I am so hooked on my Flax Granola and can hardly believe that I had to choke it down when I first got the recipe in May.  The recipe is from Lyn-Genet’s book The Plan.  The flax granola itself does not have much flavour, but by the time I load it up, it is yummy and very enjoyable.  It is super easy to make and an absolute staple in my diet. I do try to change-up my breakfasts because I feel that it is important to do so, so I tend to switch it up with an omelette a few times per week.  After the initial 20 days on The Plan, Lyn suggests only having the flax granola twice per week.  I must say that I generally have it at least 3 – 4 times per week, so I guess I should cut back. I haven’t “tested” oatmeal yet, but will definitely do so to see if porridge might be another suitable breakfast option for me during the cold winter months.

Homemade Flax Granola Recipe

1 cup whole flax seeds
1/2 cup water
Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves to taste (I use a very generous amount of all the seasonings).
Raisins, almonds, walnuts, dried cranberries, etc. to taste.
1 teaspoon vanilla (optional, but I use it)

Mix the flax seeds with the water and seasonings.  Refrigerate overnight.  Remove from the fridge and spread in a thin layer on a baking sheet and bake at 275 degrees for 1 hour.  (I line my baking sheet with parchment paper to avoid sticking).  Stir every 20 minutes.  Optional:  Add the fruits and nuts during the last 10 minutes.

When I make this, I use all of the recommended seasonings and the vanilla, but do not add any nuts or berries.  However, when I eat the granola for breakfast, I top it with fruit and nuts.  This is my favourite combo:

1 cup of flax granola
1/2 a chopped apple
chopped raw almonds
cinnamon sprinkled on top (generous amount)
Rice Dream in lieu of milk
At times,  I have even microwaved the flax a bit and served the granola warm….mmm.

The Facts About Flax

Flax seeds offer many health benefits.  They are high in Omega-3’s, calcium, and protein.  I cup of flax seeds has 40 grams of protein.  They also contain mucilage which supports digestion and helps to give your intestines a “clean sweep”.  Lyn mentions the importance of using flax seeds over ground flax.  Eating whole flax seeds help to cut down on the risk of absorption of the estrogenic properties present in flax.  Flax has been shown to benefit cardiovascular health and there is evidence that it offers anti-inflammatory benefits as well.  Due to the anti-inflammatory benefits, flax can also be considered a possibility for helping to reduce the risks of cancer and other inflammatory conditions.

Farmland Flax Cookies

A colleague made these flax cookies a few years ago and shared the recipe.  They were very good, but I have not yet made them myself.  Here is the link to the recipe.

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