Articles with the flax seeds Tag
FTC Disclaimer: I received the products mentioned in this post free of charge. I did not buy them. I was not paid to write this post or a review. There are affiliate links in this post for Navitas Naturals products. If you purchase anything through these links, I will receive a small commission and you will help keep Raw Juice Girl blogging.
First, a huge thank-you to Navitas Naturals for their generosity in sending me these goodies!
Hi, y’all!
How’ve ya been? Have you been keeping warm near a woodstove, curled up with a lovely novel or have you been so busy you haven’t had time to catch your breath?
(I’m currently reading The Rescue by Nicholas Sparks and it’s a page turner!)
Hopefully, you’re taking care of yourself!
On to what Navitas Naturals packaged up for me…
A closer look at what Navitas Naturals sent….
I received a bag of Navitas Naturals Flaxseed Powder .
I blogged about the health benefits of flax seeds here.
And…
Chia seeds. I heart chia seeds! I love chuggin’ chia! (The contest mentioned in that post is no longer open.)
And some power snacks! Blueberry Hemp Superfood and Cacao Goji Power Snacks. Rawesome!
Nutrition Information – Cacao Goji Super Food Power Snack
Ingredients: date paste, chia seeds, raisins, sesame seeds, cacao powder, goji berry powder, sunflower seeds, maca powder, camu camu powder, sunflower meal,lucuma powder
Allergen Information: Packaged in a facility that also handles tree nuts
Product of U.S.A.
I immediately went for this one. Cacao = chocolate – and I’m a chocolate kind of gal! I also love goji berries so I knew this would be a winning combination. And I was right! YUM!
Chocolatey.
Chewy.
Crunchy.
Fruity.
Filling.
Delish!
Definitely two thumbs up on these healthful, energizing snacks!
What about you? Have you tried Navitas Naturals products? Do you love learning about new, healthy snacks or do you just grab whatever is on hand at the time and keep going? Are you a chocolate lover? What are you currently reading?
Hi, y’all!
So glad you’ve enjoyed my story about Living With Rheumatoid Arthritis + Fibromyalgia – your comments and emails have truly blessed my heart!!
And yay for Strawberry Serenity Kombucha. Thanks for your rave reviews of my review. 
Don’t worry, the agave post is coming. I just HAD to share my fantabulous lunch with you – it was THAT good!
I had oatmeal for (a late) breakfast and so I wasn’t the least bit hungry ‘till around 2 p.m. or so. What to do? Make a smoothie and have an apple slathered with Nuttzo!
There were some leftover berries in the fridge and I was craving hemp protein, too. (Recipe follows!!)
I threw in some other goodies and created this beauty:
Berry Blackstrap Smoothie
Inspired by my Blueberry-Blackstrap Bomb
In my new tumbler!
In the blender
Plus an apple slathered in Nuttzo = YUM!!!
Enjoyed ever so much…
While I write that AGAVE post!!!
Berry Blackstrap Smoothie Recipe
Inspired by my Blueberry-Blackstrap Bomb
- 1/2 cup herbal tea (whatever you like; I used a nettle/mullein/peace blend)
- 1/4 cup blackstrap molasses water (2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses + 1 cup of water = blackstrap water)
- about a cup of leftover berries
- 1 whole avocado (see avocado’s health benefits here)
- 3 tablespoons hemp powder
- 1 tablespoon tart cherry concentrate
- 2 tablespoons freshly ground flax seeds
- teeny amount of stevia to taste
- 4 ice cubes
Directions: Toss everything into your blender and blend away. Pour in a glass and enjoy! This made enough to fill the tumbler twice – but I only drank one tumbler full. I shared the rest with a family member who was eye-balling it. LOL
Do you have days when all you want is a yummy smoothie and fruit slathered in nut butter? Is your appetite always ravenous or non-existent – or does it vary from day-to-day? What’s your favorite smoothie recipe or ingredient? What’s your favorite fruit to slather nut butter on? And have you tried Nuttzo? A full review is coming soon but the ingredients in this stuff is amazing: Valencia Peanuts, Cashews, Almonds, Hazelnuts, Brazil Nuts, Sunflower Seeds, and Flax Seeds – and it’s crunchy and SUPER DELISH! It’s also now available in my OpenSky Shop!!!! Eeeeekkk!
Contest Alerts
- Averie, over at Love Veggies & Yoga, is having a raw food book giveaway.
- I’m giving away a jar of Tropical Traditions raw honey.
Coming Next
- Agave: Why I Was Hesitant to Use It, And Won’t Be Using It Anymore
- Health Benefits of Blackstrap Molasses – And Why I Drink It
- More reviews and giveaways!
Note: For my raw purist readers, this soup isn’t raw. As I’ve mentioned before (numerous times), I’m currently very high raw, but am not 100% raw at this time.
I live for fresh, raw juices and smoothies and veggies and fruit, nuts and seeds – but sometimes a gal just needs a bowl of yummy, herbalicious, flavorful (hot) soup on a cold winter’s day.
Enter: Rainbow Chard + Butter Bean Soup
This recipe was inspired by “The Clean Eating Mama” blog, from her recent post: White Bean and Kale Soup (Thank you, Tasha!) 
Rainbow Chard + Butter Bean Soup
Ingredients:
- 6 cups water
- 1 can cream of celery soup
- 2 cans butter beans
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- bunch of frozen Rainbow Chard (that was from my garden)
- about 1 - 2 cups of certified organic whole wheat couscous
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil (I used Tropical Traditions Certified Organic Virgin Coconut Oil)
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon basil
- 1 tablespoon parsley
- sprinkle of paprika
- garlic salt to taste (I used Himala Salt Certified Organic brand.)
- freshly ground flax (for sprinkling on top)
Directions:
- Add the beans, tomatoes, rainbow chard, frozen peas, and cream of celery soup to your pot.
- Pour in 6 cups water (or broth – I didn’t have any).
- Add herbs, onion, garlic (or garlic salt like me).
- Add the coconut oil.
- Turn heat to medium.
- Once the frozen veggies are tender and the soup has really heated up, add the couscous.
- Cover with a lid.
- Simmer for half an hour or so.
- Sprinkle with freshly ground flax and enjoy!
Ooooooohhh, yeah!
Kale is one of my all-time favorite veggies, so I’m definitely going to make this soup again when I have the ingredients Tasha used in her version.
OpenSky Alert!
I love freshly ground flax SO much, I’m selling whole flax seeds so you can grind your own. That’s right: You can buy organic flax seed in my OpenSky shop – for only $7.49 per pound!!!
Shipping info:
“We will ship orders anywhere within the United States and Canada. At this time, we do not ship to other locations. When your order ships, you will receive a shipment notification via email that will include your tracking number.” – OpenSky
Contest Alert
HiHoRosie’s Place is giving away an ice cream maker.
And don’t forget to enter my latest contest for a $30 gift certificate from Glass Dharma!
Your Turn
What about you? Are you a “soup person” or do you detest soup? Do you love making a big pot of soup and savoring it day after day, or do you just get a craving for it once in a while and either buy soup from a restaurant so you won’t have leftovers, or eat it out of a can or at someone else’s house?
Raw foodie (purists): Do you splurge on hot soup once in a while during the colder months, or do you stick to raw soups only?
All of you, chime in – I adore reading your thoughts!!
And… I’m planning on posting about raw soup in an upcoming – so stay tuned! Plus, the delivery man has been kind to me and I’m going to give you a sneak peek at what he brought!
I usually always mention that I’ve tossed freshly ground flax into my smoothies, oats, or whatever else I’m eating and I’ve been a HUGE fan of these amazing little seeds for years now. I thought I’d share with you WHY I adore them so much…
Check out the nutrition:
- omega-3 fatty acids
- manganese
- dietary fiber
- magnesium
- folate
- copper
- phosphorus
- Vitamin B6
(To my knowledge, there is no nutritional differences between the brown flax seeds or the gold – I just seem to prefer the brown.)
Fun Fact!
“Flaxseeds have a long and extensive history. Originating in Mesopotamia, the flax plant has been known since the Stone Ages. One of the first records of the culinary use of flaxseeds is from times of ancient Greece. In both that civilization and in ancient Rome, the health benefits of flaxseeds were widely praised.” – WH Foods
Health Benefits
Organic flax seeds are known to be fantabulous for our health.
Check out this amazing list…
Organic flax seeds:
- promote bone health
- have anti-inflammatory properties
- fight against cancer, diabetes and other disease,
- help prevent and regulate high blood pressure
- lowers cholesterol
- fights prostate cancer growth
- helps lubricate dry eyes
Attention menopausal women:
Flaxseed Reduces Hot Flashes Almost 60%!! (source)
I love mine freshly ground. Not only does grinding the flax bring out the nutty, delicious flavor, whole seeds simply pass through your system so it’s best to grind them.
I promote buying whole flax seeds because you don’t know how long the ground flax has been sitting on the shelf and this way, you’re the one who grinds your flax each time and you know when it was ground.
Note: I grind my whole flax seeds up in a coffee grinder. You can keep leftover freshly ground flax in the freezer but I’d only store a small amount as fresh is always best!
I add freshly ground flax to:
- smoothies
- oats
- stir-fry
- rice dishes
- salad
- veggie burgers
- and more!
This salad was made with: lettuce, carrots, celery, tomato, dates, corn, peas, spinach, pumpkin seeds and drizzled with coconut oil.
Why I Love Them
I love freshly ground flax seeds because they truly do add a rich, nutty flavor to whatever smoothie or food you add them to.
They’re yummy, filling, and I love getting fiber in this way.
They’ve been instrumental in my own battle with inflammation, from Rheumatoid Arthritis and Fibromyalgia (more on that in a future post).
Come on, what’s not to love about the nutritious AND delicious combo freshly ground flax offers?!
And you can buy organic flax seed in my Raw Shop – for only $7.49 per pound!!!
Shipping info:
“We will ship orders anywhere within the United States and Canada. At this time, we do not ship to other locations. When your order ships, you will receive a shipment notification via email that will include your tracking number.”
Do you love freshly ground flax seeds? Did you realize what a powerful addition they were to our diet? Do you love their nutty flavor? If you’ve never tried them, will you give ‘em a chance now? Let’s talk!
Reference:
WH Foods: Flaxseeds
Photo: OpenSky
Just stopping by? Have you tried my coconut peanut butter honey overnight oats yet? Or maybe you’d like to try your hand at my chocolate-covered raisin hemp balls or raw tuna fish-less salad. And you simply HAVE to try my latest, simple creation: Coconut Peanut Butter Cream. YUM! And don’t forget to take a peek at my Thanksgiving holiday eats + treats – or my interview with ShimmerOrganics owner, Lisa Ann Turkel!
The last time I tried to make raw flax seed crackers, they ended up being a flop, thus the new Healing With (Raw) Juices category: Raw Flops.
But these… these were NOT a flop!
Delicious Flax Crackers!
I soaked my flax seeds overnight. And this time, I used red and green bell peppers (like the recipe called for). I still used apple in the place of the zucchini – but this time I left the peel on.
Into the Blender
I forgot to take a photo of the other ingredients before I blended ‘em up! But here’s what it looks like when all the ingredients are whipped in the blender….
I added my juicy concoction to the soaked flax seeds….
Then I added the ground flax.
Stirred It Up
HimalaSalt = YUM!
I bought parchment paper this time!
I decided to add a few shakes of Mexican Seasoning to one tray of the mixture.
Here’s the four trays the recipe yields!
Up close
I cranked it up more this time (about 120).
Look at my crackers! Yay!
Some raw flax crackers all plated up. 
Look at how crispy and beautiful!
I used the same recipe for inspiration as last time, from The Raw Food Revolution Diet
I’ve enjoyed these crackers with sliced avocado, by themselves, with a drizzle of agave, a smear of nut butter, with salad…. SO delicious!
This post has actually been set to publish for a few days now, but I noticed Gena (from www.choosingraw.com) just published her raw juice pulp cracker recipe. Do check that out, too! I’m going to make her version as well.
Oh, and I’m also going to make some time to experiment in the coming weeks, and I’ll share the recipes I come up with on my own….
Have you tried your hand at raw crackers yet – with or without a dehydrator? Do you have Cherie’s book? If so, what do you think about it? Do you love it? Have you made good use of it? (I have a review coming up of my copy!)
Just stopping by? Have you entered my latest contest (over a $200 value)? Or maybe you’d like to try your hand at my chocolate-covered raisin hemp balls or raw tuna fish-less salad.
You might remember the Excalibur dehydrator I was sent to review. I’ve been experimenting with it – just hadn’t posted about my adventures. Why? I’ve had quite a few “Raw Flops" goin’ on around here. Yep.
Upon a reader’s request (thanks, Beth!) I’ll be sharing my (un)cooking disasters in the new category: Raw Flops. But don’t worry, I have some rawsome stuff comin’ up, too!
And… here’s a story written in third person. Why? I guess I just kinda felt like writing about myself that way as I reflected on this dehydrating disaster.
Raw Juice Girl’s Flax Flop
Once upon a time, in a raw fantasy world, lived a gal who dreamt of creating the bestest raw flax seed crackers ever. She put her flax seeds to soakin’ while thinking about all those health benefits: omegas, manganese, fiber, folate, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, and Vitamin B6.
Those beautiful little seeds gettin’ their soak on just screamed healthy heart, blood pressure, bones, hair, skin, nails, colon, and so much more—like fighting cancer, diabetes, dry eyes, and hot flashes.
Oh my!
<insert dreamy (healthy) eyes here>
The Raw Food Revolution Diet
It felt like DAYS waiting the 8 hours for those seeds to soak. *looks around* Where’d Raw Juice Girl’s patience go? Someone stole it!
Cherie’s recipe called for 4 cups of chopped bell pepper (or tomato). Raw Juice Girl had neither so she used raw broccoli slaw instead. Oh, joy!
Next up, raw zucchini. Nope, none of that either! Enter: diced, raw apple.
Blend it all up, Cherie says.
Um, it looks like puke. That’s what she said.
Gotta have some seasoning! Yay for HimalaSalt samples (again, free – yummy – samples Raw Juice Girl was sent for review)…
Organic garlic salt
Pink Himalayan Sea Salt
Stir it all up!
Smear it on the dehydrator tray (with a liner).
Close-up
Score the mixture to make separated cracker lines.
The house smelled sooooooooooooooooo good while these crackers were (un)cooking!
105* for 12 hours, Cherie says
Raw Juice Girl leaped out of bed the next morning, with bright eyes and pep to her step. She ran into the kitchen like a child on Christmas morning expecting shiny, new flax seed crackers ready for flippin’.
Imagine her surprise when she opened the Dehydrator door and found this:
Flax Crackers Stuck to Wax Paper!!!
Raw Juice Girl wanted to just cry… 
And the saddest part? Raw Juice Girl managed to break off a teeny piece of cracker (without waxed paper attached!) and it tasted REALLY good.
*sigh*
The moral of this story, folks, is that Raw Juice Girl shoulda used parchment paper or waited ‘till she got some Excalibur non-stick, reusable sheets.
She was so blasted mad at that wax paper, she thought about eatin’ it but didn’t have an appetite after finding her ruined crackers! Humph!
See, Raw Juice Girl is real. She makes mistakes. She doesn’t have all the raw food stuff figured out. She’ll be your guinea pig, though. You can learn from her mistakes and get a few laughs along the way…
Stay tuned for more Raw Flops. This is a new category featuring Raw Juice Girl’s bloopers. You won’t want to miss a single post!
Resources:
WH Foods: Flax Seeds
Powdered vitamins are a wonderful way to add even more nutrients to your smoothies or juices. I know I’ve written a lot about smoothies as I am building this site. (Really, you’re getting the juices from the veggies and fruits once you blend them up.) But there will be tons of information and recipes for raw juices (juiced in the juicing machine) soon. They’re a huge part of my life. I’m also pulling my thoughts together for an ebook with smoothie and juice recipes, tips, and health benefits. Feel free to comment and give feedback as to what you’d like to see included in the ebook.
I simply adore using my creativity to throw together tasty smoothies. This morning I was in the mood for blueberries and I didn’t want this one to be really thick. If you like your smoothies to have the consistency of a milkshake, you’ll want to add less liquid. For this one, I added a whole cup of herbal tea. You’d probably only want to add 1/2 to 3/4 cup or so. Just add a little at a time, stopping for taste tests, until you get it just right for you. In fact, the cup of tea made this smoothie a little too “runny” for me, so I added about 2 tablespoons of raw, unsweetened coconut
Blueberry-Banana Smoothie Recipe:
- 1 cup blueberries, frozen
- 1 banana, ripe
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
- 2 tablespoons raw, unsweetened coconut
- 1 scoop All One powdered vitamin
- 1/2 to 1 cup herbal tea
- Few ice cubes (I only used half of the ice shown in the photo)
This recipe is overflowing with health benefits! The ground flax seeds
It turned out to be a sweet beauty with just the right consistency I was going after and really filled me up. I love the “full feeling” I get from smoothies. It helps me not want to splurge on treats that are just empty calories and have no health benefits.
So, do you like your smoothies really thick or a sort of runny? Did you realize how many health benefits are in foods like raw, unsweetened coconut
And keep your eyes open. In the future I’ll be selling an ebook on this topic (at a fair price).
Here’s to life, health, and healing with (raw) juices!
