I simply love it how food can evoke a memory... transport you back to a time or place. Dill does this for me which is why I love to use it. One taste of it's frilly fronds and I am transported back to Sweden. To celebrations. To Marie's (Fred's Mum's), kitchen in Gothenburg. Funnily enough though, I'm sure I wouldn't have been able to recognise dill in a herb line-up before we moved to Sweden!

These raw carrot, dill and onion crackers are a lovely accompaniment to salads, as a snack, or on a party platter. And, they are also really good for you, comprising nutrient rich seeds such as linseed, chia, sunflower and pumpkin. The recipe does require a few different steps, however I hope that doesn't deter.

Just to clarify, my crackers are 'raw' meaning that I have dehydrated them for a long period of time at a low temperature (42 degrees celsius/105 degrees fahrenheit). The purpose of this is to preserve the nutrients in the ingredients, which can be compromised at higher temperatures. 'Raw food' therefore implies that the nutritional benefit to your body is greater (yay!). If you are not fussed about your crackers being raw, then i'm sure the recipe would work equally well baked at a higher temperature in the oven.

I really like this recipe because it is a wonderful base for creating your own favourite flavour combinations. Perhaps you have an affinity for a particular herb, like me and my friend dill? Sometimes I'll spice things up by adding a teaspoon of curry powder to the mixture. Experiment and have fun!

Aimee xo

carrot, dill & onion crackers

1/2 cup of whole linseed
2 Tbsp chia seeds
1 1/2 cups filtered water
1/3 cup sunflower seeds (soaked for 2 hours)
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
3 medium sized red onions
3 cups of grated carrot
1 Tbsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp tamari
3 Tbsp agave syrup
3 Tbsp chopped dill
pinch salt

Combine linseed and chia seeds in a bowl with filtered water and leave to soak for 2 hours. The linseed and chia will absorb the water during this time. If the mixture appears too solid, some more water can be added.
Soak sunflower and pumpkin seeds separately in filtered water for 2 hours. Rinse when done.
Once the soaking mixtures are ready, chop red onion into quarters and place in a food processor with the sunflower seeds. Process until the onion is in small pieces (about half a cm).
Add lemon juice, tamari, agave syrup and a pinch of salt to the food processor and pulse a few times to mix the ingredients.
Combine mixture with the linseed-chia mix and add the grated carrot, pumpkin seeds and chopped dill (reserve some dill fronds for garnish). Mix as shown above.
Spread mixture onto dehydrator trays lined with teflex, or oven trays lined with baking paper. The thickness should be just below 1 cm (it will become thinner during dehydration). Use an off-set spatula or the end of a spoon to make square shapes if desired.
Dehydrate at 42 degrees celsius (105 degrees fahrenheit), for 24 hours or longer if needed. After half of the time (or when the crackers appear crisp on top, flip so the underside is exposed). If you don't have a dehydrator set your oven to the same temperature, however allow some air flow by leaving the oven door slightly ajar (I have done this by placing a spoon in the door of the oven).
Enjoy topped with your favourite toppings, crumbled on top of a salad, or as a side on a party platter.