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No dehydrator? Try this "cooking" method to create some Zesty Zucchini Tomato Flax Crackers!

These crackers are SUPER delicious and you can cut them large enough to make a small 'sandwich.' They are also a perfect healthy snack whenever you need a little something to munch on! I once made these crackers on vacation using a regular gas oven. Here's how:

Turn your oven on to the lowest setting and wait about 10 minutes for it to heat up.

Stick a thermometer in your oven and test things out. If the temperature is 115 degrees or less, you've got yourself a dehydrator.



If the temperature of your oven is too warm, try propping the door open about 6 inches and check the temperature again. If it's 115 degrees or less, you are in business!

I strongly recommend that you use this method only on a temporary basis. It wastes a ton of gas or electricity and you have to be home and awake the entire time that you are dehydrating. I do not recommend using this method often for a few reasons. Ovens do not tend to dehydrate food evenly. This method of dehydrating is definitely not energy efficient and is far more costly in the long run than purchasing a dehydrator. And although it will keep your kitchen toasty warm in the cold months, it will make your space stifling hot in the warmer months.

If you are planning on even going 50% raw, a dehydrator is an absolute raw kitchen essential as it is virtually your oven. Don't waste your money on those stackable circle things. Trust me, been there done that. You are much better off saving up a bit and purchasing an Excalibur. It is a totally different machine and is quite literally the Cadillac of dehydrators.

I used a cookie sheet in place of the Teflon sheets you would use in the dehydrator. Then took a tablespoon of olive oil and a paper towel to spread the oil evenly. Simply follow the recipe below and you'll have some lovely crackers to spread that cheese on!

3 cups yellow zucchini, shredded

2 cups tomatoes, chopped

1/2 whole onion, minced

1 cup Baby Bella mushrooms, finely chopped

6 cloves garlic, finely minced

1/2 cup nutritional yeast

1 tsp Himalayan Pink Salt

1 cup black olives, minced

3 cups filtered water

1 tsp crushed red pepper

1 tbs basil, minced

1/2 cup parsley, minced

1/2 cup cilantro, minced

1 tbs tomato powder

3 cups flax meal

1. Place tomatoes, 2 cups zucchini, onion, nutritional yeast, tomato powder, garlic, salt, red pepper and water in food processor and mix until smooth.

2. Add 1 remaining cup zucchini, mushrooms, herbs, and olives and pulse until evenly distributed. Don't pulse too long as you want small bits of these ingredients.

3. Lastly, mix in flax meal (make sure you have your dehydrator sheets ready, as the mixture tends to thicken quickly making it difficult to get out of the blender and spread on sheets).

4. Place 2 1/2 cups of the mixture in the center of each teflon sheeted dehydrator tray.

5. Spread mixture evenly across entire sheet. Score each sheet into 5 columns and 5 rows (14" dehydrator tray).

6. Dehydrate at 105 degrees for approximately 12 hours, then flip crackers. The easiest way to do accomplish this is to place another dehydrator tray and larger mesh sheet upside down on top of the crackers. Holding both trays together, simply flip the trays over, remove the top tray and peel off the telfon sheet - do this by carefully peeling around the outside of all How to Make Tomato Powder sides and work your way to the middle in a circular motion. The crackers will be dry enough so that another teflon sheet is not needed underneath them at this point.

7. Dehydrate for approximately another 12 hours. Remove crackers from trays and place in airtight container.

8. Enjoy with your favorite cheeses or use as small cracker bread.

Servings: 20

Yield: 100 chips

Make Life Delicious,

Chef Tina Jo

About the Author:

"Chef Tina Jo began her raw vegan journey back in 1999 when a friend suggested a vegan detox program to help alleviate debilitating ovarian and uterine cysts. Having reached a dead end with conventional western medicine and desperate to find relief, Tina Jo attended her first detoxification program through Karyn Calabrese at Karyn's in Chicago, Illinois. That was the first step to a life changing experience..."