Superfood Chia Crisps

Raw Vegan Gluten-Free Energy Snack

These might not be the prettiest recipe I’ve every made, but these have become one of my favorite and most versatile snacks. Everyone who has tried them loves them. They are essentially fruit roll-ups with chia seeds, but so, so much better for you!

Also very simple to make but you do need a dehydrator that has either the special trays to make crackers or teflex sheets.

Multiple choices for the fruit

The choices are endless for the dried fruit and berries you can use in these crisps. I haven’t tried yet with fresh fruit but I am thinking of doing a batch with watermelon and mango. Dried fruit is nutritious, but also has a lot of sugar and calories, so having the protein- and omega-rich chia seeds, helps slow down sugar absorption and keep your blood sugar even. That’s why these are fantastic energy snacks – so portable!

Here are some fruit and berry options:

(Make sure to buy only those that are dried without sulfites. For berries and applies, I recommend only organic)

Dried mangoes, apricots, figs, persimmons, apples, sour cherries, currants, raisins

Goldenberries (I love their tart flavor!), mulberries (high in resveratrol) dried blueberries, cranberries, schizandra or seabuckthorn berries (both of these are very high in antioxidants)

Storage Solution

I store all of my dehydrated crackers, kale chips and treats in the freezer. They DO NOT freeze! They don’t even get very cold – you can eat them right from the freezer. They DO stay very crisp and fresh. If I am traveling or out for the day I take a baggie of the chia crisps. Once they get to room temperature they soften and become more the texture of a fruit roll up but still very delicious.

Breakfast Option

Sometimes I spread some almond or cashew butter on one or two squares and roll them up for a delightful high energy breakfast roll.

Ingredients:
2 cups of a combination of dried fruit and berries (use 3-5 for variety)
4 cups whole chia seeds
3 tsp. cinnamon
4-6 cups filtered water

Directions: Cut the fruit into bite-sized pieces using a kitchen shears. Place all of the dried fruit pieces and berries in a large bowl and pour 2-3 cups of water and let sit for 30-60 minutes to soften. Add cinnamon and stir well. Pour in chia seeds and stir, adding the rest of the water. The chia seeds will absorb the water and if the batter seems too dry and unmalleable, add some more water. Place in food processor bowl with S blade and blend for a few minutes, adding more water if necessary.

Note: You can bypass the food processor BUT the squares will be much thicker and not as sweet. I have made them both ways but prefer the thinner, sweeter ones.

Spread over teflex sheets (you will need 3-5 trays) filling in any open areas and squaring off the edges with a spatula. Dehydrate on 105 degrees for a couple of hours until dry enough to score with spatula. You make 2 ‘cuts) lengthwise and 2 crosswise to make 9 squares per tray. Continue drying until you can easily peel the squares off and turn them over onto the mesh trays. Dry the other side until they are dry to touch. About 4-6 hours total. They will be soft and malleable but when you store in freezer they get crisp.