More About Flax Seed and Tasty Recipes to Fit It Into Your Menus
by Kalyn Denny

Whole Grain Flapjacks with Flaxseed Meal
Recently BlogHer Editor Amygeekgrl wrote about the importance of getting enough omega-3 fatty acids, and mentioned flax seeds and hemp seeds as being vegetarian-friendly sources of this important nutrient. Amy's post reminded me that even though I've been experimenting a bit with flaxseed meal, I can do better when it comes to using both of these nutritious ingredients. I decided to get serious about flax seeds, since I already had a bag of flax seed meal hanging out in my freezer.

Ground flax seeds (also called flax seed meal or flaxseed meal) are high in omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and phytochemicals are more nutritious than flax seed oil. Whole flax seeds are likely to pass through the body undigested, so ground flax seeds are preferred, but if you buy pre-ground flax seeds, they need to be stored in the freezer to prevent them from quickly going rancid.

Flax seed meal is easy to mix into things like yogurt and cereal, and it can be added in small amounts to almost any recipe for breads, cakes, cookies, or pancakes. I've had good results with using flax seed meal to replace bread crumbs in meatloaf or meatballs, and adding flax seed meal to cookies. It seems like lots of people are discovering the joys of flax seeds, but the one thing I didn't find much agreement on was whether it should be spelled flax seed meal or flaxseed meal. But however you decide to spell it, here are more tasty ways to use flax seed meal.

Bread or Muffins with Flax Seeds
Banana-Date Flaxseed Bread from Sugar Rush
Gluten-Free Multigrain Miracle Bread from I Am Gluten Free
Whole Wheat Orange Spice Muffins from Pinch My Salt
Almost Unforgettable Whole Wheat Blueberry Bread from Hogwash
Oatmeal Knots from The Kitchen Sink
Honey and Toasted Pistachio Muffins from Culinary in the Country
Golden Honey Oat Bread from Real Baking with Rose Levy Beranbaum
Millet Oatmeal Bread from Gluten Free Mommy
Hearty Heart-Loving Muffins from A Veggie Venture
Flax Seed Wheat Bread from The Fresh Loaf
Half Baked Flax Seed Crackers from In Mol Araan
Rustic Flax Seed Currant Bread from Wild Yeast

Breakfast Options with Flax Seeds
Heart Healthy Mini Pancakes from Christine Cooks
Stovetop Granola with Dried Cherries, Pepitas, and Flaxseed from Enlightened Cooking
Cravin' Oatmeal from Do Better
Pancakes with a Purpose from Hogwash (Jess' Whole Grain Flapjacks are in the photo above)
Ginger Carrot Morning Cookies from 28 Cooks
Buttermilk and Flaxseed Pancakes from Little Spatula
Gluten Free Almond Waffles from FamilyStyle Food
Home-Mixed Cereal with Cranberries, Walnuts, and Pecans from Cookthink
Banana Cardamom Breakfast Cake from Cookworm

Cakes or Cookies with Flax Seeds
Light and Luscious Lemon Flaxseed Cake from Blue Kitchen
Farmland Flax Cookies from The Canadian Baker
Gluten Free Tiger Cookies from Gluten a Go-Go
Sesame Nut Cookies from 28 Cooks
Nina's Better Than Wheat Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies from Gluten Free Girl

Savory Dishes with Flax Seed
Super Crispy Buttermilk Baked Chicken from Sugar Rush
Swedish Turkey Balls from The Allergic Kid
Caesar Dressing with Flaxseed from The Savory Notebook
Jessica Seinfeld's Chicken Nuggets from La Vie in English
Breaded Tilapia with Flax from Dani Spies

More About Using Flax Seeds
Flax Seeds as an Egg Substitute for Vegan Cooking from One Hot Stove
Grinding Your Own Flax Seeds from Veg Blog
Vegan Baking and Flax Seeds from The Baking Fairy
Using Flaxseeds in Gluten-Free Baked Goods from Gluten a Go-Go
Spotlight on Flax Seeds from Mighty Foods
The World's Healthiest Foods: Flaxseeds
Flax Seed: The Low Carb Whole Grain from About.com

BlogHer Food Editor Kalyn Denny also blogs at Kalyn's Kitchen where she plans to keep experimenting with flaxseed meal.

Submitted by Kalyn Denny (view blog) on Thu, 03/27/2008 - 19:56

Comments

 

Bariilla Plus Pasta

Here in (freezing cold just got another 3 inches of snow) Michigan we get Barilla Plus angel hair pasta (in a yellow box) that is made with flaxseed.  It costs about 70% more than regular pasta, but, still, it's a cheap meal. They claim that 3.6 oz of dried pasta (1/4 of the 14.5 oz box) is 28% of the RDA for Omega-3.  My family is starting to prefer the taste of the heartier pastas over the regular pastas.

Marianne

Submitted by MealMixer on Fri, 03/28/2008 - 06:00
 

Will look for it!

What an easy way to get some flax into your diet. I'll look for it in my store, thanks for sharing.

Kalyn Denny
Kalyn's Kitchen

Submitted by Kalyn Denny on Fri, 03/28/2008 - 06:35
 

Wonderful list

Oooh! I'mloving this list of recipes. :) Thank you for putting it together.

Whenever I make smoothies, bread, cookies, granola or pancakes, I add in some ground flax seed. It's really easy to toss it into most things, esp. baked goods.  

Amy

Crunchy Domestic Goddess

BlogHers Act contributing editor

Submitted by amygeekgrl on Fri, 03/28/2008 - 10:08
 

Glad you like the flaxseed recipes!

I'm going to start adding it to everything I can.

Kalyn Denny
Kalyn's Kitchen

Submitted by Kalyn Denny on Fri, 03/28/2008 - 17:00
 

A Great Help..

 flax recipes all look  fabulous. 

I believe Flax has actually helped me with peri-menopausal issues, Hence maintaining at least 2 teaspoons a daily.  

Great Article Thanks! Rhonda

http://www.recipecarousel.com/blog

 

 

 

 

 

Submitted by Rhonda-at-RecipeCarousel on Sat, 03/29/2008 - 04:28
 

You're welcome, and thanks for that
suggestions

Rhonda, you're welcome, and thanks for the suggestion to use flaxseed for menopause-related issues.  I hadn't heard about that before. 

Kalyn Denny
Kalyn's Kitchen

Submitted by Kalyn Denny on Sat, 03/29/2008 - 08:02
 

Oily Goodness

As always Kaly, an amazing post. We're big Flax seed users, but not nearly as organizes as we'd like to be. That said, I manage to get some in every day in a smoothie. We just throw yougurt, frozed fruit and flax seed oil in a blender and call it breakfast.  Actually, we also throw in an egg from our chickens..... Yum.

I do put flax seeds in salad and salad dressing, and sneak them into things like meatloaf and meatballs, and no one knows they're there. Basically, anywhere I can throw them in, I do....

Also big on fish oils.....  

Don't know about menopause (yet) but I do think that it helps with my skin, hair and nails - though I have no valid reason for thinking that.  :) 

___________
Alyssa Royse
JUST CAUSE

Start Her Up: A blog for Women Entrepreneurs

Submitted by alyssaroyse on Sat, 03/29/2008 - 10:06
 

I bet it does!

I bet it does make your skin, hair and nails more healthy.  All the more reason to eat it regularly.  

I keep meaning to buy some fish oil!

Kalyn Denny
Kalyn's Kitchen

Submitted by Kalyn Denny on Sat, 03/29/2008 - 11:43
 

Wonderful Recipe

A very healthy and nutritious recipe. I will try out this.

Regards,

http://indian-no1-recipes.blogspot.com

Submitted by manjushillu on Tue, 04/01/2008 - 12:07
 

Fabulous Flax

Kalyn,

This is a great list! Thanks for creating and sharing it! I hope you enjoy your flax seed meal.

 

www.dobetter.wordpress.com 

Submitted by do better on Sat, 04/05/2008 - 15:52
 

I've been shopping

Thanks!  I now have some Barilla plus pasta and fish oil capsules, and I'm experimenting today with a recipe by adding some flax seed meal.  Thanks for the good wishes.

Kalyn Denny
Kalyn's Kitchen

Submitted by Kalyn Denny on Sun, 04/06/2008 - 08:37
 

Thanks

Thanks for all the wonderful ideas of how to use flax! I just discovered this seed while purusing my grocery store, and have been researching it on the web since. Are any of the recipies listed ones where you really don't notice the taste of the flax? My husband is a very picky eater.. I want to start him out slow. Thanks!

Submitted by Dawneman on Sun, 04/06/2008 - 17:36
 

Can't say

Since these are recipes from all different blogs, I have no way of knowing if you can taste the flaxseed or not.  I will say that in the recipes I've tried it in, with only 1-2 T of flaxseed meal I've never noticed the taste of it at all.

Kalyn Denny
Kalyn's Kitchen

Submitted by Kalyn Denny on Sun, 04/06/2008 - 18:10