If you overheat flax, it destroys the EFA's (essential fatty acids), the whole point of eating it. Look at flax seed oil. It's got to be refrigerated, stored in light block bottles, as well as cold pressed. It is very sensitive to heat. Never use anything more than hot water on them in a cereal, never boiling water. And you can buy whole flax seeds and grind them in a coffee grinder, mix with some unprocessed oat bran and water. There are flax cereals on the market, I love em. Low Carb Chef makes em, lowcarbsuccess does, and gram's gourmet. All are good. As for adding to salads, many people put flax seed oil in the dressing.