Hiking Food: No-Bake Vegetable Crackers

I plan a long hike with one of my daughters this fall. Rather than bring commercial processed food I hope to primarily eat food we collected or grew locally. Last month I made ten sheets of fruit leather using our raspberries, gooseberries and apple sauce. Next steps: energy bars and crackers.

Raspberry, Gooseberry and Applesauce Fruit Leather

I found a recipe that added together a variety of raw minced herbs and vegetables that are spread on sheets and dehydrated. Rather than follow the suggested ingredients, using a food processor I pureed 14 cups of summer squash, two cups of garlic, two onions, four cups of boiled chestnuts and a cup of fresh basil/oregano leaves. I then added a cup of olive oil and three cups of flaxseed ground with an ounce of dehydrated hot peppers into a crumbly paste using a Corona flour mill. After thoroughly blending all these ingredients together, using an icing spatula, I spread this paste in 3/16 inch thick layers on nine 14 inch square non-stick sheets on wire rack shelves in our dehydrator.

Raw Ingredients for Vegetable Crackers: Summer Squash, Garlic Cloves, Onions and Boiled Chestnuts (from Freezer)

Onions and Garlic in the Food Processor, Pureed Squash in the Bowl, Ground Flax Seeds and Dried Pepper in the Square Container

After 12 hours at 125F, the still sticky bottom of these sheets of vegetable paste peeled easily away from the teflon-coated fabric. With dry sides now resting on the wire racks, these sheets dried another 8 hours.  The result: three pounds of firm sheets that were easily subdivided using a serrated knife. I trimmed off the edges that curled up and make them into chips. The central portions became flat 3" x 4.5" crackers.

Sheets of "Vegetable Leather" That Will Become Chips and Crackers

Bowl of Vegetable Chips and Stacks of Crackeers

These crackers taste pretty good, though sprinkling salt makes them taste even better. What's next? Try versions with tomato paste, kale and a much higher ratio of boiled chestnuts. One goal: a great no-bake pizza cracker! Maybe by adding cheese and pepperoni to the above?