Raw Food Appetizers: Walnut Cranberry Crackers
What do you get when you put together walnuts, cranberries, oranges and flax seeds? Super healthy raw food crackers that are festive and full of flavor! These beauties are packed with nutrients and are perfect for your raw holiday table. Pair them with the Cranberry Orange Spread and you have a healthy, raw food holiday treat that is great for entertaining or just family snacking.
Walnuts are considered to be one of the healthiest nuts available to us. They are loaded with omega 3’s. More benefits include protection of your cardiovascular system, support of your cognitive function, and immune system. They are anti-inflammatory, and also have many cancer preventing properties.
Cranberries are off the charts with the benefits they provide. Scientific studies have shown that they are good for your heart, full of anti-oxidant, and can help prevent both urinary infection and yeast infections. But did you know that they can help elevate your HDL (good) cholesterol and lower your bad cholesterol. They are anti bacterial and also help with oral and gastrointestinal health.
You can serve these crackers to your family and guests, knowing that you are not only providing them with great nutrients, but also tons of flavor!
Walnut Cranberry Walnut Crackers
Crackers
- 4 cups walnuts (soaked overnight)
- 1 cup ground flax
- 2 cups fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup orange juice (from fresh oranges)
- 1/4 cup agave (or liquid sweetener of your choice)
- Place roughly chopped cranberries in bag with orange juice and 1/4 cup raw agave. Marinate for 2 hours.
- Place walnuts in food processor. Process until finely chopped. Add cranberries, agave and orange juice and pulse until cranberries are well combined. Add flax and pulse until combined.
- Spread on non-stick sheets about 1/4 inch. Score. Dehydrate at 145 for 45 minutes then 116 for 3 hours. Peel off sheets and continue to dry until done. (6-8 more hours).
Cranberry Orange Spread
- 1 orange, juice and zest
- 1/2 cup flesh from young coconut
- 1 cup cashews, soaked for 6 hours, drained
- 3 tablespoons agave
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- Place cranberries in processor and coarsely chop. Remove from processor and set aside.
- Place cashews, coconut flesh, orange juice, orange zest and agave in food processor. Process until very blended.
- Remove and stir in chopped cranberries.
Erin wrote on October 28, 2011
I LOVE your blog! What an amazing accomplishment! Thank you for sharing your journey, and helping the rest of us! I am new to “raw” and well…new to cooking anything besides salad;) (*Its getting pretty boring, so ai am GRATEFUL to have come upon your blog!!!)
What is “flesh from young coconut” where would one buy it (both type of stores and location in the store? Is it an actual coconut cut in half and digging out its guts? Or do you buy it in a jar?)
Thanks!!
Wendy Youngblood wrote on October 17, 2011
Do you think if I have dried coconut I can soak it for a couple of hours and use that instead?
Thanks! Looks amazing!
Susan wrote on October 17, 2011
It never reaches the same consistency.
Eva wrote on October 6, 2011
Do you think these would be good made with Almonds?
Susan wrote on October 7, 2011
You could try. It would change the consistency and flavor. You might have to tweak the recipe a bit.
Eva wrote on October 8, 2010
Question, mine are in the dehydrator right now….they have been in for for over 8 hours, are they supposed to come out really crunchy or a little soft?
they look great either way – just want to be sure they are done
Thanks!
Susan wrote on October 8, 2010
Dehydration times are estimates. It completely depends on the humidity, air temp, your dehydrator, how thick you made the crackers….you can have them a little soft or wait until they get harder. That is up to you. 🙂 These actually stay a little softer…I cut them after they were done.
Eva wrote on October 7, 2010
I just made these, they were easy…I added a little cinnamon
Thanks for the great reciepe!
Your site is awesome!!
Eva
Susan wrote on July 11, 2010
I cut them with a knife.
Helene wrote on July 11, 2010
Hi–second question–apparantley asked back in April–how do you get them in triangles–and did not receive answer?? We get our wires crossed? Thanks so much…H
Helene wrote on April 13, 2010
Gorgeous! HOW do you cut them in triangles? Certain food scissors? WHERE do you get them? AND do you do this before dehydrating?