Byline: ANDREW DAVID BAKER
Special to the Star Tribune
Last summer as I was browsing through London's Borough Market, an epicurean emporium, I came across a stall offering flax products. 'Flax?' I thought to myself. 'Isn't that for old people and health nuts?' I started to walk away, then spied a treat I look for whenever I travel to England: flapjacks.
The chewy, slightly crumbly baked snacks are similar to American granola bars -- a mixture of oats, dried fruit and nuts or seeds. This version contained ground flaxseeds, which gave the bars a toasty flavor. After one bite, my negative opinion began to change.
I talked to Clare Skelton, of Flax Farm Linseed in West Sussex, who was running the stand. She spoke to the wonders of flax -- both its health benefits and its intriguing taste. She told me how to use the ground seeds (often labeled 'flax meal') in baking and the oil as a dressing for vegetables, or even as a condiment for soft, fresh cheeses, accented with herbs and black pepper.
Back stateside, I mentioned my flax discovery to my aunt, Ann Hauck, an inventive cook who is mindful of the nutrition in the food she prepares. She was surprised to hear I hadn't already jumped on the flax bandwagon.
'I use the oil all the time,' she explained, describing how she splashes it onto potatoes as a substitute for butter. A few hours later, she mixed flax oil with Japanese umeboshi paste, made from preserved plums, and brushed it onto grilled corn on the cob as a seasoning that had much more complexity than butter, salt and pepper.
Mark Askegaard, a farmer who grows 70 acres of organic flaxseed near Moorhead, Minn., likes to sprinkle a spoonful of the seeds into his morning bowl of oatmeal, or blend a few tablespoons into a breakfast smoothie.
Across the border in North Dakota, Askegaard is joined by producers who harvest the nation's largest crop of flax, all of whom are conscious of its beneficial properties. The seeds are rich in fiber, and the oil is high in omega-3 fatty acids.
Thinking back on the creative ways people incorporate flax into a variety of dishes, I realized that a seed had indeed been planted in my culinary repertoire and has grown into a collection of delicious, nutritious recipes.
Andrew David Baker is a freelance food writer who lives in Edina. . FLAXSEED AND DRIED CRANBERRY FLAPJACKS
Makes 16 flapjacks.
Notes: Adapted from a recipe by Flax Farm Linseed in West Sussex, England. Lyle's Golden Syrup, a British product available at Lunds and Byerly's, is a cane sugar syrup. Flaxseeds can be ground at home or bought already ground (sometimes called 'flax meal'). Dried cranberries are sometimes sold under the name Craisins.
- 12 tbsp. (6 oz.) unsalted butter
- 1/4 c. Lyle's Golden Syrup or honey (see Note)
- 3/4 c. sugar
- 4 c. rolled oats
- 1 c. ground flaxseeds (see Note)
-1/2 c. sweetened dried cranberries (see Note)
Directions
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
In a large pan, combine butter, golden syrup and sugar. Stir over medium heat until butter and sugar are melted. Add oats, flaxseeds and cranberries. Pour mixture into a buttered 9-inch square baking dish and pack down firmly with a spatula.
Bake until light brown at edges, about 50 minutes.
Cut into 16 pieces. Flapjacks will be too soft to remove, but will firm as they cool in pan. Remake the cuts and lift from pan with a spatula. Cover airtight to store up to four days, or freeze to store longer.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories 248 Fat 13 g Sodium 6 mg
Carbohydrates 31 g Saturated fat 6 g Calcium 32 mg
Protein 4 g Cholesterol 23 mg Dietary fiber 4 g
Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1 bread/starch, 1 other carb, 2 1/2 fat.
. STEAMED POTATOES WITH FLAXSEED OIL AND CHIVES
Serves 4.
- 1 1/2 lb. red thin-skinned potatoes (about 1 1/2 in. wide)
- 2 to 3 tbsp. flaxseed oil
- 4 tsp. minced fresh chives
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions
Place potatoes on a steaming rack set above water in a large pan. Bring water to a boil, cover pan, reduce heat and steam until potatoes are tender when pierced, 20 to 25 minutes.
Let potatoes cool for a few minutes before cutting them in halves. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with chives. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories 189 Fat 7 g Sodium 10 mg
Carbohydrates 30 g Saturated fat 1 g Calcium 36 mg
Protein 3 g Cholesterol 0 mg Dietary fiber 4 g
Diabetic exchanges per serving: 2 bread/starch, 1 1/2 fat.
