A Baking Frugality Habit of Mine

**cheapgeek** · 07-28-2005, 11:48 AM

I just have to confess this.

We make our coffee from whole beans using a grinder. I also use the grinder for flax seeds, but it leaves an oily residue on the grinder, so I clean it with rice. BUT - I save that rice flour and put it in the next batch of bread I bake!

**waterlover** · 07-28-2005, 12:34 PM

Great idea - fresh ground flax seed meal is so healthy for you but messy to clean up. Thanks for the idea

**annieacid** · 07-28-2005, 01:05 PM

We have a coffee grinder bought for like $1 at a garage sale specifically for flax seeds... But now we don't use it anymore for that, and I didn't think of the coffee thing, lol. Is it cheaper to buy whole and grind? I bet it tastes better.

**cheapgeek** · 08-01-2005, 12:41 PM

It costs about the same as ground, but tastes infinitely better.

**forestdale** · 08-01-2005, 03:10 PM

what a great idea! What are you using your flax seeds on?

**cheapgeek** · 08-06-2005, 02:30 PM

Mostly to toss into protein shakes. Sometimes I make pancakes and muffins from flax. I throw some into my SO's bread, but not too much, since it gets a little too dense.

I make it into a hot cereal in winter.

**Missy** · 08-06-2005, 03:12 PM

you can make flour from rice? enlighten me, please! This has caught my attention! And flax, can you give me more info on it, how to use it, how to buy it (ie, specific things to look for?)

**cheapgeek** · 09-13-2005, 11:08 AM

Sorry, Missy, I didn't see your post until now.

I'm not sure if this is what "rice flour" actually is, but you can grind rice in a coffee grinder into a fine powder. I was doing it purely to clean the grinder.

About flax... here's the Flax Council of Canada's website. Hope it helps! I use flax as a low-carb replacement for hot cereal and baked goods. I think vegans use it to replace eggs. Many people use it as a source of omega-3 fatty acids, but conversion in the body isn't efficient. It's better to take fish oils for that purpose.

If you're going to try it, I recommend buying the whole seeds and grinding them yourself. The oils go rancid very easily otherwise and have to be stored in the fridge or freezer. The seeds are cheaper and last longer, too.