Categories: Food

How to Use Flax Seeds: A Quick Guide for Beginners

Flax! Flax seeds! Flax meal. Ground flax. Milled flax. I’m sure you’ve heard all of these terms before and are either 1) already team flax or 2) still a little unconvinced.

Flax seeds tend to get lumped together with other “trendy seeds”– like hemp & chia. But not today. This is its’ (their?) moment to shine. Let’s take a closer look:

What are flax seeds?

First of all, flax seeds come from a flax plant (also referred to as linseed) that’s been harvested for a VERY LONG TIME. Originally, flax was found along the Mediterranean and in India.

Flax has often been used to create linens (source) and is even stronger than cotton apparently!

In present-day U.S. it’s grown primarily in North Dakota and Minnesota (source).

Why use flax seeds?

There are lots of proven health benefits when consuming a little bit of flax each day (1 Tbsp or so).

Omega-3 essential fatty acids, “good” fats that have been shown to have heart-healthy effects. Each tablespoon of ground flaxseed contains about 1.8 grams of plant omega-3s.

Lignans, which have both plant estrogen and antioxidant qualities. Flaxseed contains 75 to 800 times more lignans than other plant foods.

Fiber. Flaxseed contains both the soluble and insoluble types.
Web MD “The Benefits of Flaxseed”

When to use flax seeds:

You’ve chosen to consume a 100% plant-based (vegan) diet and are looking for good fats & protein sources.
You want to consume less animal-based fat and protein for environmental reasons and are looking for good fats & protein sources.
You (or someone you are cooking for) is allergic to eggs but you need something to bind your baked goods!
You’ve run out of eggs and you want to make boxed brownies but also don’t want to leave the house (true story).
You want your body to rid of its waste on a more “regular” schedule. (Thanks, fiber!)
You’re wanting to reduce your potential risk of cancer (particularly breast & prostate) Source

How to use flax seeds:

First of all, it’s flaxseed MEAL most people are regularly consuming. (Seeds ground up into a more digestible texture). You can grind the whole seeds at home with a coffee grinder apparently! OR you could go the easy route and purchase either golden or brown flax seed meal from the grocery store- ready-to-use. If you put it in the freezer or fridge it will preserve nutrients better. I sometimes buy the large bag at Costco and keep it in our refrigerator, or a smaller bag from Walmart.

Here are the types of recipes we most often throw some flax into in our home:

Smoothies

Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

I admittedly avoided adding flax to my smoothies for awhile. What a waste! It’s delicious. With a decent blender, you can barely even tell a difference. And with hearty, substantial ingredients such as peanut butter or bananas I honestly think it adds to the texture and flavor.

Our two favorite smoothies that we add flax to:

The Ultimate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie from Minimalist Baker

My Favorite Green Smoothie from Minimalist Baker (vegan bloggers know how to use their flax, I’m telling you!!)

All the Oat Recipes

Photo by K8 on Unsplash

Flax + Oats = BFF. They pair really well together! We regularly add flax to recipes in all of these categories:

Energy Bites/Balls
Homemade Granola Bars
Baked Oatmeal – omit eggs and sub flax “eggs” with beautiful results (like in Minimalist Baker’s delicious pumpkin baked oatmeal, found on her site here, and referenced in our pumpkin post)
Rolled Oatmeal – cooked on the stove – add some in the pot when it’s almost done, or use as a topping in your bowl. Call it “sprinkles” for some breakfast fun!
Granola – Add a bit to your oat mixture. The sticky ingredients (honey/oil) will help bind to the oats and you’ll forget it’s even there!

Muffins & Quick Breads

Image by Aline Ponce from Pixabay

I often use a “flax egg” as a replacement for traditional eggs in muffin or quick bread recipes. I’ve also subbed out a 1-2 T. of flour and replaced it with flax for some additional nutrients. I’ve always had great results!

1 Flax Egg = 1 T. flax meal w/ 3 T. water

Stir and let sit in a small bowl for several minutes until mixture has thickened.

Get Lax with Flax

Why stop there?? You can supposedly also add flax into savory dishes such as chilis and enchiladas. I’d love to hear if anyone has had success doing that. What is your favorite way to use flaxseed? Let me know in the comments!