Integrative Nutrition Recipes

Have you ever had a strong craving for a salty, crunchy snack but didn’t want to eat anything that’s too unhealthy? Have you ever noticed that store packaged “veggie” snacks are frequently made with vegetable powders rather than with any real vegetables? Are you looking for something better? Then this recipe for spinach crackers is for you! With just spinach, olive oil, salt, baking powder and rice flour, these crackers are amazing and so easy to make!

The most important part of this recipe is the spinach. Getting a healthy dose of vegetables while you snack is why these crackers are great! Spinach is high in vitamins A, C, B6, E, and K, as well as packed with fiber and calcium (just to name a few!). The folate in spinach is great for your cardiovascular system and the magnesium in this leafy green will help lower your blood pressure. Good thing that these crackers are almost half spinach!

While its very fast and easy to use chopped frozen spinach for this recipe, you can also use fresh spinach. When fresh spinach is in season, as it is now, go for the fresh version rather than the frozen! The results in the recipe will be the same and your crackers will have even more great spinach flavor.

Olive oil works very nicely in this recipe and with only 1/4 cup, these crackers are neither too greasy or dry. Another plus of using olive oil is that it adds an additional antioxidant rich ingredient to these crackers. (I’d mention how olive oil has been shown to help prevent strokes and has strong anti inflammatory properties, but you probably already know that!) An added bonus – using olive oil also makes this dough feel nice on your hands as you knead it together.

After you have blended your olive oil and spinach and have added the remaining dry ingredients, assess your dough. Does it feel too dry? If so, add a tablespoon of water. Is the dough too wet to roll? Knead in 1/8 cup rice flour. The texture of the dough can vary based on your spinach, your brand of rice flour, and even on the weather. When adjusting the dough, always start with small adjustments (add one tablespoon of water at a time rather than a cup of water!). When the dough is soft and not sticky or dry, you are ready to roll!

These crackers can be cut into any shape and any size. Larger crackers are great to pair with dips or cheese while smaller crackers are perfect for an on the go snack. Whatever shape and size you choose, make sure you adjust your baking time – a larger cracker may take longer to bake than a smaller cracker.

Once these little spinach packed gems come out of the oven, allow them to cool and store them at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a month. Since they stay good for so long, make a double or triple batch – then you will have a healthy spinach snack around to satisfy your salty cravings for weeks to come!

Spinach Crackers (Yield: 3-4 servings)

1/2 cup chopped frozen spinach

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/4 cup rice flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. In a blender or food processor, puree the spinach and olive oil together. Scrape the puree into a medium sized bowl.
2. Add the baking powder, salt and rice flour to the spinach puree and mix together with a spoon or with your hands until a dough ball forms.
3. Sprinkle a flat surface with rice flour and roll out the dough so that it is about an eighth of an inch thick.
4. Cut the dough into your desired shape and place your crackers onto a sheet pan lined with aluminum foil. The dough can be rolled many times with no harm to the taste or texture of the crackers, so be sure to use all of your dough!
5. Bake the crackers in a 325 ̊F oven for about 12-15 minutes. Larger sized crackers may take longer to cook but when the bottoms of the crackers begin to turn brown, they are done!
6. Allow the crackers to cool and then enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container for up to a month.

Recipe Notes:

– If you prefer to use fresh spinach, finely chop the fresh spinach and pack it tightly into the measuring cup. You will want to use about 3/4 cup of fresh spinach to substitute for the 1/2 cup frozen spinach.

– Almond flour will also work great in this recipe and will give the crackers a subtle nutty taste. Substitute the 1 1/4 cup rice flour for 1 cup almond flour.

-1/4 cup parmesan cheese will make these crackers even more flavorful! Omit the salt in the recipe if you are adding cheese as the cheese will have enough of a salty flavor!

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