Toddler Dad » Columns » Flax Seed for Your Family

About the Authors Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers are sisters, the mothers of five children, and founders of Fresh Baby (www.FreshBaby.com). Raised by parents who love fresh foods and entertaining, their mom, a gourmet cook, ensured that they were well-equipped with extraordinary skills in the kitchen. Both with long track records of business success, they decided to combine their skills in the kitchen with their knowledge of healthy foods and children to create Fresh Baby. Cheryl and Joan put a modern twist on the conventional wisdom that when you make it yourself, you know it's better. Their goal at Fresh Baby is to make the task of raising a healthy eater a little bit easier for all parents. Fresh Baby's breastfeeding accessories and baby food making supplies provide parents with practical knowledge and innovative tools to support them in introducing their children to great tasting, all-natural foods - easily and conveniently. Visit them online at www.FreshBaby.com and subscribe to their Fresh Ideas newsletter to get monthly ideas, tips and activities for developing your family's healthy eating habits! .

Here are few quick tips for adding more flax seed into your family meals.

If you have never purchased flax seed, it is located in the baking section of most supermarkets. It is available as whole seeds or ground. Whole seeds can be ground using a blender or a coffee grinder. It is recommended that flax seed be eaten finely ground for maximum nutritional benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids and fiber.

1. Pancakes: Add 1/4 cup ground flax seed to your favorite pancake mix, and for extra flavor add 1 tablespoon of vanilla.

2. Pizza: Sprinkle 1/4 cup of ground flax seed on your favorite homemade or frozen pizza. Cook according to normal directions.

3. Breads: Brush dinner rolls with olive oil, sprinkle the rolls with ground flax seed and warm them in the oven.

4. Breading: Add flax seed (1 Tablespoon - 1/4 cup) to your favorite bread crumbs and use this mixture as a coating for tofu, fish, poultry or pork, or as a topping for casseroles, stuffed mushrooms and more.

5. Veggies: Sprinkle ground flax seed on hot vegetables just before serving OR sprinkle ground flax seed on a salad and toss with dressing.

6. Breakfast: Add a teaspoon of ground flax seed to yogurt, oatmeal or granola.

7. Dessert: Sprinkle ground flax seed on vanilla pudding, ice cream or apple crisp.