It’s December! Hooray for rich treats… in moderation. When you need something delicious that helps you respect yourself, whip up a batch of these.

Yesterday, I was at the house of an eccentric, wonderful, Icelandic-Italian friend of mine. We were having a discussion about her current diet (all-vegan, alkaline, green drinks, etc.) and she let me try these delicious flax crackers she had made. They were so good! She described the process to me: grind the flax seeds in a clean coffee grinder, soak them in water for 3 hours, add goodies (salt, seeds, nuts, vegetables, spices), spread thinly on silicone mats and dehydrate for a long time. I’m not nearly that patient when trying a new recipe, so I searched online for something quicker that might give an approximation. These were so good that it precipitated the need for a batch of homemade hummus. Here is the cracker recipe, thanks to Laura Dolson for the basics. My own hummus follows.

Flax Crackers (quick method)

3 cups flax seed meal (approx. .75 lb or .34 kilo of seeds ground in a food processor)
1 3/4 cups water
2 tsp salt
Optional additions: seeds, nuts, herbs, spices, sweeteners, thinly sliced or diced fruits or vegetables, etc. (This time I used sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, red onion, oregano and kosher salt.)

Heat oven to 400 degrees F (200C). Mix the dough in a large bowl, spoon onto 2 jelly roll pans (10x15in or 27x40cm) lined with greased parchment or silicone baking mats. Cover dough with waxed paper, roll out till very thin. Remove paper, use fingers to straighten edges and make them an even thickness. Bake 15-20 minutes till the edges brown. While they are cooling, they can be scored or cut. Cool completely. Store in an airtight container. Enjoy with copious amounts of water.

Maren’s Hummus

1 (15oz) can chick peas, drained and water reserved
1/4 c tahini
3 Tbsp lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1-2 tsp salt
2 tsp cumin
black pepper
cayenne pepper

Put all ingredients in a blender and blend till very smooth, adding the reserved water as needed. Adjust seasonings as desired.