Flaxmeal

Flaxmeal can be a welcome addition to your low carb lifestyle. It has an almost nutty taste and is reminiscent of whole grain flour without the gluten and carbs. It can be used as a flour sub in recipes like these Orange Spice Flax Cookies.

You can find more of my cookies and other recipes at DARdreams.

Flaxmeal is very sensitive, so care has to be taken with it. It can go rancid in as little as a week at room temp, so it is wise to store it in the refrigerator or freezer until you are ready to use it.

Whole flax seeds are pretty stable, but their valuable nutrition isn't available until they are ground, so it is a good idea to grind your own flaxmeal. It's easy to grind your own flax seeds with a coffee grinder, blender, or food processor.

Flax seeds and flaxmeal are pretty easy to find in stores, especially those with a health food section. You can also order them online.

Netrition carries both flax seeds and flaxmeal.

Amazon also carries a variety of flax seeds and flaxmeal, including in large amounts.







Remember to check prices, including package sizes and shipping charges (if any). If you find your flaxmeal to be bitter, it has gone rancid and should be thrown out. When fresh, it should have a pleasant taste and smell.

Coconut Flour

Coconut flour isn't just ground up unsweetened coconut; it is dried and defatted before grinding. (Though some people have tried grinding their own and have said it works okay.) It is high in fiber and protein, yet low in carbs. It doesn't contain gluten, so it is great for those who are gluten intolerant or need/want to avoid grains for other reasons.

I like to use coconut flour in my low carb recipes. Because it doesn't contain gluten, it behaves differently than flours made from grains. Some coconut flour recipes contain a lot of eggs for leavening, but I also use it without eggs successfully. It is very versatile.

I have found some coconut flour recipes online, but most of them have too many carbs for me, so I dream up my own. You can find my very low carb coconut flour recipes at my DARdreams website. I have recipes there for coconut flour waffles, crunches, cakes, pies, pizza crusts, etc, including the Rich Waffle pictured above.

Netrition carries Bob's Red Mill Coconut Flour.

Amazon also sells a variety of coconut flours:



Amazon also sells "Cooking With Coconut Flour:"

Most of the recipes in this book contain too many carbs for me, but with substitutions, some of them can be decarbed effectively. Even without using the recipes, it's worth buying the book for the info it contains about coconut flour and its benefits.

As usual, you should check around for the best prices. I usually get my coconut flour from Netrition, but there are some larger packages available at Amazon that might be a better deal:



Coconut flour is a wonderful addition to your low carb lifestyle. Try it! 8+)