A little closer to a nut pulp 'cracker'

sarkin · Post by **sarkin** » Thu May 05, 2011 4:39 pm

I'm dedicating this post to you, Kelly, and promising to get a version of it perfected with whatever ingredients you can actually eat, when find out what those ingredients are. It was you who suggested egg/egg replacer and/or leavening after my last attempt - you were right! Gloria, I suspect you could have guided me there in the first place ;) I am not using any unfamiliar ingredients just now, like tapioca starch or xanthan gum, but once I get my basic food groups in order, I am open (if I can be).

I used the pulp from a batch of almond milk and a smaller batch of pistachio milk, totalling about 1.5 cups (approx 2.5 to 1 by volume). They were very different in consistency and the pistachio pulp was much moister, so if you use different nuts, all these proportions may need tweaking - you might add moisture if using just almond pulp, but even there, it may very from batch to batch according to how it's made.

I added 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil (which is to say, I added 1 Tbsp, then thought more would be better... I resolve to be a more diligent about measuring), plus 1 teaspoon of baking powder. This does contain cornstarch, be advised - I believe it's possible to find versions that do not, and will be looking for that at Passover next year.

I also added salt and a plain (1 ingredient) granulated garlic.

After mixing it all together thoroughly, I spread it on a paraflex sheet and dehydrated it - I have one of those pastry dough spreader tools, which helped a lot, but it would be worth it to be more consistent. I dehydrated for 4-5 hours at 135. I'm sure they'd be fine in a slow oven, too. I scored them after an hour-ish, and flipped them occasionally to speed up the process.

I thought they were tasty - they need to be cut into small bits, and wouldn't travel well in a purse without crumbling. But they were crunchy and flavorful, and my husband loved them - and he *hated* the texture of my last attempt, so I know I'm heading in a good direction.

I'll be trying it again - this time with more diligent measuring and timing. An egg would probably add to the structural integrity. But I think a little more oil might help, too. And I am looking to have some days without eggs, even if Enterolab results don't rule them out.

My husband really fancied them like 'chips' - so it could become part of a party mix. I was going for crackers... but I have a little ways to go before you could spread anything much on them without smushing. But the flavor was great.

Hope this inspires someone else's next experiment,

Sara

Deb · Post by **Deb** » Thu May 05, 2011 5:08 pm

Thanks for all your input with this recipe and the NYT's recipe. I have had a hard time finding a chip/cracker that's good and healthy and I welcome your efforts.
Love, Deb

sarkin · Post by **sarkin** » Thu May 05, 2011 5:13 pm

Deb - glad it's encouraging you. It's a bit of a work in process - I should have credited Elana of http://www.elanaspantry.com/ for at least one of the recipes I used as a guideline (and there are some in the Dee's Kitchen forum here on this site as well).

If you go to Elana's site and search on crackers, you'll get even more great ideas.

Wishing you healthy/tasty snacking!

Love,
Sara

Gloria · Post by **Gloria** » Thu May 05, 2011 6:07 pm

Sara,

I admire your continued efforts to experiment with different recipes and to create your own. This one sounds good! If hubby approves, then we know it's a winner.

Gloria

sarkin · Post by **sarkin** » Thu May 05, 2011 6:24 pm

Gloria,

You are kind, and I am honored... in truth some of my inventiveness stems from a reluctance to follow instructions. It sort of cuts both ways - can lead to creative leaps, but also sometimes to dead ends.

I wondered whether you had seen Zizzle's note today in another thread, about the Trader Joe's chocolate that's soy-free... I fear it may have another ingredient that doesn't work for you, but if your only reason for not trying it is finding a convenient TJ's, please let me know.

You're right, the husband test is a good one. My husband actually fears non-tasty food the way some people fear heights or spiders. I believe he'll be the one to kick our GF/DF cooking to the next level, quite honestly. I am better at striking out wildly in new directions, but he is great at getting a recipe down to a formula and making it consistently terrific.

Love,
Sara

Gloria · Post by **Gloria** » Thu May 05, 2011 6:33 pm

Sara,

Yes, I saw Zizzle's post about the Trader Joe's chocolate. There is a Trader Joe's about 8 miles from my house.

I ate some Passover chocolate on Monday, with Histame, and made 5 trips to the bathroom the next day. I'm not sure if the chocolate was the problem or something else. I tested highly reactive to phenylethylamine on the MRT test. Apparently that's a chemical found in chocolate. I'm not crossing it off yet, but I will be avoiding it for a while.

Thank you for thinking of me.

Gloria

Post by **tex** » Thu May 05, 2011 8:00 pm

Phenylethylamine is the psychoactive drug/stimulant/neurotransmitter that gives chocolate it's "magical qualities". Without it, chocolate would be just another source of calories.

In most foods in which it's found, it's the result of microbial fermentation, thus the connection with mast cell issues.

Tex

sarkin · Post by **sarkin** » Thu May 05, 2011 8:19 pm

WOW, Gloria - I keep thinking I will skip some hard steps because I eat so little 'processed' food. But of course, I don't know those chemical subtleties. I didn't think I would need to... You should get an honorary Ph.D. in food science, at least.

We ate out tonight at a local place where we don't go often - they were so especially accommodating, and thought of putting a sauce on the side (yikes, I hadn't even noticed, it was buttery... and actually, didn't miss it!). They were so gracious, it was so nice... I am hoping for the best.

Tex - good you connected that to mast cell issues, which I'm concerned about since you brought it to my attention. I did not have my usual flush/runny-nose/headache issues (yet) - but will be even more cautious with my various chocolate/cacao research.

Love,
S

Gloria · Post by **Gloria** » Thu May 05, 2011 8:28 pm

Tex,

You are a walking encyclopedia.

I wonder if mast cell issues are lifelong, or if they eventually go away. I believe Mary Beth has said reactions depend upon the dosage. Maybe I can reduce the amount of chocolate I eat and it will be OK. Apparently the phenylethylamine makes that hard to do.

Gloria

irisheyes13 · Post by **irisheyes13** » Fri May 06, 2011 8:44 am

Awww shucks Sara, thanks for the shout out but you did all the creative work with a tasty end result;) Kudos for the attempt at crackers-love it! They sound so good to me right now, you have no idea. At this point anything is sounding good to me hahaha (well maybe not liver and onions). I look forward to your continued updates on perfecting a cracker as I'm sure you will.

I have a variety of nut pulp in my freezer and have been waiting until I can do a taste test on them but it looks like it is so far off the pulp may develop freezer burn by then.

This weekend is a busy one with some grad parties and mother's day but I think I will make an attempt at a cracker/chip sometime soon and use my hubby and kids as guinea pigs and they can let me know how they taste. They are always open to yummy treats and my husband loves most anything that is savory, nutty and crunchy so even if it isn't perfect, "Mikey" will eat it, he eats anything lol! Your ingredients are exactly what I had in mind however I don't own a dehydrator so was thinking low temp in an oven.

I also have reacted to soy free, dairy free organic chocolate even with an attempt at several different brands. The gurgling starts within an hour of consuming it. Gloria and Tex, you are both so knowledgeable so thanks for explaining why it could be happening. I tested low green on phenylethylamine, cocoa and vanilla but we all know that means nothing when it comes to a histamine/mast cell reactions. I obviously haven't tried it since receiving my MRT but have given small amounts of chocolate a try several weeks ago. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that over time (years perhaps), I'll be able to indulge in some chocolate bliss. I agree,there is something in chocolate that makes it difficult to have just a nibble of it and it sounds like we found out what that may be and it doesn't even sound magical.

sarkin · Post by **sarkin** » Fri May 06, 2011 8:52 am

Kelly,

My policy is - a very little bit of veryveryvery good chocolate beats an ocean of 'OK' chocolate. I think this is a form of self-hypnosis, but it's working to keep my experiments tiny (and hopefully therefore safe).

I seem (?) to be tolerating the raw cacao nibs, which I'm having only in small amounts. For sure no immediate reaction, at least. I know this may change. I definitely had a headache within minutes of another chocolate I tried, which contained soy lecithin. If my Enterolab results don't show a reaction to soy, then maybe it was something else...

I could do liver and onion... with the right crackers ;)

Best of luck with the busy weekend, and happy Mother's Day to you and all the moms!

Love,
Sara

Post by **tex** » Fri May 06, 2011 1:53 pm

Sara,

You might be interested in the processing that goes into cocoa beans, leading up to the production of cocoa nibs. From Wikipedia:

Processing

The harvested pods are opened—typically with a machete—the pulp and cocoa seeds are removed and the rind is discarded. The pulp and seeds are then piled in heaps, placed in bins, or laid out on grates for several days. During this time, the seeds and pulp undergo "sweating", where the thick pulp liquefies as it ferments. The fermented pulp trickles away, leaving cocoa seeds behind to be collected. Sweating is important for the quality of the beans, which originally have a strong bitter taste. If sweating is interrupted, the resulting cocoa may be ruined; if underdone, the cocoa seed maintains a flavor similar to raw potatoes and becomes susceptible to mildew.

Some cocoa producing countries distill alcoholic spirits using the liquefied pulp.

The fermented beans are dried by spreading them out over a large surface and constantly raking them. In large plantations, this is done on huge trays under the sun or by using artificial heat. Small plantations may dry their harvest on little trays or on cowhides. Finally, the beans are trodden and shuffled about (often using bare human feet) and sometimes, during this process, red clay mixed with water is sprinkled over the beans to obtain a finer color, polish, and protection against molds during shipment to factories in the United States, the Netherlands, United Kingdom, and other countries. Drying in the sun is preferable to drying by artificial means, as no extraneous flavors such as smoke or oil are introduced which might otherwise taint the flavor.

The beans should be dry for shipment (usually by sea) to the United States and Europe. Traditionally exported in jute bags, over the last decade the beans are increasingly shipped in 'Mega-Bulk' bulk parcels of several thousand tonnes at a time on ships, or in smaller lots of around 25 tonnes in 20 foot containers. Shipping in bulk significantly reduces handling costs; shipment in bags, however, either in a ship's hold or in containers, is still commonly found.

Chocolate production
Main article: Chocolate Production
Chocolate

To make 1 kg (2.2 pounds) of chocolate, about 300 to 600 beans are processed, depending on the desired cocoa content. In a factory, the beans are roasted. Next they are cracked and then de-shelled by a "winnower". The resulting pieces of beans are called nibs. Cocoa nibs are the dry-roasted pieces of the cocoa bean. They are usually sold in small packages at specialty stores and markets to be used in cooking, snacking and chocolate dishes. Since nibs are directly from the cocoa tree, they contain high amounts of theobromine.

Theobromine, of course, is the ingredient in chocolate that's responsible for the poisoning risk to dogs and cats, (and humans, if they eat too much of it - fortunately, humans are able to metabolize it much faster than most animals).

Anyway, it's easy to see why the histamine content is high, (due to all that fermentation, early on).

Love,
Tex

sarkin · Post by **sarkin** » Fri May 06, 2011 3:41 pm

Tex,

Thanks for that. Perhaps the only reason I tolerated the nibs better than the bites of chocolate bars is just that the quantity is so small. I'm not sure whether they are sweeter than bittersweet/baking chocolate, but they do seem less bitter to me. Which makes no sense at all, as I believe theobromine is chemically similar to caffeine, and that must be bitter (though I'm sure there are also other components of coffee that make it naturally bitter... and I kind of love that about my morning cuppa).

I'll set my beloved nibs aside for a while, and proceed with caution. I am going to take a deep breath and reread everything I've already read about histamine. I had fish last night, and forgot to bring my Histame, so only had it when I got home, and everything was fine. Or seemed fine. Maybe I'm not looking in the proper time scale. For sure, the tree-pollen season is my worst and is just kicking into high gear here, so this isn't a good time to rock that particular sort of boat.

I'm also going to take a deep breath and remember that I don't know much right now. I'm going to quietly do my best, keep taking notes without obsessing, and reconfigure my strategy upon considering my Enterolab results when they come. It took some years for MC to catch up with me, and if it takes me a few years to figure this out, well, I look forward to getting there.

Thanks so much.

Love,
Sara

Gabes-Apg · Post by **Gabes-Apg** » Sat May 07, 2011 2:36 pm

Sara
the first 12 months with MC (ie after diagnosis) is like an intense series of the amazing race....

at the moment you are keen for knowledge and making sure you take the right path......

as you monitor your bodies reactions things will make sense and you will have lots of 'lightbulb' moments where you will connect the dots action A, caused reaction B....
the discussions on here and the research you do for the symptoms and situations relative to yourself will help things to 'make sense' the fog will clear and you will have a clear picture of what is going on.

there will be lots of ups and downs... and remember there is no mistakes or failings with MC, it is all learnings...