Seeking to go extra plant-based this month? Then make walnuts the star of your plate! With their cache of plant protein, good fat, fiber, and magnesium*, walnuts are the right addition to your wholesome consuming habits. Actually, analysis hyperlinks walnuts with potential well being advantages on your coronary heart, mind, and past! And prepare for versatility—there are such a lot of scrumptious methods to prepare dinner with this mighty nut. What are you ready for? Be taught extra in regards to the diet energy of walnuts, and dig in with these 5 Walnut Cooking Suggestions!
*1oz of walnuts comprises 2.5g omega-3 ALA, 4g protein, 2g fiber, 45mg magnesium. Be taught extra about walnut diet here.
Diet
Walnuts are stuffed with vitamins which are vital for plant-based diets, together with protein, nutritional vitamins, minerals, fiber, phytochemicals (plant compounds with antioxidant and anti inflammatory actions), and good fat. Along with containing magnesium, phosphorus, copper and manganese, walnuts have one thing distinctive amongst nuts—they’re the one nut that’s considerably high in omega-3 ALA fatty acids, that are essential to varied physique processes. For this reason analysis hyperlinks them with so many constructive potential outcomes, equivalent to heart health, healthy aging and brain health, gut health, reproductive health, and longevity.
A nutrient-dense meals, walnuts are an excellent straightforward addition to a plant-based food regimen. A one-ounce serving—that’s one small handful, which is about 12-14 halves, or 1 / 4 cup—of walnuts delivers 4 grams of protein, 2 grams of dietary fiber, and a couple of.5 grams of omega-3 ALA. Just a bit goes a great distance! Add in walnuts’ versatility and it goes even additional. When floor, walnuts have a meat-like texture, making them good in plant-based burgers, “meatballs,” pasta sauces, and taco fillings, or use them as a flavorful, nutrient-dense breading on your favourite dishes. Walnuts are additionally simply whirred into creamy nut butter or blended into a sauce, milked, added to morning oats, breakfast bowls, and smoothies, as a garnish on salads and different dishes to decorate up the plate, or straight up as a snack on their very own or in a enjoyable path combine. Making walnuts the star of the plant-powered plate could be so simple as a phenomenal topping or of entirety to any dish or as artistic and adventurous as your creativeness—or faucet into the numerous must-try intelligent and scrumptious walnut recipes accessible!
Preserve ‘em Cool
Walnuts retailer greatest within the fridge or freezer. Stash unopened packages straight within the fridge—or freezer if you happen to plan to retailer them for a month or longer. As soon as opened, seal walnuts in an hermetic container to keep up their recent walnut style. Recent walnuts have a mildly nutty and subtly candy taste, with a easy, creamy texture. Publicity to heat temperatures for lengthy intervals could trigger walnuts to go rancid as a result of warmth modifications the construction of these good-for-you fat, which creates that barely “off” scent and style.
A staple in my fridge, walnut halves are my go-to buy as a result of they offer me probably the most choices for versatility. I can simply chop the halves, or grind them within the blender or meals processor right into a crumb, meal, or flour—no matter coarseness I want. For comfort and time-saving, walnuts are additionally accessible in items and varied grinds. Seal and retailer them the identical as entire or halved walnuts, however they received’t probably keep as recent and flavorful for as lengthy a time as once you chop them your self, simply earlier than use.
5 Prime Walnut Cooking Suggestions
1. Prime It! Walnuts are the right go-to topper for therefore many dishes from salads, porridges, and overnight oats to casseroles and desserts. They ship crunch, taste, they usually make a stunning garnish. The perfect half? Toss ‘em on final minute, halves or chopped—and finished!
2. Bread ‘em. Floor walnuts are a extra flavorful and nutritious coating than plain bread crumbs. Season as you’ll your favourite breading and coat sliced eggplant, zucchini, broccoli—like my Vegan Broccoli Walnut Au Gratin, or plant protein, like tofu and tempeh. Bake or sauté with a contact of olive oil and garnish with herbs as a simple aspect dish or serve on prime of pasta or potatoes.
3. Get Saucy. Floor or coarsely chopped walnuts kick up sauces and dressings with a texture that may be satisfying, substantial, and creamy, or recent and light-weight. Strive them in basic sauce dishes, equivalent to my Vegan Bolognese with Lentils and Walnuts recipe and Butternut Squash Lasagna with Sage Walnut Sauce. Or whisk them right into a salad, like on this Quinoa Waldorf Salad with Walnut Vinaigrette.
4. Get Your Burger On. Walnuts can assist make the right veggie burger. With a texture that’s hearty and meaty, particularly when mixed with entire grains, beans, and lentils, walnuts are certain to be a staple in your grasp burger recipes.
5. Butter Them Up. Walnut butter is an excellent unfold on fruit, sandwiches, and crackers. It’s additionally tremendous straightforward to mix at house within the meals processor to maintain available for a supply of fine fat in baking in addition to a creamy, scrumptious addition to sauces and vinaigrettes.
Written by Sharon Palmer, MSFS, RDN
Sponsored by California Walnuts
