Nourish Network

It seems talk about flax—both flax oil and ground flaxseed—heats up and cools down at various intervals. There’s no question, flax is an incredibly nutritious food. But no matter what the buzz of the moment, it’s important to understand that flaxseed and the oil pressed from those seeds bring different benefits to our bodies.

One of the most frequent questions I get is, “which oil am I supposed to use for what?” My answer is a combination of unwavering advice and “it depends.” Here’s a guide to choosing wisely in all circumstances—from grocery store shelf to pan on the stove.

Just about every culture spanning the globe partakes in some sort of thanksgiving benediction before consuming their food. Thornton Wilder once said, “We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.” And in that way, the act of pausing to give thanks for a meal is a blessing in and of itself.

In this month’s theme of giving you tools and practical strategies for eating smarter throughout the year, this one is low-hanging fruit; a super-easy step that will radically simplify your meal planning. Rather than start from scratch each week with what you’re going to make, designate two or three nights as themes. The beauty of this approach is that it allows you to structure your meal planning while still leaving you open to creative interpretation. For instance, I’m not starting from scratch when deliberating what to make on a Thursday night; I already know I’ll be making seafood. But that could be as varied as Curried Mussels or Blackened Catfish or Barramundi with Shallots and Chile.

Originally, I was just going to write about keeping a par stock list to keep track of your (fabulously efficient) pantry. But then I looked around my own kitchen and realized I have three lists working synergistically to help me keep the basics well-stocked and use what I have on hand. Here’s how I use them and how they work together.