Flax cracker goop???? Storage....

[*~Butterfly~*]

Okay all, a question...I made veggie flax crackers this eve. When I was processing the flax seeds (soaked) I got this gooey gross goop (say that 10 times-ha!) Is that normal? I was thinking maybe it was the oil from the flax, but it was just so gross! Next question, I only have one fruit roll up sheet right now so I can only make a sheet at a time, I had left over cracker mix, put a top on it and stuck it in the fridge, will that be all right till this batch finishes?? I will be getting more roll up sheets in the mail this week, so, I won't have to wait like this again! Thanks!

[Sweet lips]

You made jell

[*~Butterfly~*]

You made jell
Okay.......is that normal? :confused: I think I made my crackers too thick....guess I will be making a bread for my burger patties with this round....

[sweetgoddess]

Flax crackers give off goop, that is normal! It is what holds the crackers together. It will dry differently, dont worry.

Personally, I didnt like using the fruit rollup trays for crackers, as no air at all gets to the bottom. I started just covering the mesh with unbleached parchment paper, as it breathes and the crackers were so much easier to flip over and dry quicker.

Enjoy!

[*~Butterfly~*]

LOL Seriously, I saw that goop...all I could think of was the movie "Something about Mary" :eek: LOL
Hmmm....thank you for the hint, I will have to try that for my other batches.... :)

[calee]

I'm still laughing about that ... Something about Mary comment.

I do the same thing as sweet goddess. In fact I just slipped some flax crax and cookies into the dehydrator on Parchment paper. I find that I can even reuse the parchment paper so I don't have to buy it as often. Things just peel right off the paper and it dehydrates so much quicker.

lee

[RawTruth]

Yep, the goop is normal.

I roll the flax cracker dough between two thick plastic sheets (cut apart heavyweight produce bags, not the thin wimpy ones from the big supermarkets) which is all atop a mesh tray liner, then peel the top sheet off, cut off the hangover edges to make straight edged square, place another mesh screen on top, turn the whole thing over, peel the other sheet off (which is now on top), cut lines in the dough to separate the crackers, lift the mesh screen onto the rack, and slide that puppy into the dehydrator.

This may sound complicated, but, if you can visualize it, it's actually incredibly simple. And, once you get the hang of it (like after one time!), it's really fast and makes such thin crackers -- like only one flax seed thickness. The "goop" holds everything together.

This way there's not even parchment there to impede rapid drying. Crackers are done in mere hours.

I don't own teflex sheets. I make all breads and crackers this way except for onion bread which is goopy enough to need parchment.

[*~Butterfly~*]

Thank you all for the help! I actually used my fruit rollup pan for my first batch, and when the top was dry to touch I just peeled that baby off and put the dry side on the mesh! No mess, and it was dry when I woke up at 5:30! About 8 hours total dehydrating time....I don't own parchment paper, and I figure I can wait 8 hours...not too terrible....thanks again!

[CAdreamer]

Butterfly,

I laughed out loud when I read your post and my husband wanted to know what was so funny. I'm a VERY experienced cook, and I must say that I had the same unsettling experience when I did what you did. Nothing in all my years of food prep would have prepared me for that !! It felt a bit like that 'slime' that the kids all like....but it felt nothing like someting I'd want to pass by my lips.

I finally made flax seed crackers and have to admit that I really don't like them when made with whole seed. They're sliimy in my mouth and I have to spend time picking the seeds out of my teeth and gums...bleeech !

So, here's what I do and I much prefer this method. I grind the golden (not brown) flax very finely and then add enough water to make a toothpaste consistency. The can be spread just as it, or add any other ingredients that you'd like. I prefer to make them with a variety of sweet or savory add-ins, as the plain flax isn't appealing to me. Whole Foods sells 4oz of flax crackers for 3.69, so you're far better off if you can learn to make your own successfully. Being successful is just making something that you enjoy...it matters not if anyone else likes it (of course, unless you're feeding others RAW).

[RawTruth]

Being successful is just making something that you enjoy...it matters not if anyone else likes it (of course, unless you're feeding others RAW).This is SO true, CADreamer.

I use the same method you do for making the flax crackers based on Alissa's basic recipe; I like the garlic and fresh ginger combination in them. I don't mind the whole flax, though. (Flax crackers were my first introduction to raw food about 5 years ago, so the sometimes glue-y nature of them doesn't usually bother me. But, with grinding, I like how the cracker is more solid in a way.)