Classic Flax Seed Pound Cake

*Low starch and low sugar - milled flax seed is gluten free
½ cup butter (1 stick) softened at room temperature
½ cup cream cheese
¾ cup Splenda
5 large eggs (preferably at room temperature, but not absolutely necessary
2 cups milled flax seed (found near the flour in most grocery stores)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream butter, cream cheese, and Splenda together, mixing well until cream cheese is blended in. Add eggs and mix well. Add flower and baking powder. Mix in vanilla. Coat 9" round or square pan with nonfat cooking spray. Spread in mixture and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes depending on the heat of your oven. Makes 12 servings.
You can make this cake with almond flour instead of flax seed and add 1 tsp. lemon extract to the above recipe. You can actually change flavors of the almond cake by using different extract flavors and even food color if you would like!

by: Annalisa S
from: Stake Taster Table before General RS Meeting

Health Benefits of Flax Seed
Flax Fights Cholesterol: The consumption of flaxseed is associated with a reduction in total cholesterol, including the LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides. Study after study has shown a positive response to eating ground flax seed daily.
Flax Fights Diabetes: Nutritionists are instructing their diabetic patients to eat flax daily. It has been discovered that the omega-3 fat and high fiber in flax may play a role in the fight against diabetes. In a study conducted by the University of Toronto, participants who ate flaxseed bread had blood sugar levels 28% lower an hour after eating than their counterparts who ate bread made with wheat flour!
Flax Fights Cancer: Flaxseed is high in lignans, up to 800 times the amount as in any tested plant food. Lignans (a phytoestrogen) have been called natural cancer-protective compounds. Flax seed is also high in alpha linolenic acid (ALA) which has been found to be promising as a cancer fighting agent. The American National Cancer Institute has singled out flaxseed as one of six foods that deserve special study. Flax seed, high in fiber, lignans, alpha linolenic acid, is a key player in the fight against cancer, particularly breast and colon cancer.
Flax Fights Constipation: Flax is high in both soluble and insoluble fiber. One ounce of flax provides 32% of the USDA?s reference daily intake of fiber. Flax promotes regular bowel movements because it is high in insoluble fiber. Flaxseed's all natural fiber helps to absorb water, thereby softening the stool and allowing it to pass through the colon quickly. In the fight against constipation exercise, eat fruits and vegetables, drink eight glasses of water daily and add two to four tablespoons of flax to your daily regime!
Flax Fights Inflammation: Flax is high in Omega 3 essential fatty acids. Health experts, such as former Surgeon General C. Evertt Koop, recommend eating foods high in Omega 3’s for people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. It is the inflammation within the joints that cause so much of the pain associated with
arthritis. The January 1996 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that the participants in a study that took flax oil daily reduced inflammatory responses by as much as 30%.
Flax Fights Menopausal Symptoms: Hot flashes, night sweats, irritability, moodiness - ah, the joys of menopause. Can flax really help? Yes it can! Flax, like soy, is a phytoestrogen. Phytoestrogens are estrogen-like substances that are found in plants. Flax is the richest known plant source of phytoestrogens. Phytoestrogens act as a natural hormone therapy and help to stabilize hormonal levels. This stabilization of hormonal levels helps to lessen the symptoms of menopause.
Flax fights Heart Disease: Heart disease, the number one killer in America, has claimed the lives of too many of our family and friends. Years of a sedentary lifestyle, super size meals and processed foods has finally caught up with us. Can flax help? Yes it can. Numerous studies have been done on the effect of flax on heart disease, yielding many positive findings. Flax has been found to help reduce total cholesterol, LDL levels (the bad cholesterol), triglycerides. Flax helps to reduce clotting time and thereby reduces the chance for heart attacks and strokes. Regular intake of flax protects against arrhythmias and helps keep the arteries clear and pliable!
Flax and the Immune System: Across the table, your co-worker sneezes, no tissue in sight, you feel a light spray hit your face and shudder. Standing in a crowded elevator, in a busy mall, or in an airplane, you sometimes feel like you can’t escape getting at least one or two colds each year - or can you? Research has found that eating flax daily favorably affects immunity. Two components of flax, lignans and ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), have been found to affect immune cells and compounds that control immune reaction.
Flax fights ―The Blues‖: It’s that tired feeling that a good night's rest won’t shake? that listless down in the dumps feeling that you just can’t get rid of. We call it ―the blues‖, otherwise known as atypical depression, the most common form of depression. Preliminary research suggests that eating a diet rich in flax could slash your risk of ever feeling ―down in the dumps‖. Follow up studies show that just 2-3 tablespoons of flax daily can help up to 2/3rds of severely depressed women bounce back within eight weeks. Flax, says Udo Erasmus, PhD, has a mood boosting ingredient: docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) that is essential for the proper function of brain cells, yet up to 85% of women aren’t getting enough of it. Participants in the study saw a decreased risk of Alzheimer’s from eating a diet high in Omege-3 fatty acids (Flax is the richest source of Omega 3’s in the plant kingdom). More research is needed in the area of flax and its relation to depression and brain function, however preliminary research is very promising.