November 23, 2009
The incredible, edible… flax?
Yes, indeed! I just made Apple-Walnut Muffins (sans walnuts so Anna can eat them) using ground flax seed in place of the eggs. 
This is a common trick for vegans that I just learned about. I’m not a vegan and have no intention of becoming one, but I do have a goal of reducing consumption of animal foods and eating more plant foods (without resorting to what I call “fake foods” like soybeans made to resemble meat), so this fits the bill. I was quite pleased with the results! They’re moist, fluffy, and delicious!
To do this: for each egg, combine 1 Tbsp. ground flax seed with 3 Tbsp. water and mix well. Let stand a few minutes until it is gel-like. The texture is a bit like egg whites. This supposedly works in things that are enhanced by a “nutty” flavor, like some quick breads and muffins, whole-grain pancakes and waffles, oatmeal cookies, etc. (So I wouldn’t recommend scrambling up some flax goo to go along with your bacon and biscuits!)
And unlike many healthy, eco-friendly alternatives, this one actually costs less. The box of ground flax seed cost $2.49 and supposedly has 52 tablespoons in it. You can’t get 52 eggs for $2.49. And I didn’t look very hard; I just bought it at retail price without a coupon, so I’m sure you could come by it for less.
I’m looking forward to trying this in the wheat-oat pancakes I make frequently, as well as whole-wheat waffles and oatmeal-raisin cookies.
Comments(3)
ScienceDaily (Oct. 29, 2008) — “A study has found that the risks of a premature birth quadruple if flaxseed oil is consumed in the last two trimesters of pregnancy.”
Interesting. It also says, “The correlation existed only with flaxseed oil, yet women consuming the actual seed were unaffected.” Flax seeds in the diet are a completely different thing than taking flaxseed oil as an herbal supplement. It also didn’t say how much they were consuming.
In fact, everything I could find in my preliminary searches about the dangers of flax seeds were related to flaxseed oil as a supplement, not consuming actual flax seeds. Consuming flax seeds was generally recommended, even by Heidi Murkoff, the “What to Expect” lady who, in my opinion, tends to err on the side of caution about most things.
I would bet a couple of tablespoons of flax seeds spread among 12 muffins aren’t a problem. Plus, I’m not pregnant. But I won’t serve anything with flax in it at brunch on Friday.
good for you for trying it!