Sunflower Seed Crackers

Testimony of the Day

“Before working with Maria, I had struggled most of my adult life with my weight. I had tried other plans, and they would work for a time and then once I went on my own, I fell back into the old patterns and the weight came back. In December 2012, I weighed 212lbs. I had been pushed into finding an alternative way to better eating because of some health-related issues in my family. My dad is diabetic and has had a couple of heart attacks. He’s been told that there’s nothing that they can do to repair his arteries. Of course, this gets me paying attention as I don’t want to head down that same path.

Maria was non-judgemental during this process. She was always providing me excellent resources to allow me to take this journey on my own once I got properly set up. When I was struggling she had tips for me. The videos that she’s created or the ones that she recommends were always timely and helpful. I have lost 35 lbs since working with Maria – and just 7 away from my original goal. I’ve chosen to take the longer path to success because I want to make sure that this weight stays off – for good. Eating food that tastes amazing has been the key to my success in being able to do this on my own. I’m a fussy eater, but also one who’s grown up in a practical environment.

The menus that Maria has created are based on food that I grew up on – not high-end fancy dishes that I don’t know how to pronounce. I have to say that that has made a huge difference for me – eating foods that I would have eaten – just differently so that they’re healthy for me and keep me satiated. Maria has given me the tools and resources to be able to modify my own recipes in a ‘healthified’ way. Since losing weight, I am now able to fit into cute show clothes again, and I’m sure that I’m also much lighter for my horse’s sake :-)” –Janice

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1 cup shelled sunflower seeds
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup water
*Extra sunflower seeds (optional for topping)

Preheat the oven to 325°F-160°C. Put the sunflower seeds and Parmesan in a food processor and process until the sunflower seeds are a fine meal. Add the water, and pulse until the dough is well blended, soft and sticky. Cover a cookie sheet with a piece of parchment paper. Roll the dough out onto the parchment, tear off another sheet of parchment, and put it on top of the dough. Use a rolling pin or your hands to press the dough into as thin and even a sheet as you can get. Take the time to get the dough quite thin–the thinner the better, so long as there are no holes in the dough. Peel off the top layer of parchment, then use a pizza cutter to score the dough into cracker shapes. Bake for 28-30 minutes, or until evenly browned. Peel off the parchment, break along the scored lines and let the crackers cool. Store them in a container with a tight lid. *Option: Before baking press additional sunflower seeds into the batter for an extra crunch. Makes 6 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving):
Traditional Nut Thins = 130 Calories, 2.5g fat, 3g protein, 23 carbs, trace fiber
“Healthified” Crackers = 150 calories, 12g fat, 7.5g protein, 3.9 carbs, 2.1g fiber