely and so professional! Much healthier than store bought crackers. Nice one!
I never tried the Amarnath seeds before. The crackers look perfectly made and delish 🙂 love the dip too
Thanks for introducing me to Amaranth seeds. This is the first time I have heard of them. Your posts are inspiring.
Looks so great!
I am so fascinated with “Amaranth ” thanks for all the info on it – and these crackers look so good – love that you used honey in making them – I gotta give this a try!
i read about amaranth in another blog too and I will be stocking my pantry soon. I love making homemade crackers, will be making some tonight. hope you are having a wonderful day.
These are lovely. I use amaranth a lot in many ways, they are such a nice grain.
Have a nice week.
Love goat cheese in dips! Makes it so much more creamy and silky.
Hi Medha!
I just made these delicious crackers and my kids ate up the whole batch! I bought amaranth flour a few days ago and was at a loss for what to make. So glad I found you – thanks for this recipe!
Woohoo! Love it when kids approve of my recipes. They make me so nervous! 🙂
these look so good! am going to try them soon
Looks yummy… PL tell me from where I will find amaranth flour?
I am glad you like it!I bought from grocery store in gluten-free flour section, also easily available online. In Gujarati, it called “rajgara-no-lot” that we use during fasting, hope that helps!
I just milled amaranth and made the crackers and they are delicious! I rolled them between 2 silicone/silpat mats which worked great, no sticking. I will be making these again.
Hey Asha, I am glad you like it!