Natural and Sustainable

Cooking With Flax:

Flax Fried Rice:

Serves 4 to 5

2 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves galic, sliced thinly
6 slices fresh garlic, cut thinly into matchsticks
1 red onion, cut thinly into half moons
Soy sauce to taste
Generous pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 carrot, cut thinly into matchsticks
5-6 fresh scallions, sliced thinly on the diagonal
8 ounces extra-firm tofu, cut into small cubes
2 cups cooked brown basamti rice
2 heads baby bok choy, sliced thinly lengthwise
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/3 cup flaxseeds

1. Place oil in skillet over medium heat and add garlic, ginger and onion. When the onion begins to sizzle, add a splash of soy suace, then red pepper flakes, and sauté for 1 minute. Stir in scallions; sauté for another minute.

2. Arrange the tofu cubes on top of the veggies, then top with cooked rice and finally with bok choy. Season with soy sauce. Add about 1/2 cup water, cover, reduce heat to low, and steam for 5 to 7 minutes, until bok choy is cooked and liquid has absorved into the rice. Remove from heat and sprinkle with lemon juice and flaxseeds. Transfer to a serving platter and serve hot.

(per serving: 294 cal. , 37% fat (13g; 1.4 g sat. fat), 49% carbs (38g), 14% protein (11g), 8g fiber, 311 mg calsium, 249 mg iron, 155 mg sodium.)

Lentil & Flax Soup:

Serves 6

2 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced
1 small red onion, diced
Sea salt to taste
Pinch of crushed red peper flakes
2 stalks celery, diced
1 carrot, diced
16 ounces canned diced tomatoes
1 cup spring or filtered water
1 bay leaf
1/3 cup orzo (or other small pasta)
1/3 cup ground flaxseeds
Flaxseed oil
5-6 leaves fresh bazil, shredded

1. Place olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat; add garlic and onion. When the onion begins to sizzle, add a pinch of salt, then red pepper flakes; sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the celery and carrot; sauté for 1 to 2 minutes. Add tomaotes and sauté for 1 minutes.

2. Add lentils, water, and bay leaf; cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook until lentils are soft. 45 minutes to 1 hour should do it.

3. Stir in orzo, add salt, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Serve garnished with a sprinkle of flaxseed, a drizzle of flax oil, and fresh basil.

(per serving: 268 calories, 33% fat (10g; 1g sat. fat.), 49% carbs (34g), 18% protein (13g), 9g fiber, 58mg calcium, 4mg iron, 127mg sodium.)

Orange Flax Seed Muffins:

Makes 12 standard muffins

1 cup oat bran
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup semolina flour
Generous pinch of sea salt
1 tbs. baking powder
1/2 cup avacodo oil
1 tsp. pur vanilla extract
1 cup honey or brown rice syrup
1 tsp. brown rice vinegar
1-2 cups vanilla soymilk
2 navel oranges, peeled, seeded, and coarsley chopped
1/3 cup walnut pieces
1 cup golden raisins

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly oil a 12-cup standard (or 24 cup mini) muffin tin.

2. Combine bran, flours, salt, flax seed, and baking powder in a mixing bowl, whisking well. Mix in oil, vanilla, honey or brown rice syrup, and brown rice vinegar; slowly add just enough soymilk to create a spoonable batter.

3. Fold in chopped oranges, walnut pieces, and raisins. Spoon the batter into muffin tins and bake until the tops of the muffins spring back to the touch, about 25 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes in the tin before transfering to a cooling rack.

(per serving: 394 calories, 36% fat (17g; 1.8g sat. fat), 57% carbs (60g), 7% protein (7g), 7g fiber, 153 mg calcium, 2.7 mg iron, 142 mg sodium.)

**To get more Flax in your diet try these tips**
1. Sprinkle ground seeds onto hot or cold cereal
2. Add a pinch of seeds to muffin, cookie, or bread recipes.
3. Pump up breakfast smoothies with 1 tablespoon of flaxseed oil.
4. Dust cooked veggies with ground seeds. (Add flax after cooking to prevent its soluble fiber from thickening.)

*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: The facts on Flax. For digestibility and nutritional value, flaxseeds are best eaten after they’ve been ground up. You can purchase ground flax meal, but whole flaxseeds last longer, and are easy to prepare in coffee or seed grinder. Refrigerate leftovers to preserve freshness.

Flax oil has a sweet, nutty flavor, but it’s perishable and must be kept refrigerated. Heating undermines the omega-3 content, so add flaxseed oil to foods after they’ve been cooked.
(Source: Cook Light 2004 issue)