Raw Sweet Potato Pumpkin Seed Crackers

 
Okay,  get those dehydrators out, it's time to make crackers!  Not just crackers, also cookies, pizza crust, granola, nut clusters, raw burgers, the list goes on.  My friend is out of town until February, and I'm babysitting her dehydrator.  I cannot believe I've been missing out on so much fun (& healthy snacks).  Since the day I picked it up from her house, I knew this dehydrator and I were going to have a blast!

I've been experimenting with crackers and cookies for the last few days.  My favorite treat being sweet potato pumpkin seed clusters sweetened with raw honey and spiced with freshly ground chipotle pepper.  Sweet with a little kick, those clusters were divine; they didn't even stick around long enough for a photo shoot.  That's okay because they weren't too attractive.  I promise to make them again very soon; I'll pretty them up, and share the recipe.
My second favorite dehydrator creation are these super tasty sweet potato and pumpkin seed crackers.  How do they differ from the clusters? Well, they're made with buckwheat and flax seed.  Flax does a fantastic job at holding the crackers together, as does the buckwheat.  I love how crunchy they get after a mere 8 hours in the dehydrator... can you detect my sarcasm?  The only thing about using a dehydrator is that it's way too easy for me the open it up and eat the un-dehydrated batter of whatever I'm making.  Before the crackers were done, I had devoured a third of a tray; and the same thing happened when I made crackers over the weekend.

So why use a dehydrator that takes at least 8 hours to make a batch of crackers, when you can just as easily toss them into the oven and have them in 15 minutes?  It's all about health!  "Baking" crackers in a dehydrator at a temperature of 115°F or below preserves the food's nutrients and enzymes.  As you'll notice in the recipe I soaked the buckwheat and seeds overnight.  Buckwheat is technically a seed not a grain.  It's always a good idea to soak your seeds and grains before consuming them.  Firstly, soaking helps to deactivate enzyme inhibitors present in seeds and grains.  An overnight soak will start the seed's germination process, thus activating enzymes that will help your body to digest the seed.  Read more about soaking nuts, seeds and grains here. 

Health over speed in the long run is much more desirable.


Where did I get the raw sweet potato pulp? I chopped up and blended one organic sweet potato with about 4 cups of water, then I strained the liquid from the pulp through a cheesecloth (exactly like making nut milk).  I saved the liquid to make raw sweet potato miso soup AND a sweet potato smoothie, and the pulp went into the crackers and seed clusters.

Just one more thing before the recipe.  I will be attending the Institute of Integrative Nutrition!  It's a year long program that starts October 31st, and I'll be studying to become a certified health coach.  As you know, my plan is to start a vegan personal chef service, and I know that my studies at IIN will be beneficial in helping my future clients.  Not only will I learn helpful information to share with them, but I'll also learn loads of nutritional information to share with the readers of Sweet Potato Soul! I'm most excited about becoming a channel for positive (and delicious) change in our world.

Also, be on the lookout for new episodes of Sweet Potato Soul.  Maxx and I shot 3 new videos last week, and we're nearly finished editing one.  Expect funny, exciting and delectable videos.  First up, Mango Ginger Granola : )

Raw Sweet Potato Pumpkin Seed Crackers

(This recipe makes 3 trays of crackers.  I spread mine very thin, but have fun experimenting with different thickness, which will also constitute different dehydration times so keep an eye on them after the first 8 hours.  If you have a small food processor, like me, you may need to blend in 2 batches.  I blended one batch thoroughly, but left the second a little chunky for texture. The pumpkin seeds are stirred in after the buckwheat and sweet potato has been blended.  Why do I dehydrate at such a high temperature at first?According to many raw foodies, dehydrating at 140°-145° for a short amount of time does not heat the food to such temperatures, but does speed the process and more importantly, it helps to prevent fermentation and bacteria growth. Read this "dehydrator primer" from Rawmazing.)

1 1/2 cups buckwheat, soaked overnight & drained

1 cup sweet potato pulp

1/4 cup flax seeds, freshly ground

1/2 cup raw honey or agave

1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice, or cinnamon

1 tsp sea salt 

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, soaked overnight & drained

In a food processor blend buckwheat, sweet potato pulp, ground flax seeds, honey or agave, spices and salt until smooth.  Stir in pumpkin seeds, and add more salt, honey (or agave) to taste. Spoon about 3/4 cup of the batter onto a non-stick dehydrator sheet and spread thinly with a spatula or knife.  Score crackers with a knife.  Repeat on the other dehydrator sheets until batter is used up.  Dehydrate for 45 minutes at 145°F, then turn heat down to 115° and "bake" until dry and crispy, about 8 hours.  Halfway through flip the crackers off of the non-stick sheet onto the mesh sheet and rotate, this will accelerate the drying.