The flax seed has grown in popularity in recent years, thanks to its many health benefits and versatility when cooking.

Also known as "common flax" or "linseed", flax is a flowering plant, with the latin name Linum usitatissimum, from the Linaceae family. It is cultivated as a food and fibre crop in regions of the world with a temperate climate, but more importantly they taste fabulous sprinkled over breakfast cereals, yoghurt, and added to a smoothie or salad.

Here’s some recipe inspiration featuring three ways with flax seeds.

Quinoa and flax burger

Sure, beef burgers are great, but you’ll be hard pushed to beat the goodness in this little monster. The combination of black beans and flax makes for a refreshing change and is packed full of goodness. Cook in a skillet or on the grill and serve on buns with your favourite condiments. Mix ground flaxseed and water together in a small bowl. Let sit to thicken, for about five minutes. Stir in some black beans, panko bread crumbs, crushed garlic, salt, and a splash of Worcestershire sauce, and you’re done. Add a little liquid if it’s too thick. Use blended beetroot for a splash of colour. Form into mini patties and cook for five minutes on each side when you’re ready.

Flax-topped salad

Vegetable salad with pumpkin, beet, arugula and a flax seed is a firm favourite for a hearty lunch. Flaxseed work with any salad and add a layer of texture over and above the regular cucumber! Flaxseed contains Omega-3 essential fatty acids, "good" fats that have been shown to have heart-healthy effects. Each tablespoon of ground flaxseed contains about 1.8 grams of plant omega-3s as well as lignans, which have both plant estrogen and antioxidant qualities. To give you an idea of their power, flaxseed contains 75-800 times more lignans than any other plant food source.

Banana flax cookies

It would be wrong to think the healthy flax seed is limited only to savoury dishes. They work wonderfully in cookies, cakes and muffins too. Containing a mass of vitamins E and B, and essential minerals such as iron, potassium, zinc and selenium, it’s great to eat them in whatever you can. But what about the benefit to the cookies? What makes flaxseed a welcome variation from flour in baked biscuits has to do with fat: although the flax has a powdery, flour-like appearance, it is rich in plant oils, all of which translates to a cookie that’s crisp at the edges but gooey-chewy in the middle. You’ll have no problem justifying an occasional cookie, even at breakfast, and all with limited guilt with these guys. All-flax muffins are great too and serve well as midday snack.