Dr. Janet Chene M.D. - Integrative Medicine

You can buy flax at your local health food store. Unless they sell large quantities of it, you should find it in the refrigerated area, so that it does not become rancid. You get more benefit out of the seeds if they are ground (a clean coffee grinder works better than your teeth) or at least bruised (such as with a mortar and pestle) as intact seeds pass through your system without full benefit.

At home flax should be refrigerated or frozen to prevent the fragile oil in them from becoming rancid. Rancid flax will smell like paint and will loose its slightly sweet and nutty flavor. The seeds should not be exposed to high heat or air for a prolonged period of time. Therefore, just buy a small amount (1 lb. or less), in order to keep your quantity fresh.


EASY IDEAS FOR USING FLAX

Eat plain with a spoon in a bowl as a snack
Add to hot or cold cereal,
Sprinkle on salad, plain yogurt with fruit, cucumbers
Spread on sandwiches (peanut or almond butter sandwiches)-may make paste with a few oily nuts such as pecans in food processor
Mix into dough of cookies, breads, muffin
Blend with smoothies, potato dishes,.


FOR CHOCOLATE LOVERS:  

FLAX HAYSTACKS

Chocolate chips (preferably dark)
Flax seeds or meal
Orange Peel (make sure if frozen that water has evaporated off )
Cinnamon to taste (optional)

Melt chocolate in microwave or double boiler. Remove from heat source. Add in as much flax as the chocolate will hold while chocolate is still warm. Then add in optional orange peel and cinnamon to taste.  
Drop spoonfuls onto wax paper and allow to cool and become firm. Store and enjoy in a quantity of  2-1/2   Tablespoons of flax per day.

EASY IDEAS:

-Add 1 tsp. of tumeric to each cup of rice while cooking   (add to water at start)
-Use 1/4/ tsp. of tumeric in a small amount of olive oil when frying an egg.
-Mix tumeric into ground meat, potato, bean dishes before cooking.
-Curry powder contains a lot of tumeric and can be used in a variety of dishes.
-Visit your local East Indian Restaurant for more ideas and dishes for curry use.

BAKED TANDOORI CHICKEN

Marinate chicken pieces ovenight in a mix of:
10 T. yogurt (plain)
1 tsp. Indian chili powder (or 1 tsp. cayenne and 1 tsp. paprika)
1/2 tsp. cumin (optional)
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. garlic, ground fresh or dried
2 tsp. ginger, ground fresh or dried

Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes (until yogurt absorbed into chicken and very thick sauce. Serve with basmati rice. Optional garnishes : Cilantro and lemon wedges.

EAST INDIAN LENTIL SOUP (DAHL)

2 c. lentils (I prefer the red "masoor dahl" that you can get in most Indian Grocery Stores, however you can use any lentil you like. Don't be afraid to be adventurous lentils come in red, green, yellow, brown, and white! The red lentils take the least time to cook - only 20 minutes.)

6 c. water or enough water to cook (for some lentil varieties you may need up to 12 cups
2 tsp. Tumeric
1 tsp. Chili - from the East Indian Store or substitute 1 tsp paprika and 1 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp. Cumin (optional)
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp. Salt
One onion, diced
1-2 medium tomatoes, diced
1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
fresh cilantro
1/2 lemon or 2-3 key limes

Cook lentils until soft. In a separate small skillet, heat the oil slightly and add the tumeric. Cook tumeric a few seconds until it turns a dark gold color. Then add onion, tomato ,and optional apices: garam masala, cumin, chili - you can be conservative with these if you are timid and add more to the soup later. Pour contents from skillet into cooked lentils and add the fresh cilantro and squeeze lemon/line to taste. Serve warm.

Serves 6.