Spicy Onion Rings

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~ raw, vegan, gluten-free ~

Spicy Onion Rings are a guilt-free snack. Raw, vegan, and gluten-free!  Pure comfort food! And sometimes we just need a little extra comfort in life.

I have to admit that this rainy summer is getting to me, but not so much in a negative way… it just seems to drive me into the kitchen!  So today, as the clouds hang low, I turn my attention back into the kitchen.  I had this large bag of onions staring me down, so I decided to tackle it with a vengeance!

I have played around with raw onion loaves of bread in the past, but today I wanted to try something different.  Long ago, I did make onion rings (which were mighty tasty), but today I wanted to try to make some that were more realistic looking and had a bit more of a crunchy breading to them.

I paced the kitchen, opening every cabinet door, repeatedly, racking my brain for the right ingredients.  In time a combination of ingredients was peppered all over my counters, and like a mad scientist, I went to work.  I had about five different combos going, making small test batches.

You will want to create a dredging station on your counter.  I used the same concept as though I were going to make the cooked version of onion rings.  Please read through this recipe before you start.  I tried to type out all the steps and ingredients in a format that would be easy, so please don’t let the length of this entry scare you. :)  I promise it is straightforward! For a nut-free version, visit (this) recipe.

Ingredients:

This is the combined ingredient list for all dredging stations

• 1/2 -1 cup mesquite flour
• 1/2 cup raw almond milk or coconut milk
• 2 cups ground, golden flax
• 1 cup raw cashew, ground
• 4 Tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp Himalayan pink salt
• 3+ large onions sliced 1/4″ thick

Preparation:

Dredging Station #1:

1. 1/2 cup of mesquite flour
2. Place flour in a bowl that is large enough for you to dip your onion ring into and get a good coating.
   • Not much of the flour will stick to the onion itself, but it will help give the onion a nice dry surface for the other ingredients to adhere to.
3. If you don’t have mesquite flour, you could use coconut flour, garlic or onion powder, or any other type of really fine powder that you might have in your pantry.  The main thing to keep an eye out for is that it is a very fine powder.

Dredging Station #2:

1. 1/2 cup of almond or coconut milk
2. After dipping your onion ring in the flour, dip it into the nut milk.
3. Use a chopstick to remove it and transfer it to the next dredging station.  I have tested using forks and my fingers, but they tend to get a build-up of ingredients on them.

Dredging Station #3:

1. Combine the ground golden flax, ground cashews, chili powder, cumin,  cayenne pepper, and salt.
2. Using your magic bullet or coffee grinder, grind your flax seeds to a powder — place in a bowl.  Next, grind your cashew nuts in the same manner and add to the flax seeds.
3. Now mix in the remaining ingredients, making sure that the spices get mixed in well.
4. After dipping the onion ring into the flour and milk, place it into the flax mixture and coat it thoroughly.
   • I used a chopstick to lift the onion ring up and out of the batter, tapping it gently on the side of the bowl to release any extra batter.
   • I started with a fork and even just tried my fingers, but the batter seemed to stick more to me or the fork than it did to the onion, so the chopstick worked beautifully.
5. Place the coated onion ring on the teflex sheet on your dehydrator tray.
   • To create a thick coating, go through the three dredging stations, then go back and dip it in the almond milk and back into the flax mixture a second time.
6. Dehydrate at 145 degrees (F) for 1 hour, then reduce to 115 degrees (F) for about 16 hours or until dry. They won’t be crispy solid; onion rings aren’t.
7. Storage: Place the onion rings, gently, in a container that will seal well.  To be honest, I am not sure how long they will last…they seem to be disappearing quickly here!

Culinary Explanations:

• Why do I start the dehydrator at 145 degrees (F)?  Click (here) to learn the reason behind this.
• When working with fresh ingredients, it is essential to taste test as you build a recipe.  Learn why (here).
• Don’t own a dehydrator? Learn how to use your oven (here). I do, however honestly believe that it is a worthwhile investment. Click (here) to learn what I use.

 

Tags: Dairy Free, Dehydrated, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free, Soy Free, sugar free, Vegan