The Countertop Oven Class

Matthew Woolen is a master pastry chef and has worked in a variety of Seattle restaurants, including gastropub Old Sage, Zhu Dang, and a gluten-free restaurant called Capitol Cider.

Matthew Woolen

You might think these look like hippie crackers. You know the ones: flat with ragged edges, free of anything but seeds and dirt, and frankly nothing like a cracker. Sawdust with nutritional yeast—these we have tasted. These are not hippie crackers. Sure, these are non-traditional crackers. They have no flours, so they are gluten-free and grain-free. They do not contain any animal products, so they are suitable for a plant-based diet. Our chef Matthew Woolen used dark leafy greens, fermented vegetables, and soaked sunflower seeds to make them. He even included a bit of nutritional yeast. And, if you want, you can keep them raw when you dehydrate them to keep the probiotics alive. Okay, we know. They really sound like hippie crackers. Here’s the surprise: everyone loves these crackers. Every person on our staff asked for more of these crackers. They are snappy on the teeth and thick enough to feel substantial. These are dark green crackers with bright flecks of orange, covered in a field of black and white seeds. The tamari, that nutritional yeast, and onion powder lend a depth of umami. Plus, the kimchi gives a zing that leaves a happy warmth in the mouth. A ChefSteps member visiting the kitchen the day we made this video tasted one of these crackers. He loved it, then immediately said the crackers reminded him of pizza-flavored Pringles. That’s cool. To us, they taste like the most-interesting cracker that you cannot stop eating. Keep eating them.Like the best recipes, this one is a template. Swap the kimchi out for some sauerkraut. Add watercress, dried seaweed, or any kind of dark leafy green. When you want to eat the crackers, try dolloping some plant-based yogurt on top, then add a bit of sauerkraut and sprouts. Or, set them out with a bowl of hummus. These will be gone fast. Make more. We think the people in your life will love these (okay-they-are-hippie) crackers.

Vegetable and Seed Crackers