Okay, so the hubby went for a routine blood test... and the doctor told him to go on a diet. So, now we are on a diet together. We read flax seed is really good for you, and we want to be healthy- so when we were at the store, we bought some. However, I am now at a loss as to what I am actually to do with it, lol. There are two recipes on the box, but they are for muffins and stuff and that doesn't really sound terribly diet friendly. Besides sprinkling it over cereal or yogurt, how else can we use it?

It was amazing looking at our shopping cart now that we are BOTH on a diet (lowfat, sugar free yogurt and Kashi Golean cereal). Looks a lot different than the cart did 2 weeks ago (mexican food in a box and fried buffalo wings) lol.

Just for fun I did a search on Allrecipes. It came up with 36 recipes, although most are bread/muffin types. There are also a few others (smoothies, chicken, meatloaf, etc.) as well you might look at.

http://allrecipes.com/Search/Ingredi...ted1=flax+seed

I usually put it in my oatmeal or into a smoothie.

You can also replace some or all fat in a baking recipe by substituting 3:1 the flax meal for the fat. So if the recipe calls for 1/4 cup oil you'd replace it with 3/4 cup of flax meal. Doing this usually lowers the calories for the recipe too. Make sure you watch it carefully though, baked goods made with flax burn easier.

I use flax in my smoothies. You can also use flax as an egg substitute in any baked items (bread or what not).

Here's a recipe for flax seed porridge I found...


3 tablespoon of flax seed: Grind in coffee grinder just before you use it, if grind ahead of time or buy the pre ground you are then not getting the full benefits of the oils in the seed that help to lower your cholesterol.They evaporate after being ground and left sitting.
Add Good tsp of cinnamon once ground.
Add hot boiled water , maybe 1/4 cup.

If your low carbing, ground flax seed is a flour replacement. I use it as part of a coating mix. I take half bran half ground flax seed add garlic powder, onion powder and whatever other spices I want and use it like shake and bake. The fiber content is much higher than shake and bake and the taste is quite good. I use it on mostly chicken or pork but sprinkle on fish too.

Sprinkle it on your salads too... smoothies, oatmeal, muffins, you name it. It's GOOD for you.

To make this work and to make the weight loss last, don't look at it as a diet, but rather a lifestyle change. I changed the way my grocery cart looks as well -- 3 and a half years ago. I've lost over 80 pounds and I've KEPT it off by sticking with healthy eating. That doesn't mean you can never have your buffalo wings again. I don't believe in depriving oneself. Just eat healthy most of the time and eat your treats sparingly. I'll still occasionally hit the Chinese buffet or take a drive through Taco Bell. I've not given up the foods I love, I just eat them in extreme moderation

Flax seed, you can pretty much sprinkle it on anything. Like others have mentioned, I put it in oatmeal and other hot cereals. In soups. You can sneak some into sauces, like if you're making spaghetti or lasagna or any other type of casserole, for that matter. There are lots of things you can sneak flax seed into and most times you won't even notice it's there. If you use enough, however, you'll notice the flavor. I don't mind a MILD flax seed flavor, like in oatmeal for example, but I'm not crazy about the taste if I accidentally sprinkle in too much. So I'm careful not to overdo it.

I put it on my yogurt. It is so delicious and has a great nutty flavor....you'll love it!

I feel so ignorant ~ where can I find flax seed? I am sure i can get it in my organic food section, but is it packaged in plastic? a box? i always feel like an idiot in that aisle..

I can buy it in rural KY at the grocery store. Krogers in the organic section, Walmart either in the flour section or in the pharmacy. I've bought whole flax seed (good for storage) and ground. You need a coffee grinder to grind a small portion at a time. I store the bulk of it in the freezer and the fresh ground in the frig.

Do you have to grind it before you sprinkle/mix it with foods? Or can you just use it whole? Also, what does it do for you?

You'll get no real benefit from whole. Your body can't digest the whole, but it can digest ground. You can buy it pre-ground, although like anything fresh is best. Flax seed oil is also good to use in salad dressings if you want to add more to your diet.

Flax seeds have omega-3s, fiber, lignans (which help protect your body from cancer), and magnesium.

Thanks for the tip! I get lots of fiber, but probably not enough omega-3's. How much is one serving? For ex: what if I wanted to put some on a salad or grilled veggies? 1/4 to 1/2 a teaspoon? Sorry to ask so many questions!

I put flax seed in hot oatmeal or in any recipe that calls for flour...I just substitute a few tablespoons of flax seed for the flour. Chocolate chip cookies become a health food, so my kids say.