Flax seeds are so misunderstood. Learn how to turn this delicious and healthy seed into the star of every mealtime with these tips for how to cook with flax seeds!
If you want to make some delicious healthy choices, cooking with flax seeds is a great place to start! These little seeds have some powerful benefits and so many culinary applications. Use this guide to help you understand flax seeds better and master the art of cooking with flax seeds.
What are Flax Seeds?
Flax seeds come from the flax plant, which is grown for its fibers and edible qualities. The edible flax seeds come in two main varieties: yellow and brown. Both varieties are edible, but the yellow flax seeds are the most commonly used for human consumption.
Yellow flax seeds are also known in the culinary world as solin or linola. The oil extracted from these seeds is also edible, either flax seed or linseed.
Why Cook with Flax Seeds?
Flax seeds have been used as a remedy for digestive issues for centuries. Adding flax seeds to your diet can help balance digestion and relieve uncomfortable digestive symptoms. This small ingredient has also been attributed to lowered cholesterol levels and lowered risk of heart disease.
These great benefits are within reach once you know how to cook with flax seeds!
How to Store Flax Seeds
Whole flax seeds are self-stable for a long time, but grown flax seeds have a high potential to go bad. Always store ground flax seeds in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Before using, smell and taste ground flax seed; toss it out if it tastes or smells spoiled.
How to Cook with Flax Seeds
The best thing about flax seeds is their amazing versatility; there are few limits to what you can do with this awesome ingredient! Get your culinary wheels turning with these tasty ideas on cooking with flax seeds!
Ditch the Fat!
Flaxseed is an amazing swap for oil in most baked recipes. It may seem crazy, but ground flaxseed can actually take the place of the fat in muffins, quickbreads, and more!
Follow a ratio of 3:1 ground flaxseed to fat to make this swap; for example, 1 cup of ground flaxseed equals â…“ cup of vegetable oil. Follow this ratio to make lower-fat banana bread, pancakes, muffins, and more!
Make a Great Granola!
Granola is a truly easy way to use many ingredients in your pantry! If you have bunches of oats and nuts hanging around, why not turn them into a delicious flax-infused snack!? Toss together oats, nuts, flax seeds, and dried fruit.
Drizzle the dry mixture in a flaxseed oil and honey blend, and toss everything until it is evenly coated. Bake the granola on a parchment-lined sheet pan at 350°F for 8-12 minutes or until everything is lightly toasted and aromatic.
Boost your Breading!
If you are an air fryer addict, you probably use a lot of breadcrumbs. Why not make that crunchy element even more interesting with some flax seeds!? Ground flax seeds can be mixed directly into flour-based batters, and whole flax seeds can be mixed with breadcrumbs to make an even crunchier blend.
Make it Fruity!
Ground flaxseed is a great nutritional-boosting addition to most smoothies. It is known to help with digestion so stirring a little ground flax into your favorite morning smoothie is just the thing to stay regular and keep your body humming!
Veganize your Eggs!
Flax seeds are amazing because they can take the place of fat and eggs in baked goods. Using flax seeds, you can make a wonderful vegan egg substitute for baked goods. Next time you’re baking cookies, reach for the flax seeds instead!
Mix one tablespoon of ground flax seeds with three tablespoons of water to make vegan eggs with flax seeds. This produces the equivalent of 1 egg.
Dress up your Dishes!
Making a dressing with flax seeds is so simple and healthy you will want to pour this mix on everything! This method of preparing flax is great because you can use either ground flax seeds or flaxseed oil. Simply mix up your flavor blend of spices and vinegar for a dressing, but use flaxseed oil instead of olive oil. Turn up the flax flavor by adding ground flaxseed to the finished dressing.
Build a Better Burger!
Whole and ground flax seeds can be a great textural addition to homemade veggie burgers. Try adding whole flax seeds if you have a great black bean burger recipe that lacks a little chew. This will help absorb excess moisture and add a little chewy crunch to your meatless patty.
Soup it Up!
There is nothing as comforting when you’re tired, sick, or low as soup, except soup fortified with flax seeds! Making your favorite soup and adding a little ground flaxseed is a great way to make a familiar comfort even better! The flax seeds will help keep your digestion on track even when you’re not feeling well!
F.A.Q.
Are Flax Seeds Gluten-Free?
Yes! Flax seeds are an alternative baker’s best friend. They are vegan and gluten-free and can be used in many different ways!
Final Thoughts
This small ingredient has tons of culinary power; it only takes a little know-how. Use these ideas as a jumping-off point and unleash your cooking creativity to make new dishes and inventive swaps using flax seeds. Have fun and enjoy because, in the end, you’ll have an amazing dish thanks to these basic ideas on how to cook with flax seeds!
Additional Kitchen Resources
Flax seeds are great for vegan and gluten-free baking. Explore more delicious vegan ideas with these tasty kitchen resources!
- How to Make Vegan Eggplant Parmesan
- How to Bake Squash and Zucchini
- Learn How to Make a Vegan Tofu Scramble
- How to Make Tempeh Taste Good
- How to Make a Tasty Vegan Fried Rice
