Flax Seeds: Take Advantage Of Their Full Potential In The Kitchen

Flax seeds have gone from being a curiosity in the crust of some breads to being in almost all supermarkets.

At the nutritional level, they are very rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are not found in many foods (flax seeds, walnuts, fish and little else) and which are beneficial for our health. One tablespoon a day is enough to get all the omega-3 we need.

Flax is grown in many countries, both hot and cold, it is a relatively easy crop with good production.

How to use them in the kitchen

Flax seeds, whether golden or dark flax, can be eaten as is, as a snack, although it is preferable to crush them a little to make sure we digest them well and take advantage of their nutrients. It is also better to buy them whole and crush them at home than to buy flour or linseed, which goes rancid much more easily.

A very convenient way to use them is to crush a couple of tablespoons and add them to salads. Do not worry, they will not stay on the bottom, they will stick to the other ingredients due to the humidity and the seasoning that we put.

Flax seeds last a long time. Once the package is opened, always close it tightly with a clamp and store it in a cool, dry place away from light. You do not have to put flax seeds in everything, consuming 1-2 tablespoons a day is enough.

The linseed oil is also quite popular and can be found in some supermarkets. My recommendation is that you use it raw, in salads and dressings, in hummus and in your vegetable patés. It provides a lot of omega-3s and a very smooth flavor.

It also lasts a long time as long as we keep it away from heat and light.

Flax seeds also have a curious property, which is to gel. The inside of the skin and the seed form a viscous mucilage when we put them in water, and more if we heat it. This makes them a technological substitute for eggs when making vegan preparations such as pancakes, buns, muffins, cakes, batters and certain types of breads.

How to make flax gel to replace 1 egg

The flax gel serves as a binder with the rest of the ingredients, although it does not curdle like eggs, but it does provide other characteristics such as moisture retention, elasticity and viscosity.

Once done, you can use it to substitute 1 egg in any dough preparation (pancakes, pancakes, waffles, cakes, etc). If you need to replace more eggs, just make more.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon flax seeds
• 100 ml of water

Preparation

1. Heat the water until it is about to boil. Remove it from the heat and add the seeds.
2. Let it sit until cool, stirring occasionally. You can keep it in the fridge until you are going to use it.
3. If you do not want to find the seeds, you can strain the gel with a strainer or use crushed or ground seeds.

You can also make it with ½ teaspoon of crushed or ground flax seeds and the same amount of water, of the time. It will take about 20 minutes for the gel to form.

In hamburgers and meatballs you can use the gel or directly the seeds and let the whole mass rest for a while, as they will hydrate with the liquids you add. For example, you can add a couple of tablespoons of crushed or ground flax to some tofu burgers and once you have made the dough, cover it and let it rest for 30 minutes. Then stir it and you will see that it has gained consistency.

Remember that flax can agglomerate the dough when cold, but it does not curdle like eggs, so it will not prevent your burgers from falling apart if you do not use other ingredients that maintain the structure, such as oats, gluten, potato, starches, etc.