Recipe Friday: Flax and Chia Seeds

SO healthy! Do you use flax and chia seeds in your recipes? There are so many reasons you should.

_____________________________________

Nutrition information from https://draxe.com/nutrition/chia-seeds-vs-flax-seeds/ (please click over and read more about this)

Ounce for ounce, chia seeds contain the higher amount of fiber and are especially rich in soluble fiber, which can help lower cholesterol levels, reduce appetite and promote regularity. Chia seeds are also easy to digest, and unlike other types of seeds, they can be consumed either whole or ground. Plus, they boast a good amount of several other micronutrients, including manganese and phosphorus.

Flaxseeds pack in more omega-3 fatty acids per serving, which is important for reducing inflammation and preventing chronic disease. Flaxseeds are also high in lignans, which are plant compounds that act as antioxidants and have been linked to protection against cancer and heart disease. Unlike chia seeds, however, flaxseeds need to be ground up before consumption in order to maximize the potential health benefits.

________________________________________

These little power-packed seeds are a great way to incorporate some serious health into your diet. I’ve been using them in my smoothies for years. I also use them as egg substitutes in some recipes (brownies, biscuits, and meatloaf, for example). I make chia pudding.

You can use chia seeds as is, the way they come out of the package, or grind them.

You need to grind flax seeds before you use them, or you don’t derive any nutritive value from them.

Both flax and chia seeds will provide even more nutrition if you soak them in water or other liquid for anywhere from 30 minutes to a day.

I recommend storing these beauties in the freezer or ‘fridge.

Recipes:

Egg Substitute:

Grind the seed(s) (like in a coffee grinder) before measuring and using.

1 egg = 1 tablespoon ground seed(s) plus 3 tablespoons water. Let set for 15 minutes.

Flax Jelly Tea

This is the only recipe I know of that you don’t have to grind the seeds. You’re going for the gel that it makes, not the content of the seed. After steeping the seeds, you can still use them in a smoothie.

This helps with chest congestion, cough and sore throat.
2 tbsp. whole flax seed
1 cup of water
Add both to a pot and simmer for 5 min. Strain immediately and reserve the clear liquid. Mix in one tsp. honey and 1 tsp. lemon juice. (I add a drop of lemon essential oil to the honey first, and mix; then stir into the hot tea. It’s lovely to sip.)

Chia Pudding

Make this pudding the day before, or in the morning to serve in the evening.

• 3/4 cup milk (dairy milk or non-dairy)
• 2 – 3 teaspoons maple syrup or honey (or other sweetener)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 – 4 tablespoons chia seed (you can grind it if you like, or not, depending on how you like the texture. Not-ground chia pudding is a bit like tapioca.)
• nuts, berries, fruit, coconut flakes for topping (optional)

In a 1 ½ cup glass container, mix all ingredients together really well. (While it is safe to use your raw honey in this recipe, since you don’t cook it, you may want to heat it gently just until it is mixable.)

Cover and let set. Refrigerate. Mix it every half hour or so for the first hour and a half, to break up the clumps.

Refrigerate for at least six hours. Overnight is good.

This recipe can be adjusted any way you like:

• Add more sweetener or less.
• Add more milk or less.
• Add cinnamon and nutmeg.
• Add essential oil (orange sounds very nice).
• Add raw cacao powder (1 tablespoon) and more sweetener (add an extra 2 teaspoons) for chocolate pudding (and a drop of peppermint essential oil, if you like!).

Flaxseed Wrap

This makes one wrap.

• 3 tablespoons ground flaxseed
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• pinch sea salt
• 1 tablespoon Coconut Oil
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 large egg

Blend all ingredients together well.
Warm a 10-inch skillet. Add coconut oil to grease if you want.
Pour in the batter and spread evenly across the bottom.
Cook for about 3 minutes.
Lift the edge with a spatula and slide onto a plate. Let cool for at least 5 minutes

Oat & Flax Pancakes

This makes about 10 medium-large pancakes.

• 1/4 cup flaxseed
• 1/2 cup oats
• 1 cup oat milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon sweetener (optional)

1. Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until the batter is smooth. Note: The batter thickens as it sits. Right after you make it, let it sit until it’s the thickness you want to work with. If the batter gets too thick, add a bit more milk.
   2. Heat a little oil or butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Directly from the blender, pour batter onto the skillet (3-4 tablespoons per pancake). Cook 1 to 2 minutes or until brown on the bottom. Turn over and brown the other side. Serve hot.

This is SO good with good ol’ butter and maple syrup running down the side. Alternatively, you can heat crushed blueberries with a bit of sweetener and a thickener; spoon down the middle of a pancake and roll up. Yum!

Energy Balls

I don’t have a recipe for these, but chia and ground flax seeds are great for mixing into nut butters with other goodies for a healthy and quick treat.

Suggested ingredients:

• Nut butter
• Honey or maple syrup
• Ground flaxseed
• Chia seed (ground or not)
• Coconut
• Chocolate chips or cacao nibs
• Cacao powder
• Adaptogenic herbs, powdered or ground (such as ashwaghanda, maca, slippery elm)
• Turmeric
• Nutmeg
• Cinnamon
• Dates (pitted)
• Coconut oil
• Nuts
• Raisins
• Bone broth, collagen, or protein powders

Mix any of the ingredients together (a food processor works well). A nice aspect to this recipe is that it’s no-bake: you can taste it before you finish the product. Form into balls, or press into a pan. Balls can be rolled into additional ingredients (coconut, cacao powder, sucanat), or additional ingredients can be pressed into the top of the bars (chocolate chips, raisins). Refrigerate.