Flax seeds are freakin’ awesome!!!…We all know it is a nutritional powerhouse. Hmmm, then why are we (myself included) not using it more often?
Maybe, because – we are stumped on how to use them regularly. I remember a few years ago, Costco used to sell this huge bag of golden milled flax seed and I stored them for years together in the fridge. I could not figure out how to use them all and eventually threw them out.
But, I was overthinking it back then. There are simple, super easy recipes that I have been trying out recently and this recipe is one of them. But before that, a short stop at flax’s nutritional benefits.
Nutrition (I know, I know, boring…but it is too awesome to skip…)
Let us just quickly review the awesomeness of Flax Seeds.
Flaxseed are great due to mainly 3 reasons:
1) Due to its high content of ω-3 α-linolenic acid;
2) Rich in dietary soluble and insoluble fibers; and
3)Due to its high content of lignans, acting as anti-oxidants and phytoestrogens.
The health benefits of all ω-3 fatty acids (ALA, EPA and DHA) have been widely reported for several conditions including cardiovascular disease, hypertension, atherosclerosis, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, osteoporosis, autoimmune and neurological disorders. (That’s an impressive list!!) This information is barely scratching the surface, there are many studies that delve much deeper into the benefits of flax seeds, see reference below.
Dr. Michael Greger, author of “How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease” recommends eating 3 Tbsp of flaxseeds everyday.
Recipe
While the inherent taste of flax seeds is a bit coarse and grassy, we have the world’s best camouflage ingredient to mask its taste – chocolate!! My kids ate it all up quite happily. All they could care about was the chocolate flavor. I was thrilled with their enthusiasm.
Easy ladoo made with flax seeds. Omega 3 rich snack healthy for kids and diabetic adults
- 1/4 cup Butter
- 1-2 splashes Vanilla
- 1/2 cup Flax Seed
- 1/4 cup Cocoa Powder
- 1/4 cup Sugar
- Raisins (handful)
- Sliced Almonds (handful)
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Assemble all dry ingredients.
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Melt butter in a pan, add vanilla extract. Pour mixture on dry ingredients.
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Roll into balls. They will be a little wet. Place them in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to harden.
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Serve.
This laddoo is best kept in refrigerator, both for keeping it hard and to lengthen its shelf life.
Step by Step Pictures
Gather dry ingredients in a bowl.
Pour melted butter +vanilla to the dry mixture.
Mix well and roll into balls.
Store them in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. The flax powder will absorb the moisture and harden in the refrigerator. Serve!!
How easy is that??!!
Conclusion
This is a great ladoo to make for adults and kids alike. Think about this – traditional ladoo is usually carbs (grains besan, etc) + refined carbs (sugar). Thus eating laddoos usually can place a heavy load on your insulin levels.
But flax has zero net carbs (total carbs – fiber), because almost all the carbs in them are in the form of fiber. So, it will not mess your blood sugars as much as a traditional grain-based ladoo.
However, please note – that the presence of butter and sugar (not a lot, but still) makes this a yummy, but NOT a low-calorie recipe (just like all ladoo’s anyway!!)
Ooh…another benefit – since the flax seeds have a lot of fiber in them, it improves digestive health and relieves constipation, which (ahem!!) is great for some kids who struggle with this issue.
I hope you try this recipe. Don’t forget to refrigerate it. Please post your thoughts and comments down below. I always look forward to them.
Reference
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4517353/
Amazon affiliate link: “How not to die“
Another winner. Do the ladoos not hold their shapes well? They don’t look round at all.
I wish there was a way to bookmark recipes. There are so many I want to make already.
Not to be critical, the recipes are so good, better pictures would be more appealing. I see other blogs with superb photography, at time almost magazine worth pictures of food. I figured blogging and photography go hand in hand because visually appealing images do carry a lot of weight. Perhaps you could work on that? Just a suggestion.
Yes, the ladoos hold their shape well – because flax by nature has a sticky quality to them.
Regd bookmark – In my Pinterest account, I have a board called Upgrade my Food recipes and I only add my recipes to it. Maybe you could try using that.
Regd pics – Your point is well noted. My photography skills needs work and I am trying to improve it. Here’s hoping my writing will carry me through until then…:)!!
Tried these with erythritol instead of sugar. Came out surprisingly good. Thank you. Love your blog and your aim at making lowish carb meals that are still indian.
Thanks Deepa. Highly appreciate your feedback on the recipe and on the blog!!
Followed you on twitter but i am fairly new to twitter and do not post much. Mostly to follow low carb nutrionist or dieticians who simply the science behind it.