Grain Free Coconut Flour Crackers – “Non Fat Free!” [Vegan + Gluten Free]

Mary’s Gone Crackers are so good. Too good. They’re ridiculously addictive and after a few crackers, next thing you know, the whole box is empty! Puts me on this “carb-high!”

True story. On more than one occasion!

You can never just have a few. Or at least, I can never just have a few. That’s probably why they’re called crackers. Crack-ers. Coincidence? I think not!

Well enough is enough. It was time I make some at home. It’s been done before but sometimes, it’s easier to buy the darn box and not have to worry about dirty baking dishes. Last time, I baked crispy homemade crackers using spirulina and organic almond flour – a blend of healthy and natural almond buttery delicious-ness.

Both cracker recipes are subtly sweet and savoury – just how every cracker should be!

While I’m a fan of baking with almond flour, the calories can add up per serving (1/2 a cup can equal to roughly 320 calories). Coconut flour, on the other hand, is a little lower in calories yet still naturally gluten/wheat/grain free, non inflammatory, high in fiber and low carb. And lower in calories, by that I mean you won’t need as much of it compared to almond flour because it’s very dry, like a sponge, it absorbs up moisture like crazy. Cuisine Soleil makes an excellent organic coconut flour product. I’ve used their chickpea flour in my other recipes so I’m a big fan of their goods! Elise Larouche, from Cuisine Soleil, has been so generous in providing me high quality products which I’ve been putting to good use to make healthy and delicious treats. (Like this one that I’m about to share with you!)

For a punch of “health-oomph”, there’s ground chia seeds and hemp hearts that provide beneficial good fats, anti oxidants and some added plant based protein in these crackers. Prana carries an array of top notch certified organic products from must-haves such as chia seeds, maca powder to an assortment of nutritious raw nuts.

This cracker boasts essential healthy fats from the MCT (medium-chain saturated fatty acids) in the coconut flour and coconut oil to the Omega 3’s provided by the chia seeds. While you probably already know that coconut products are high in saturated fats, the truth is, that MCTs found in them have been shown to improve metabolism and used as energy instead of being stored as fat tissue. Coconut products, especially cold pressed virgin coconut oil, is the best (and rare) source to get your daily dose of MCT.

There is a difference between good fats and bad fats.

Omega 3 and Omega 6 are both beneficial polyunsaturated fats that our bodies need but cannot produce. So we must source them from other foods. Unlike almond flour, coconut flour is very low in Omega 6s. Omega 6 is inflammatory when consumed in excess amounts. It is recommended that everyone should have a ratio of Omega 6 – Omega 3 of about 4:1-1:4 for optimal health. Unfortunately, the ratio is much higher than that, with most people on the Western diet, consuming a ratio of about 16:1. This leads to many complications and raises the risk of all sorts of diseases. To simply put it: Omega 6 is inflammatory and Omega 3 is anti inflammatory.

Omega 6 is easily found in many common sources like safflower oil, sunflower oil and various nuts like almonds. So it’s very easy to overdo it and then end up with an unbalanced consumption. But Omega 3 acids are not so easy to come by. One of the best foods to add to your diet in order to increase your Omega 3 intake is organic chia seeds (and flax seeds!) In fact, chia seeds contain a higher content in Omega 3 than salmon! Just like coconut flour in this recipe, it’s rich in dietary fiber, minerals and nutrients but also provide the vital healthy fats your brain and body needs.

Remember, finding the balance is key to optimal health! See? These “No-Non Fat” crackers CAN help you! 😉

Also, did you know that coincidentally Cuisine Soileil and Prana are both booming companies from the same province of Quebec? I guess that means French-Canadiens must know a thing or two about good grade food! 😉

Okay, so….Let’s get cracking! 

What you’ll need:

1/4 cup of organic ground chia seeds (black or white is fine) – if you have whole chia seeds, you can ground them up in a blender or food processor

1/2 cup of organic coconut flour, sifted

3 tbsp of hemp hearts (I used 2 tbsp of hemp hearts + 1 tbsp of flax seeds for this one) – you can sub with more ground chia seeds, flax seeds or hemp protein powder if you wish! 

1/4 cup of liquid organic virgin coconut oil

3/4 cup of boiled water

1/4 tsp of garlic powder

1/4 tsp of onion powder

Seasoning of choice

Black pepper

Sprinkle of dried parsley flakes or dried thyme leaves

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Combine the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Use a fork to mash away clumps. Add boiled water and liquid coconut oil to the dry ingredients. Mix well!

The batter should be a firm dough, not too wet but not too dry, enough to pick up and form into a ball. On parchment paper, roll dough ball flat with a rolling pin until evenly distributed and there are no cracks and tears. Don’t make them too thick, otherwise it will be more cake-like.

Use a pizza cutter to cut into desired shapes. Bake for 20-25 minutes. The longer you bake them, the crispier they will be!

Let completely cool before serving and serve with healthy dip!