Description
One look at the grocery store “snack aisle” will tell you that super-spicy snacks and chips are wildly popular. This recipe offers a nutritious, but just as tasty, alternative.
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons White Cheddar popcorn seasoning*
- 2 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons canola oil or vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons red chili pepper hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon water
- 4 cups California walnuts, in halves and large pieces
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Get out a large, shallow baking pan. For easier cleanup, line the pan with parchment paper if you wish, though this is not essential.
- In a small bowl combine the White Cheddar popcorn seasoning, cayenne pepper, paprika, onion powder and garlic powder. Whisk together until thoroughly and evenly blended. Set aside.
- In a large bowl combine the oil, red chili pepper hot sauce and water and whisk together until smooth. Add the walnuts and toss until they are glistening and covered with the oil mixture. Continue tossing and stirring as you sprinkle on the cheese mixture and the nuts become coated with the seasonings.
- Spread the seasoned walnuts on the baking pan. Bake for 6 minutes, and then stir the nuts with a spatula. Bake 6 to 8 minutes longer, until the nuts have browned lightly. Cool completely, then store in an airtight container.
Tip: *White Cheddar popcorn seasoning can be found in the “popcorn” section of most supermarkets. Some people can be sensitive to the heat of hot peppers and their various forms, including red chili pepper hot sauce and cayenne. Use tongs or a big spoon to toss the walnuts with the seasonings, not your bare hands, and work in a well-ventilated kitchen, particularly if you experience any discomfort in the region of your eyes or nose while blending the spicy mixture.
Description
This citrusy, nutty hummus makes a great dip and spread. Try spreading it on panini made with grilled vegetables for a healthful, vegetarian sandwich.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup California walnuts
- 3 tablespoons walnut oil
- 1 garlic clove, quartered
- 1 14-ounce can chickpeas or garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Toast walnuts in 350°F oven for 8 minutes or until golden brown. Cool to room temperature.
- Combine toasted walnuts with oil and garlic and puree in food processor or blender until smooth.
- Add chickpeas, orange zest, orange juice, salt and pepper and continue to blend to an even, smooth consistency. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
- Serve hummus in small serving bowl alongside toasted pita bread or with a variety of colorful raw vegetables.
Description
Sweet apples, crunchy toasted walnuts and broccoli slaw make up this simple salad. A honey lemon vinaigrette is the perfect finish. (Make it a main dish salad by adding your choice of lean protein)
Ingredients
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
Salad
- 3/4 cup coarsely chopped California walnuts, toasted
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup minced red onion
- 1 (12-oz.) bag broccoli slaw (4 cups)
- 1 large apple, cored and cut into small bite-size pieces (preferably honey crisp or Fuji)
Instructions
- Whisk together all dressing ingredients in a large bowl.
- Add walnuts, cranberries, onion, broccoli slaw and apple. Toss well to coat with dressing.
Description
Flour tortilla burrito with “chorizo” walnut meat, cilantro lime rice, Mexican cheese blend, pico de gallo, avocado and shredded lettuce finished with cilantro cream and tomatillo salsa.
Ingredients
For “Chorizo” Meat
- 2 1/2 cups California walnuts
- 1 1/2 cups canned black beans, rinsed
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon paprika, ground
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon ancho powder, ground
- 1 teaspoon oregano, ground
- 1 teaspoon chipotle powder, ground
- 1 teaspoon cumin, ground
- 1 teaspoon coriander, ground
For Burritos
- 4 – 12 inch flour tortillas
- 2 cups California Walnut Chorizo Meat, divided
- 1 cup cilantro lime rice, divided
- 1/2 cup Mexican cheese blend, divided
- 1 cup pico de gallo divided
- 2 avocados, sliced and divided
- 1 cup romaine lettuce, shredded and divided
- 1/2 cup cilantro lime crema
- 1/2 cup tomatillo salsa
Instructions
To Prepare the Chorizo
- To prepare the “chorizo” crumble, place walnuts and beans in a food processor; pulse until coarsely chopped.
- Add 2 tablespoons oil and remaining ingredients to food processor and pulse again until mixture is finely chopped and resembles ground meat, stirring several times and moving the mixture from the bottom of the food processor bowl to the top to evenly mix.
- Heat remaining oil in a very large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add “chorizo” mixture to skillet and cook for 10 minutes or until mixture is nicely browned and resembles ground meat, stirring frequently.
To Assemble the Burritos
- Heat tortillas.
- Fill each tortilla with 1/2 cup of Walnut Chorizo, 1/4 cup cilantro lime rice, 2 tablespoons Mexican cheese blend, 1/2 avocado, 1/4 cup romaine lettuce and 2 tablespoons cilantro lime crema.
- Roll up and pan fry in a dry pan to toast burrito and heat through.
- Serve each with 2 tablespoons of tomatillo salsa.
Description
Expect a touch of smoky flavor in these vegetarian tacos, courtesy of the fire roasted corn and chipotle adobo sauce. That boldness in flavor is contrasted with creamy cotija cheese and sour cream, and brightness from fresh lime and cilantro. The “meat” is made with a hearty combination of walnuts and chopped mushrooms. For a twist on the recipe, serve the taco filling over a rice base instead of in tortillas.
Ingredients
Chipotle Sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chipotle adobo sauce
- 1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
California Walnut Taco “Meat”
- 1 1/2 cups raw shelled walnuts
- 2 cups roughly chopped white button mushrooms
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 1/2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, for cooking
Tacos
- 12 small flour or corn tortillas
- 1 cup drained fire roasted corn
- 1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
- 1 lime, sliced into wedges
Instructions
- Stir together chipotle adobo sauce and sour cream in a small bowl. Refrigerate until serving.
- Combine walnuts, mushrooms, cumin, chili powder, garlic, soy sauce and lime juice in a food processor. Pulse to break up walnuts and mushrooms into small crumbles.
- Heat olive oil over medium-low heat in a skillet. Add walnut mixture and cook, stirring occasionally for 7-8 minutes, until mushrooms are tender.
- Spoon walnut taco meat over tortillas topped with roasted corn, cotija, chipotle sauce, cilantro, and lime wedges
Description
Walnuts really make the difference with this simple homemade chocolate brownie recipe. Rich and delicious!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips
- 2/3 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 eggs
- 3/4 cup California walnuts, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Butter a 9″x9″ square baking pan.
- In a double boiler over low heat, melt butter and chocolate chips together and remove from heat.
- In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients.
- When the chocolate/butter mixture has cooled a little whisk in the eggs and vanilla.
- Note: it is important to cool the chocolate/butter mixture or the eggs will cook.
- Add the dry ingredients and whisk to combine.
- Stir in the chopped walnuts.
- Pour batter into prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a knife inserted into center comes out clean.
Description
This cake is filled with diced apples, honey, and California walnuts for that extra crunch. It’s topped with a sweet glaze that just takes this easy to make cake over the top.
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour, divided
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 cup honey
- ½ cup apple sauce
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 3 eggs
- 1 medium apple, peeled, cored and diced small
- 1 cup roughly chopped California walnuts
Glaze
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
- 1 tablespoon water (or milk)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ¼ cup chopped California walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F and heavily coat a 10-cup Bundt pan with baking spray.
- Stir together 2 cups flour, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl; whisk lightly to combine.
- Place honey, applesauce, oil and orange juice in a mixer bowl and beat with the whisk attachment to combine. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Slowly add flour mixture and beat for 2 minutes to make a smooth batter.
- Toss the chopped apple and walnuts with the remaining tablespoon of flour and pour into batter. Spread batter in prepared pan and bake for 55 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cake for 10 minutes, then invert onto a parchment coated wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare glaze just before serving. Whisk together sugar, water or milk and honey in a medium bowl. Stir in chopped nuts and drizzle over cake.
Description
By Jenny Shea Rawn, MS, MPH, RD, recipe developer and healthy food blogger at My Cape Cod Kitchen
Ingredients
- 6 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed
- 1 cup California walnuts, chopped
- 1 cup dried sweetened cranberries
- 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) salted butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉ and line a baking sheet with foil.
- Pierce sweet potatoes a few times with a fork and place onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until sweet potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork or sharp knife. Let sweet potatoes cool slightly then slice open lengthwise and spread open slightly. Mash pulp of each sweet potato with a fork.
- Combine chopped walnuts, cranberries, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt into a medium bowl; mix well.
- Mound each sweet potato with 1/3 cup cranberry walnut mixture. Place sweet potatoes back in oven and bake an additional 15 minutes, until topping is warm and fragrant. Remove sweet potatoes from oven.
- Drizzle sweet potatoes with maple syrup and serve warm.
Description
Whether topped with sweet and salty ingredients or marbled with sweet dark and white chocolate, Chocolate Walnut Bark is a delightful treat any time of year.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups California walnuts
- 1/2 cup Pomegranate arils (seeds), fresh
- 1/2 teaspoon course or flaked sea salt
- 1 (12-ounce) bag dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips or 12-ounce chocolate bar, broken loosely into pieces
- 1 (12-ounce) bag white chocolate chips or 12-ounce white chocolate bar, broken loosely into pieces
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
Instructions
- Coarsely break or rough chop walnuts and place in a small bowl, leaving aside any skins that have broken off.
- Set pomegranate arils out beside the walnuts.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Melt chocolate. Microwave technique: Place about 2/3 of the dark or milk chocolate chips in a medium glass bowl with 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. Microwave on 50% power for 30 seconds and stir. Repeat until the chips are mostly melted. Add the remaining chips into the bowl and stir vigorously. You will have a thick, melted bowl of chocolate. Repeat the melting steps with the white chocolate and remaining vegetable oil. Stovetop technique: Using a double boiler on medium heat with 1-2 inches of water to the bottom pan, careful to make sure that the water does not touch the bottom of the upper pan (or other heat-safe mixing bowl). Add the chocolate and stir frequently as you see the chocolate begin to melt. Once melted, remove from heat and add the remaining chocolate chips into the bowl and stir vigorously. Repeat for the white chocolate and remaining vegetable oil.
- Using a spatula, spoon out the melted chocolate onto the parchment paper to make a 1/4-inch layer. You can create an optional marbled look by reserving and dropping spoonfuls of the dark chocolate onto the white layer and white chocolate onto the dark layer and using a knife to create an unstructured pattern.
- Sprinkle with walnuts and pomegranate arils and lightly press them into the surface of the chocolate. Sprinkle a few flakes of sea salt across the bark.
- Refrigerate on the baking sheet until firm, then remove from the refrigerator and carefully break it into pieces.
- Store in the refrigerator on layers of parchment paper in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Tips
- Make sure to melt the chocolate slowly at a lower power, stirring frequently. Melting too fast can cause the chocolate to become discolored.
- Melting about 2/3 of the chocolate and then adding the rest to the hot, melted chocolate will yield the best bark texture. Stirring the chocolate well as it starts to cool will also help give the bark the best texture.
- If you are marbling the chocolate, don’t overmix. Swirl back and forth in a zigzag or in circles until you get your desired look.
- Don’t spread too thin or the toppings won’t hold.
- Store in the refrigerator until close to serving, especially in warmer climates or in a warm house, or the bark may become soft.
Variations
1 cup coarsely chopped pretzels
3/4 cup coarsely crushed candy canes
3/4 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup coconut chips or large flakes unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup toffee bits
1/2 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
1/2 cup mini marshmallows and 1/2 cup coarsely crumbled graham cracker crust
A light sprinkle of flaked smoked sea salt
Description
As seen on the Hallmark Home & Family Channel. Featuring nutrient-rich cranberries, walnuts and orange juice, this tart-sweet combination is perfect for your holiday breakfast or brunch. Make ahead the night before and pop in the oven in the morning!
* Nutrition information is for French Toast only
Ingredients
Overnight Walnut French Toast
- 8 slices Texas Toast or 1-inch thick slices French bread
- 2 1/2 cups milk or walnut milk
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup butter, melted (plus extra for baking dish)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 6 eggs
Cranberry Walnut Ginger Compote
- 1/2 cup toasted California Walnuts, coarsely chopped
- 2 cups cranberries
- 1/2 cup orange juice (juice from 2 oranges)
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- Zest from 1 orange
Instructions
Overnight Walnut French Toast
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Place bread on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes or until it’s lightly toasted on the outside, but still very soft on the inside. Butter a 13 X 9– inch baking dish.
- Whisk together milk, sugar, butter, extract, cinnamon and eggs in a large bowl. Dip each bread slice into mixture and let soak for about 15 seconds on each side. Place in prepared baking dish, overlapping slices slightly if necessary.
- Cover and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until it’s golden brown and somewhat firm to the touch. Serve immediately.
Cranberry Walnut Ginger Compote
- To toast walnuts: Preheat oven or toaster oven to 350°F. Place walnuts on a baking sheet and toast for 8 minutes. Remove from heat and chop coarsely.
- On medium heat, bring to a boil and stir frequently for 12-15 minutes until the cranberries pop and the liquid starts to reduce.
- Serve warm or transfer to container and refrigerate once cooled.
