I’ve been doing a lot of reading lately about flax seeds.  Did you know that technically, flax seed is not a grain?  But, you can use flax seed meal like you would flour to make muffins and such.

The reason I’ve been studying flax seeds is because I want to eat healthier.  Well, apparently, flax seed is probably one of the most nutrient packed foods on the planet, loaded with fiber, antioxidants, and that good old omega-3 fatty acid.  Flax seed is also low in carbs, so if you are limiting your sugar and starch intake, you can use flax seed meal in your cooking without adding carbohydrates to your diet.

When I first started reading about flax seed, I thought it would be simple to add to my diet as a supplement.  Well, it’s not a magic pill.  Apparently, the flax seeds need to be ground into meal to make the “phytochemicals”, which are the things like antioxidants, available to your body.  Un-ground flax seeds will just pass through your body without leaving any of the nutritients.  And, the fiber does not exist in flax seed oil.  So, no supplement will do.

There are also benefits for people trying to lose weight.  Even when sticking to a strict diet, if you include foods made with flax seed meal, you will feel more satisfied after eating a meal.  This is because of the healthy fat and good fiber that flax seeds offer.

So, how can we include flax seeds in our diet?  It appears that the most important thing to know is that you should use flax seed meal in your cooking.  Grinding the seeds into meal “releases” the nutrients and makes them available to your body.  When you grind your flax seeds into meal, the meal will get rancid rather quickly, staying fresh in the freezer for only a week or two.  That’s why most folks choose to grind only what they need at the time.  However, you can store whole flax seeds up to a year in a cool, dark place in an airtight container – probably in the refrigerator.

Some people will use flax seed meal as an egg substitute in dishes that call for egg to add structure to the food, like meatloaf.  You can also sprinkle a tablespoon or two on hot cereal in the morning.  Other recipes call for flax seed meal to be used in the place of flour in quick breads or muffins.

As to the method of grinding the flax seeds into meal, a lot of folks have recommended the use of a coffee grinder.  I can see their point mostly because you don’t want to grind more than you’re going to use up right away.  So, unless I’m making a muffin recipe which calls for two cups of meal, grinding a few tablespoons for my cereal will probably work best in my coffee grinder.  When you grind them, just be sure you can’t feel any sharp edges leftover.  The flax seed meal should feel grainy, but not sharp.

Now, I’m wondering if anyone has cooked a lot, or even a little, with flax seed meal.  If you have, I’d love to hear your ideas about their best use, especially if you’ve used flax seed meal to replace eggs or flour.  Also, have you had any problems finding flax seeds?  I look forward to your input!

I’m on my last bottle of homemade maple syrup and I don’t want to use it on another batch of pancakes.  If you’ve ever had real maple syrup, you will understand why putting it on pancakes feels like a waste.  Don’t get me wrong – I love a big stack of pancakes with homemade maple syrup as much as the next person.  However, at some point, that beautiful golden real maple syrup should be honored with a special dish.

That is why I am in the process of searching for an “honorable” recipe for the last bottle of maple syrup in my pantry.

I am fortunate to have friends and family who get busy every spring to create this wonderful nectar from the sugar maple tree.  It’s a long, long, long process that yields this delicious treat.  Throughout the year, as I visit my family and friends, I am showered with gifts of maple syrup.  And, boy am I grateful!  There are usually about five or six nice big bottles in my kitchen.  I am so hooked on the real stuff now that even if we run out I won’t go and buy any maple syrup in the store.  Homemade maple syrup is THAT good and it tastes totally different from any of the factory produced stuff.

I’ll share a tried-and-true recipe that I’ve used often and with great success that highlights the homemade maple syrup.

Frosty Maple Loaf Cake

• 1 angel food cake, loaf pan size

• 6 Fig-Newton bars, crumbled up small
• 1 cup maple syrup
• 1 Tblsp margarine or butter

• 1 quart vanilla ice cream

• 1 cup whipped cream for topping (optional)

Cut the angel food cake loaf lengthwise in three even pieces.  Butter the insides of the loaf pan, or line with parchment paper so you can lift out the frozen cake, either way works.  Add the pieces to the loaf pan – one in bottom, two up each side.  Put the loaf pan in the freezer.

In a saucepan over medium low heat, stir cookie crumbles, syrup, and butter.  Stir until the butter melts and the mixture gets a little thicker.  Then, let it cool.
Put the ice cream into a big bowl and stir until it softens a little.
Add the cooled sauce to the softened ice cream by spooning it in and swirling it throughout the ice cream.
Pull the frozen cake out and spoon the sauce/ice cream mixture into the loaf pan.
Cover the loaf with plastic wrap and put back in the freezer overnight.
To serve, lift out by parchment paper, or dip the pan quickly in hot water and flip out onto a platter or serving plate.  Add whipped cream to top if you wish.

This recipe uses a whole cup of maple syrup.  It’s fun to make and kids love it!

Maple syrup is also the perfect sauce for salmon!  If you can get a hold of salmon where you are, making a simple maple syrup sauce for grilled salmon is a must.  It’s easy enough even without a recipe.  I just mix together maple syrup with a little Dijon mustard and a squeeze of lemon.  That’s about as simple as it gets.

Does anyone else have some good ideas for using a lot of maple syrup?  Do you get real maple syrup often?  And, better yet, do you actually make maple syrup?  I’d love to hear from you!