Have you ever been at a point in your life when you feel a creeping urgency to do stuff?
Important stuff. Fun stuff.
I’m not dead yet stuff.
I’m not getting any younger stuff.
Life Crisis stuff.
I need to stop watching Fall TV and get off my butt stuff.
Eric and I came to this conclusion the other night. We had an amazing conversation about life, goals, and making sure our days are meaningful.
Then we each made lists. Bucket lists. A bucket list is sort of like a to-do list, but much more fun. I’ve made a Fitness Bucket List before too. Some of these things below I’m already working on, but putting them on paper makes them more mindful, real, and exciting. The list is also a great motivator to get off the couch at night and do something other than watch TV!
Write it down. Dream big. Allow yourself to write “crazy” ideas. Some of mine include:
- Learn how to horseback ride. Maybe even do a jump. Don’t die.
- Learn to play the piano. Play at upscale restaurants complete with sparkly evening gown. <—don’t ask.
- Create elaborate Halloween costumes complete with professional make-up.
- Be a fashionista, or at least learn how to dress myself like a grown up instead of leaving the mall with a bottle of nail polish, a necklace, and another bra.
- Write books. Cookbooks. Life books. Picture books. <—working on it
- Manage anxiety better. <—working on it
- Be a peaceful animal rights activist <—working on it
- Take professional photography courses
- Rescue dog from shelter
- Stuff a piñata full of homemade vegan candies and beat the crap out of it with friends. Stuff face.
- Start my own charity
- Make the best vegan brownies of my life. <—Did it
- Live in different parts of the world & travel
- Weight train consistently <—working on it
- Sign up for Toastmasters. Charm and dazzle. Pretend I’m George Clooney.
- Make favourite cracker recipe. Repeat as necessary.
Did it.
I’ve attempted to make crackers on a regular basis, but it never stuck. I realized if I’m ever going to make my own crackers regularly, they had to satisfy the following:
- Healthy ingredients I’d feel good about eating on a regular basis
- Low in added fat
- DELICIOUS
- Quick and easy to throw together
Jackpot.
You might be thinking, how can rolling dough be quick and easy?
I know, I know, no one wants to roll out dough. Even when I see recipes that require rolling, I usually pass them by. Rolling out dough can be scary even for practiced bakers. But this dough is honestly so easy to roll out.
It’s not sticky, rippy, or annoying in any way. Trust me, I would complain bitterly if it was.
In minutes you have crackers ready to go into the oven.
The only work you have to do after that is trying not to burn your tongue when they come out of the oven!
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Easy Vegan & Gluten-Free Crackers
Yield
approx. 35 [1.5”] crackers
Prep time
Cook time
Chill time
10
Total time
Easy, delicious, easy to roll, and endlessly customizable. Doubling the batch is recommended! Inspired by Clean, Green, Simple.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup brown rice flour*
- 1/2 cup whole almonds*, ground into flour (or use 3/4 cup almond flour)
- 2 tbsp ground flax
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- scant 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 tsp olive oil
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment. In a high-speed blender or processor, grind almonds into a flour. Do not over process or almonds will release oils. Sift flour before using to remove larger pieces. OR you can use store-bought almond flour.
- In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients and mix well with spoon. Knead dough with hands until it comes together. Shape into a ball.
- Place ball of dough on parchment paper or a non-stick mat. Roll out dough until it’s about 1/8th inch thick, or as thin as you can get it without ripping. With a pastry wheel or pizza slicer, slice into crackers.
- Bake at 350°F for 18-20 minutes until slightly golden in colour. I baked mine about 18 mins. and next time I will bake them for a couple mins. longer to get them crisper.
- Cool on baking sheet for 10 mins. Store in air-tight container once fully cool.
Tip:
* Other flours might work in substitution for brown rice flour and almond flour, although keep in mind the flavour will change.
I finally feel like I’ve found “the one”. I’ll be seeing these again real soon, and next time, doubling the batch.
We enjoyed some with almond butter.
Mmm.
Best brownies of my life, you’re next.
What’s on your bucket list?
Healthy delicious crackers? I’m there!
I’m actually working on making a list for myself of goals to achieve too. I can relate to quite a few on yours :)
Those are some great goals Angela! I really enjoy writing down long and short term things I want to accomplish. They help me stay focused AND allow me to dream big!
I wish we lived a little closer because I’d totally join Toastmasters with you. I’m leaving in two weeks for my big trip and that all started with making a list and sending some emails. Who knows where your list will take you.
Love ya,
Do you think oat floour and whole wheat pastry flour would work instead of almond and brown rice flour?
I think most flours *should* work although not positive. Let me know if you try it out!
This recipe sounds absolutely amazing! I think this recipe may be the first step in me saying goodbye to my Mary’s Cracker addiction :)
I may even try a raw version – I’ll let you know how they turn out! xoxo
Hi Angela! I was wondering – what do most crackers have in them that makes them not-vegan? Eggs?
Some have milk, and/or butter and occasionally eggs…but yes there are many versions that are vegan naturally which is nice!
THANK YOU! I hate buying crackers: they have soybean oil that my son is allergic to and 20 ingredients nobody can pronounce. Just today I was thinking that I should be making my own crackers and need to look for recipes online. And you post the cracker recipe! I can’t wait to try these : will probably substitute a thing or two and blog about the experience.
Recipe for vegan brownies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please!
coming this week!
Awesome post! I need to write a list and be more proactive / deliberate with my goals. If you want to live internationally, I lived in Thailand for 2 years and loved it, but I might recommend vacationing there first. :)
Hi Angela,
just made the crackers and they are Yummy….never found crackers here in Germany that are low on fat AND tasty. So thank you for that recipe!!
What is Toastmasters?? Can´t find a translation.
Like your new “comment-foto”!
Go on girl, Gini.
Thanks Gini :)
Toastemasters info can be found here: http://www.toastmasters.org/
I just love your cracker recipes. I am going to give them a try for the Christmas period for sure. :)
My bucket list is here: http://porcelinatweets.wordpress.com/bucket-list/
Some major goals, some silly goals! Take a look if you have time :)
Thank you for the cracker recipe, om nom. I am going to make these for a GF friend, sure she will appreciate them!
BTW you’ve so got my foodbuzz votes! Angela FTW!
Thanks helen!
hooray! mary’s gone crackers are just too expensive, although they’re good and nutritious. i’ll have to try these.
hmmm my bucket list includes (but not limited to):
complete my masters in social work
work with youth involved in the juvenile court system
be a great mom
paint beautfiul and colorful flower pictures for my house
keep my plants alive
try zumba and pilates
Great goals :) I can relate to ‘keep plants alive’… :)
I want to make homemade crackers so bad!!!!!! And I love your bucket list! So many things on there I want to accomplish to!
I love your post today! I love your bucket list! I’m not sure what my list is, but I know I want to run a marathon, go to Hawaii, own my own business involving food, like a bakery and be a better all around person. You gave me food for thought! I think I’ll create a bucket list and see if I can complete it!
These look amazing, Angela! Congrats on crossing that off your bucket list.
Among my bucket list (upon graduation from college this year):
– Become a nutritionist
– Continue teaching fitness classes
– Continue singing/playing piano
– Travel!
– Help women and men realize their own self-worth—>this is the big one! <3
sooo excited to try making these!! My son is a cracker-a-holic so I am hooked on finding new homemade cracker recipes lately! This one looks amazing :) PS dyyyyyyyyying for that brownie recipe… that picture has been invading my thoughts since you first posted it as a tease on facebook ;)
Fun List! I always wanted to write and illustrate a children’s book.
I’m excited to give these a try. I’m going to sub garbanzo flour for the almond flour to cut back a little bit on the fat content. Plus, I don’t have any almond flour in the house! Thanks for the great recipe! I struggle with crackers–they never come out quite right, so I’m really excited to give these a try.
These crackers sound delicious! Definitely be making these over the weekend! I love your website. Your constantly churning out recipes. I dont know how you do it, and they all look and sound delicious. Keep up the good work! Im a big fan:)