Snacks

Ingredients

Topping

• 1 teaspoon avocado oil
• 2 medium shallots, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 cup California walnuts
• 700g cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped and divided
• 1-1/2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Toast

• 1 teaspoon avocado oil
• 8 slices whole grain sourdough bread (or any other kind)

Preparation:

1. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots, minced garlic and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook and stir for about 2 minutes.
2. Stir in the walnuts and half of black pepper; cook and stir 2 minutes or until beginning to brown. Remove from heat.
3. Remove half of the walnut mixture and put in a blender. Add water, half of thyme and lemon juice to the blender. Blend until you have a creamy mixture. Set aside.
4. Add the thinly sliced mushrooms, remaining salt and pepper to the remaining shallot, garlic and walnut mixture in the pan. Cook and stir mushrooms for about 5 minutes. Add the fresh thyme leaves; stir and remove from heat.
5. When you are ready to eat, heat oil in a medium-sized iron skillet over medium heat. Cook bread slices 2 minutes per side until beginning to brown.
6. Spread 1 tablespoon of blended walnut/shallot/garlic cream over toast, top with 2 tablespoons mushroom mixture over the creamed toast. Enjoy the warmth.

Ingredients

• 1 box frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 225g Brie cheese, sliced
• 1 cup chopped California walnuts
• 1 cup dried cranberries, divided
• Fresh thyme and basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons honey

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Unfold puff pastry and cut each sheet into 6 pieces. Poke holes in the surface of the pastry with a fork to keep from puffing too much during baking. Top with equal amounts of cheese and sprinkle with 3/4 of the walnuts and 3/4 of the cranberries.
3. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.
4. Place thyme and basil leaves on each pastry square. Sprinkle with remaining walnuts and drizzle with honey. Garnish with remaining cranberries.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup California walnuts, coarsely chopped
• 2 cups red grapes
• 1/2 cup olive oil, divided
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, divided
• 1 log fresh goat cheese, cold

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Toast walnuts on baking sheet 8 minutes, transfer walnuts to plate.
4. On the same baking sheet, toss grapes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, thyme and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
5. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until skins are bursting and wrinkled. Remove from the oven and cool for at least 10 minutes.
6. Slice goat cheese into 1/4-inch-thick round; place on serving dish.
7. Pour remaining olive oil on top; let sit while grapes roast.
8. Place grapes and thyme sprigs, chopped walnuts and remaining salt over cheese.
9. Serve with toasted French bread, if you prefer.

Ingredients

• 1 cup California walnuts
• 200g paneer
• 3 cloves garlic
• A piece of ginger
• 2 green chillies
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon chaat masala
• 1/2 teaspoon amchur powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• Handful of coriander leaves
• Mint leaves
• 1 tablespoon ghee

Preparation:

1. Toast the walnuts till they are golden brown in color.
2. Toasting the walnuts brings out the nutty flavor of the nuts.
3. In a food processor, add walnuts and pulse it a few times.
4. Next, garlic, ginger, green chilies, coriander leaves, mint leaves paneer, salt, chili powder, coriander powder, cumin seeds, chaat masala powder, amchur powder, garam masala powder and grind it to a coarse mixture.
5. Take the mixture in a bowl.
6. Make patties and keep it aside.
7. Heat a pan with some ghee, shallow fry the kebabs till they are golden brown in color.
8. Using walnuts in the recipe gives a great texture and a nice crunch to the kebab.
9. Serve them hot with the mint mayo dip.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups California walnuts, divided
• 1 cup dried cherries
• 1 cup dried apricots
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup vanilla whey protein powder
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 2 teaspoons cherry extract

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 121°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside 1 cup walnuts.
2. Place remaining ingredients in a food processor and process just until mixture is sticky and holds together.
3. Add remaining walnuts and pulse on and off to coarsely chop.
4. Press into a 7 X 10-inch rectangle and cut into 20 equal pieces.
5. Place on a prepared baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Let cool, then transfer to an airtight container.

Ingredients:

• 120g California walnuts
• 1 bunch parsley
• 1 clove of garlic
• 28g parmesan cheese
• 4-6 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation:

1. Wash the parsley, pat dry and pluck off the leaves.
2. Peel the garlic and chop it coarsely.
3. Grate the cheese.
4. Grind the walnuts as described in the basic recipe. As soon as the walnuts have formed a thick paste, add the parsley, garlic, cheese and olive oil, and blend again thoroughly.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
• 420g boiled chickpeas
• 2/3 cup celery, diced
• 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup Italian parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup red onion, minced
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 16 slices bread
• 8 large lettuce leaves
• 2 firm but ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and sliced

Preparation:

1. Whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice and syrup in a medium bowl.
2. Place chickpeas in a food processor and pulse to chop.
3. Add to a bowl with dressing and stir in celery, walnuts, cranberries, parsley and onion and season with salt and pepper.
4. Serve between bread slices with lettuce and avocado, or serve as a filling for a lettuce wrap.

Ingredients:

• Small bunch flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• Zest of 1 orange
• 1 small clove of garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• A pinch of salt and pepper
• 100g cherries, cut in half and destoned
• 8 slices of sourdough bread
• 120g soft goats’ cheese
• 60g California walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped 

Preparation:

1. To make the gremolata, mix together the parsley, orange zest, garlic and extra virgin olive oil, and season to taste.
2. Heat a griddle pan until searing hot, then place the cherries in the cut side down. Sear for two minutes.
3. Lightly toast the bread until golden brown and spread each slice with the goats’ cheese. Top each toast with the cherries and gremolata and finish with a sprinkle of walnuts to serve.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 4 slices whole-grain bread, toasted
• 1 1/3 cups cottage cheese
• 1 cup multi-colored cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh basil
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon balsamic syrup

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and arrange walnuts evenly on a small baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes, checking frequently, until toasted.
2. Spread cottage cheese evenly over each slice of toasted bread—layer with tomatoes, toasted walnuts, fresh basil, black pepper, and a drizzle of balsamic syrup.