2-12 Flaxseed Muffin for ONE

“Eat your food, it’s good for you!”

As any child knows, those words almost always come with a meal or food choice that is totally healthy. No sugar, no fat and no tender morsel of useless tastiness.

My parents did expect me to eat the food that was put before me and that meant that I had to sit at the table until I finally gave in and choked down the food on my plate.

The items I disliked the most were carrots, peas, creamed corn, whole wheat bread, eggplant and Brussels sprouts.  Except for the first three foods, I did not have to worry about too many unpleasant taste experiences at the dinner table.

These days, no one tells me what to eat. In fact, I know that I can eat as much of anything that I want. The downside to that statement is that I know what certain foods do to my body and to my overall health and that is definitely a concern.

Flaxseed is a food that I had never thought about to until it was brought to the forefront as a health food. If a person eats flaxseed meal they can expect to reap the benefits of lowering their cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar levels. This seed, which is rich in lignans and Omega-3, even protects women from breast cancer.

So, what’s not to love about flaxseed? Actually, it is not the most tasty food item, but as an addition to other foods and with an eye toward protecting myself from fats, sugars and clogged arteries,  I can eat it easily! Ground flaxseed can be sprinkled on salads, soups and other dishes. It can be added to smoothies and combined with other flours to be made into baked goods. It can also stand alone...well almost, as in the muffin recipe below.

Flaxseed muffins are easy to make and my recipe serves ONE person. How easy is that! All of the ingredients are mixed in the baking container. The baking time only takes one minute and the end product  releases from the container withoutany added fats. The flavored olive oil is a wonderful addtion. If that oil is not available in your area, add grated orange peel or orange flavoring.

Flaxseed Muffin for One

1 egg

¼ C ground golden flaxseed (brown flaxseed meal may be substituted)

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp cinnamon

2 tsp sweetener
1 tsp margarine, butter or Blood-orange flavored olive oil
1 T mini chocolate chips (optional)
1 T chopped pecans (optional)
Few dried cranberries or cherries (optional)

Add all ingredients to a mug or small ceramic 1-serving soup cup. Mix until well blended. Microwave on HIGH for one minute. Remove and transfer to a plate. May be sliced and eaten with butter, cream cheese or fruit.