It's flaxseed meal. It is supposed to work in most recipes, you use 1 tablespoon of meal and 3 tablespoons of water for each egg. Mix it well and let it stand for 2 minutes before using it. I just tried it in my favorite waffle recipe, and it worked and tasted great. It's supposed to be good for you too!
Here is a link about flax seed as a food item, including information about its beneficial and (some potentially baneful) characteristics. http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/whattoeat/a/flaxinfo.htm Using flax seed might be of interest to people with an intolerance / allergic reactiveness to eggs; folk for whom carrying eggs (such as hikers et al) is impractical; and folk who like the idea of having a long term stock of culinary egg substitute food binder with a shelf life longer than conventional eggs. Here is a link to some useful flax seed meal recipes. http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/great-recipes.asp?food=flax+meal+recipes
flax seed oil will probably go rancid in the longer term as it oxidises when exposed to air, but when unhulled and encapsulated by the seed casing should last a while...at least way longer than conventional eggs. It would probably be best to store as flax seed, and grind it into flax seed meal as required. Storage life will most likely be longer if kept cool and in a dark place the same as most other fats and oils. Edit: For shelf life, keeping qualities and good storage tips, check out the following links: a lot depends on how the flax seed is processed and stored. http://askville.amazon.com/Ground-f...ezer-defrost/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=665147 http://www.ellies-whole-grains.com/store-flax.html#axzz28f7jM8vA .
Yup, I've used flaxseed as an egg substitute before. I even have a "foccocia" style "bread" recipe. No wheat products in it all, but there is egg & flax and some other items. Flax seed will last longer with kept whole, just like any other seed product, once the shell is cracked the oils can go rancid. Brokor, no, they won't be upset in my house, the flax is just a companion to them Edited to add, here is the "bread" recipe: http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/breads/r/flaxbasicfoc.htm Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 35 minutes Ingredients: 2 cups flax seed meal 1 Tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1-2 Tablespoons sugar equivalent from artificial sweetener 5 beaten eggs 1/2 cup water 1/3 cup oil Preparation: Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare pan (a 10X15 pan with sides works best) with oiled parchment paper or a silicone mat. 1) Mix dry ingredients well -- a whisk works well. 2) Add wet to dry, and combine well. Make sure there aren't obvious strings of egg white hanging out in the batter. 3) Let batter set for 2 to 3 minutes to thicken up some (leave it too long and it gets past the point where it's easy to spread.) 4) Pour batter onto pan. Because it's going to tend to mound in the middle, you'll get a more even thickness if you spread it away from the center somewhat, in roughly a rectangle an inch or two from the sides of the pan (you can go all the way to the edge, but it will be thinner). 5) Bake for about 20 minutes, until it springs back when you touch the top and/or is visibly browning even more than flax already is. 6) Cool and cut into whatever size slices you want. You don't need a sharp knife; I usually just cut it with a spatula. Nutritional Information: Each of 12 servings has less than a gram of effective carbohydrate (.7 grams to be exact) plus 5 grams fiber, 6 grams protein, and 185 calories.
Chia seeds are also a viable substitute for eggs AND they are high in protein/very healthy for you/don't need to be ground up. I have both on my shelf and in my preps. Edited for spelling error.
Chia (Salvia hispanica) seems to have similar properties to flax seed....probably best stored as whole seed and grind as required. Salvia hispanica - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Chia seed recipes & serving suggestions | Organic Recipes
Probably organic and health food stores. You may source places that sell flax seed by trawling the internet...find a wholesaler, and they may be able to put you in touch with the nearest retailer that sells their product.
I have both whole and ground flax seed in my home. I throw ground flax seed into my bread for the fiber and health benefits. After reading @chelloveck's links it seems it would be better for me to just have whole flax seeds and ground them as needed. * great thread.
