Linaza juice (raw flax seed juice) is very light and refreshing. It's healthy too! Flax seed is full of good nutrition and the best way to enjoy its full flavor and its healthful qualities is to consume it raw.

Ingredients

2 Liters (8 1/2 cups) of ice cold water
1/2 cup of whole flax seed (Amazon, Wholefoods, Organic markets)
Juice from 1 small lemon or lime (seeds removed)
Sugar or honey to taste

Instructions

Place one cup of the water in a blender along with the linaza seeds and blend until the seeds have turned into a gritty powder (similar to very fine sand). The water will become cloudy. This is normal.

Place a strainer over a pitcher and pour the contents of your blender into the strainer, separating the ground seeds from the water.

Return the ground seeds to your blender and add the remaining 7 1/2 cups of cold water. Blend again.

Place your strainer over your pitcher again, and pour the contents of the blender into the pitcher, straining the ground seeds once more.

Set the ground seeds aside.

Add the lemon or lime juice and stir.

Add sugar or honey to the flax seed juice that is now in your pitcher. Start with just a little (about 1/4 cup) and taste it. If you need more, add more little by little, until you've sweetened the linaza juice to your taste.

Serve as cold as possible - a little ice is nice! The colder it is, the more refreshing it will be. You can also add a slice or two of lemon or lime.

When you pour the juice you will see some ground seeds still floating in the juice (because they are very, very fine and have passed through your strainer). These will quickly settle to the bottom of your glass and you can drink them. However, if it bothers you or the texture is too gritty, consider straining your juice through a cheesecloth rather than a strainer. This will more effectively remove even the finest grounds.

A LITTLE TIP: If you like to bake, save the leftover ground seeds in your refrigerator up to 2 days, in a plastic baggie to keep them moist. Blending them into pancakes, muffins, whole kernel bread, and other pastries will give your baked goods a kick of nutrition and a delicious flavor, similar to bran! Do not keep them longer than 2 days. When linaza seeds begin to ferment, they become slimy.

Linaza is one of the most popular juices in Bolivia. Throughout the day you can hear "Linaza, linaza, linaza!" being called through the streets as linaza juice vendors walk around selling it out of huge coolers on wheels. I don't recommend foreigners purchase it on the street, however, because it's not possible to know if the water and/or ice comes from a trustworthy source.

The first time I was offered linaza juice I was very doubtful about drinking it. For some reason drinking seed water (blech!) didn't sound very appetizing. But I was SO surprised when I did and discovered how light and refreshing it is, and I think you will be too.