While researching for a hike through the U.S. of unspecified distance and unspecified time, I searched for foods that would keep for a long time in the bottom of my pack, provide lots of energy, and be fairly nutritious. I finally discovered the energy food from thousands of years ago in Central America: chia seeds. Yes, the little seeds you might have grown as a pet are the latest health food rage, as they are extremely high in Omega 3's and antioxidants. From a survival perspective, they are awesome. They have a five year (five year!!!) shelf life and EXTREMELY high nutritional density. They're tasty and really easy to make into crackers. Here's my recipe after much trial and error.

Step 1: Ingredients

1 cup Chia seeds
2 cups purified water
1 tbsp Bragg's Liquid Amino's
1 tbsp Garlic Powder
1 tbsp Tumeric
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper

You can adjust the spices to your liking. I use garlic powder, tumeric, and cayenne pepper because the flavor is great and they offer many health benefits - prevent cancer, prevent inflammation and heart disease, antibacterial and antiviral, all kinds of good stuff. But you already know that. They also taste really good, so be generous.

Step 2: Mix Ingredients

Mix the ingredients, then let the mixture sit for about 30 minutes so the chia seeds can fully absorb the water.

Step 3: Dehydrate

I like square crackers, so I cut a small milk carton into strips to make square "molds" for my crackers. You could use cookie cutters, some other form, or nothing at all for blob shaped crackers. You'll need to put down some wax or parchment paper, then fill the mold (if you're using one) with the chia goo. Set the temperature to low, and let it go for a couple days! As with all dehydrated foods, don't forget to rotate the trays every once and a while. You'll want to flip the crackers after about 4 or 5 hours (once they are dry enough to flip over). You can flip them a few times if they're taking a long time to dry. The thicker you make the crackers, the longer they will take to dry out. You want them to be totally dry so there's no chance of spoilage.

You could also dehydrate these in the oven if you don't have a dehydrator. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and then fill it with the chia goo. Cut it into squares after it starts to dry a little bit. You'll have to put the oven on the LOWEST setting and leave the door cracked. I tried this and still burned the crackers - the dehydrator is much easier because you can turn it on and forget about it for the most part.

Step 4: Enjoy!

Enjoy your delicious and healthy chia survival crackers! You can seal them in a plastic bag and save them for a while, or eat them right away. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!