I cringed as I stood in the upscale grocery store pulling an overpriced box of “Flackers” down from the shelf. There was a dinner party and I was out of time, but let’s be honest: crackers are the last thing you should be paying top dollar for, especially when you can make a delicious version yourself.

These five seed crackers are as easy as mixing some seeds and nuts in a bowl and letting them sit for awhile, and you end up with a crunchy, gluten-free, vegan cracker that’s healthier than you may wish to admit. Top them off with Olive and Cilantro Tapenade and you have your new favorite appetizer.

Five Seed Crackers

Ingredients

• 1 cup flaxseeds
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/2 cup sesame seeds
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup finely chopped hazelnuts
• 3 tablespoons chia seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup water

Directions

Combine water and flaxseeds in a bowl and let sit for three hours.

Mix in rest of ingredients and let sit for an additional hour.

Spread out mixture onto lined baking sheet (a Silpat works great for this) and bake for 45 minutes at 300F.

Reduce heat to 230F and open oven door to let out steam. Bake for another 15-30 minutes and open door again. Check how crispy the crackers are by breaking off a corner. If they still feel soft, bake for an additional 15-30 minutes.

Let cool, and then break into pieces. You will find that you will get some small crumbles. Keep those on hand for sprinkling over salad or your morning yogurt.

Store in an airtight container.

Note: I prepped the flaxseeds and promptly forgot about them – these things happen sometimes – and when I returned home later in the day, the flaxseeds had been soaking for much more than the recipe recommended three hours. I added in the rest of the seeds, let them sit for about an hour and then baked. In this case, letting them sit longer meant slightly less baking time, only about 20 minutes after reducing the oven to 230F.

Olive and Cilantro Tapenade

Ingredients

• 1 6-ounce can of organic black olives
• 1/2 of a roasted pepper, chopped
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup almonds
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Mix all ingredients in food processor until well blended. Store in airtight container in refrigerator until serving.

Don’t love cilantro? This recipe is just as good without it.