These iron-rich and gluten-free crackers are the perfect pair to a meal for your vegan toddler or vegan child.
When vegan parents reach out feeling concerned about their vegan child meeting their iron needs, I completely know where they are coming from because it’s a feeling I know too well.
My daughter, now 27 months, hasn’t been eating per her usual. It’s been about a week or so where her meal intake has fluctuated so much, oftentimes eating hardly anything and only drinking her unsweetened fortified soy milk. Majority of the times I’m not too concerned because I know I planned a well balanced meal and allow her to take the lead by letting her listen to her appetite and choosing how much to eat from the meal I prepared.
However, if I’m being truthfully honest with you, I have felt worried that she left the dining table with nothing more than 4oz of soy milk in her tummy.
One thing that I know she truly loves is crackers. It’s something I like to pair it with meals like soups or some kind of legume bowl. Pairing favorite foods with not-so-favorite foods is something that helps children feel successful at meal times, and that’s certainly something I encourage families to follow when they are concerned about their vegan child’s overall food intake (I teach you all about this in my Vegan Kids Nutrition Blueprint course).
Majority of crackers that I purchase are ones that are of appropriate texture for her; however, many of these don’t include key nutrients I wish they had for supporting a proper growth for vegan kids.
So, naturally, I thought about making my own crackers. But not just any cracker, one that would help meet iron needs. Garbanzo bean flour (also known as garam flour or besan) is a staple in my household because it’s a versatile ingredient and helps meet iron needs for vegan children. While it can be an acquired taste for some individuals, it’s an excellent source of iron and provides a good amount of protein and some calcium. So, I decided to try making crackers (a favorite food of my daughter) with garbanzo bean flour (an iron-rich food).
I always like to add other sources of plant foods to my recipes to maximize the nutrition for meeting a child’s nutrient needs. So I also added flaxseed meal and chia seeds to add a little boost of omega-3s.
You can also use this gluten-free recipe as a vegan school snack idea for your kids. You can pair with a veggie dip or simply pack alone for a tasty snack on-the-go.
Flax Garbanzo Bean Flour Vegan Crackers
Makes: About 25 crackers
Total Time: 15 - 20 minutes (includes baking time)
Recipe
1 cup (130gm) garbanzo bean flour (aka garam flour or besan)
1 tablespoon (10gm) flaxseed meal or ground flaxseeds
1 tablespoon (12gm) chia seeds
1 teaspoon (4gm) baking powder
½ teaspoon (2gm) garlic powder
½ teaspoon (2gm) salt (I use iodized salt)
¼ cup (60ml) water
2 tablespoons (24gm) olive oil (can substitute any other oil you have on hand)
1 tablespoon of flour (any flour you have available is okay. This is only to flour the surface to roll out the dough)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C)
In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients by adding the garbanzo bean flour, baking powder, flaxseed meal (or ground flaxseeds), garlic powder, salt. Mix together so that everything is incorporated.
Add the water and oil and mix everything together until it forms into a ball
On a cutting board or surface of choice, place about 1 tablespoon of flour and using a rolling pin roll out the ball into a thin layer
Using a pizza cutter or serrated knife, cut the dough into 1-inch squares (optional: you can pierce holes with a fork to add design)
On a sheet pan, place parchment paper or silicone cookie baking sheet and gently place the crackers. Bake for about 10 - 12 minutes (if making for toddlers I recommend 12 minutes at the most to ensure the crackers are soft enough. If you’d like a crispier cracker for yourself or your older child, 17 minutes was ideal for me).
Notes
I do not recommend these for infants under the age of 12 months as they can be too dry for them and not be safe
Allow to completely cool prior to storing in an airtight container as they can become a bit soft. Best if consumed within 3 days.
For more iron-rich recipes…
The Vegan Kids Cookbook outlines a variety of recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack items that are geared to meeting your child’s nutrient needs—especially iron. It also includes a 3 meal plan so you never feel stuck again on what to offer.