Dinner

Ingredients

• 500 g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks
• 2½ teaspoons white miso paste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 75 g California walnuts
• 2 tablespoons double cream
• 1 tablespoon chilli infused oil
• 1 teaspoon honey

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Place the sweet potato on a baking tray. Mix together 2 teaspoons miso paste with the olive oil and seasoning and toss into the sweet potato until evenly coated. Roast for 15 minutes then sprinkle over half the walnuts and roast for a further 10 minutes until tender.
3. Place in a food processor with the cream and blend until smooth.
4. Mix together the remaining chopped walnuts and miso paste and blend in the chilli oil and honey, drizzle over the miso mash to serve.

Cooks tip:
Try baking whole sweet potatoes, scoop out some of the flesh and mix with the miso walnut and chilli oil then place back into the shell.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup onion chopped
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• Pepper to taste
• 2/3 cup California walnut cream
• 3 tablespoons chiffonade fresh basil
• California walnut Parmesan

Preparation:

1.  Heat oil In a large sauce pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes.
2. Add, vegetable stock, salt, sugar and tomatoes; cover and cook over low heat for 40 minutes. Season with pepper.
3. Add basil and purée with stick blender until very smooth.
4. Stir in walnut cream and garnish with additional basil and shaved walnut Parmesan.

Ingredients

• 150g California walnuts, chopped
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 red chilli, finely diced
• 1 tablespoon medium curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 aubergine, cut into 1cm dice
• 200g mushrooms, sliced
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 100g baby spinach
• 225g basmati rice, cooked

Preparation:

1. Soak the walnuts in lukewarm water for 20 minutes, drain well.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the onion and chilli for 4-5 minutes, add the spices and then the aubergine and mushrooms, cook for a further 4-5 minutes.
3. Stir in the tomatoes, 100ml water and the walnuts, bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the spinach until just wilted and season.
4. Serve with the cooked basmati rice.

Ingredients

• 6 whole carrots
• 1 unsweetened Greek yogurt
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 30g of California walnuts, toasted
• Sesame seeds
• Arugula
• A pinch of salt
• A pinch of pepper
• Optional: thyme, rosemary or paprika powder

Preparation:

1. Cut the stems off the carrots. Cut first in half and then into quarters.
2. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Season the carrots with salt and pepper and place them in a dish to coat them with olive oil. You can also add thyme, rosemary or paprika if you wish.
3. Put the carrots in the oven until they are well done.
4. Take the yogurt, put it in a bowl and add pepper, olive oil and salt. Mix together.
5. Add walnut pieces and the yogurt sauce to the carrots. Finally, add a touch of olive oil, toasted sesame and arugula.

Ingredients

• 2 leeks
• 30g extra virgin olive oil
•  1 lemon
• A pinch of salt
• A pinch of pepper
• 1 handful of walnuts
• 1 litre of broth or water

Preparation:

1. Cut the leeks in quarters.
2. Sauté them in a pot with olive oil.
3. Add the walnuts and cover them with water or broth. Boil for 15 minutes.
4. Mash and serve with some chopped walnuts and grated lemon.

Ingredients

• 300g mutton
• 5 teaspoons ghee
• Whole spices (black pepper, bay leaf, whole black cardamom, green cardamom, star anise and cinnamon stick)
• 2 medium onions, sliced
• 2 teaspoons walnut paste
• 4 teaspoons curd
• 1 cup milk
• Cream to finish
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• Mint and coriander leaves
• 1 teaspoon  chilli powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala

Preparation:

1. In a pan, heat 5 teaspoons of ghee, add whole spices to it and stir until the ghee turns aromatic.
2. Now, add sliced onions, green chilli, salt, ginger-garlic paste and sauté until the onions turn golden brown.
3. Add mutton and continuously stir till the mutton changes colour, then add chopped coriander powder, chilli powder, garam masala, mint and coriander leaves and mix.
4. Now add curd, walnut paste, milk and water, stir until it is all combined.
5. Cover the pan with the lid and bring the mutton to a boil until it’s cooked thoroughly. Garnish with cream and fresh coriander leaves.

Ingredients

• 50g California walnuts
• 120g soybean (in spring water)
• 1 tomato
• 1/2 onion
• 1/3 carrot
• 2 shiitake mushroom
• 1/3 eggplant
• 80g pumpkin
• 1/8 bell pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 cup kelp broth
• 1 tablespoon mirin
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Rice as needed
• Italian parsley as needed

Preparation:

1. Bake the walnuts in a toaster oven for a few minutes and then chop them.
2. Rinse off soybeans and drain in a colander.
3. Cook tomato over direct heat and peel. Remove seed and cut coarsely.
4. Chop onions, carrots, Shiitake mushrooms, and cut eggplant, pumpkin, and bell pepper into dice.
5. Sauté eggplant and pumpkin in a frying pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
6. Sauté pumpkin until lightly browned and eggplant until soft. Add the bell pepper and a pinch of salt to sauté. Put the veggies on a plate.
7. Put the rest of the olive oil in the frying pan and sauté onion and carrot for 3 minutes over medium flame.
8. Add shiitake mushroom after the onion and carrot are cooked.
9. Mash the tomato lightly with a spatula. After the tomato is cooked, add 1 tablespoon of mirin and 2 tablespoons of soya sauce and simmer.
10. When the veggies are cooked, add the toasted walnuts and sauté.
11. Add carrot and sauté. Season with salt and black pepper to finish.
12. Put curry powder on hot rice and decorate with Italian parsley.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 cups coarsely chopped cremini mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 cups crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup chopped California walnuts
• 1 can (400g) diced tomatoes
• Sea salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 pound pasta
• Snipped fresh basil (optional garnish)

Preparation:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and onion and sauté for 5 minutes to soften. Stir in mushrooms and sauté over medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes more or until mushrooms are very soft, stirring occasionally.
2. Stir in oregano, basil, tomato paste and vinegar.
3. Add crushed tomatoes, walnuts and diced tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
4. Cook pasta according to package directions while sauce is simmering, then drain well.
5. Heat remaining oil in a small skillet. Add breadcrumbs and red pepper and cook over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently.
6. Place pasta into pasta bowls and top with equal amounts of sauce. (Or toss pasta with sauce before placing in bowls.) Sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon browned breadcrumbs.
7. Top with fresh basil, if desired.
8. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Ingredients

Walnut Crust

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup California walnuts, finely chopped

Casserole

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 225g cremini or baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 225g large pasta shells
• 3 cans (140g) water packed tuna, drained and flaked
• 1 cup frozen petite peas
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley, plus additional for garnish
• 2 cups shredded sharp white cheddar cheese, divided

Preparation:

1. To prepare the crust, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs, salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes or until breadcrumbs are golden brown. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in walnuts; set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 160°C and lightly grease a 2 1/2-quart shallow baking dish.
3. To prepare the casserole, cook pasta in boiling water until al dente. Drain well and set aside.
4. While pasta is cooking, melt butter in a very large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes or until slightly softened and translucent. Increase heat to medium-high and add mushrooms and salt. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes more or until vegetables are tender and lightly browned.
5. Stir in flour and cook for about 1 minute. Gradually stir in milk and vegetable broth and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.
6. Stir pasta into vegetable mixture with tuna, peas and parsley. Remove from heat and stir in half the Cheddar cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Spread into a prepared baking dish and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover with walnut mixture.
8. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until bubbling on the edges and golden brown on top. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Ingredients

Cilantro Walnut Sauce

• 1 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves and stems
• 1/2 cup California walnuts
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, stemmed, seeded and sliced

Chicken

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup chopped California walnuts
• Fresh cilantro leaves and fresh pico de gallo (optional toppers)

Preparation:

1. Place all cilantro walnut sauce ingredients in a food processor and process until very smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
2. Sprinkle chicken with onion powder and sea salt. Set instant pot to sauté and melt half the butter. Add half the chicken and cook until lightly browned. Remove chicken from pot and repeat with remaining butter and chicken. Place all chicken in the pot, add broth and lock the pot.
3. Set the pressure to cook at normal temperature for 12 minutes. When the cooking cycle is done, let stand for at least 10 minutes before carefully releasing the pressure valve.
4. Remove cover and switch back to sauté setting. Let cook until half of the liquid has cooked off.
5. Remove chicken from pot and stir in cilantro walnut sauce. Serve sauce immediately over chicken and garnish with walnuts, cilantro leaves and pico de gallo, if desired.
6. Place ramekins onto a sheet pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until pastry is golden brown and cooked through.