Carrot Banana And California Walnut Smoothie

Ingredients

  • 80 g oat flakes
  • 40 g protein powder
  • 3 frozen bananas (circa 300g)
  • 6 small carrots
  • 400 g natural yoghurt
  • 2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 240 ml water

For topping

  • Chopped California walnuts
  • Cinnamon

Preparations

  1. Put all ingredients in the blender. Start first with bananas, carrots and the natural yoghurt. Add oat flakes, protein powder, cinnamon and water.
  2. Mix the ingredients well until there are no more lumps in the smoothie.
  3. Put the smoothie in glasses and garnish them with California walnuts and cinnamon.


Chicken, Avocado And California Walnut Rice Paper Wrappers

Ingredients

For the wraps

  • 6 rice paper wrappers
  • 1 cooked chicken breast, sliced
  • 60 g toasted California walnuts, roughly chopped
  • 1 avocado, peeled and sliced
  • Small bunch of Thai basil
  • Small bunch of mint
  • A handful of micro herbs (if available)
  • Small bunch of watercress (or rocket leaves if you prefer)

For the dipping sauce

  • 2 tablespoon tahini
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 2 teaspoon soy sauce
  • A pinch of sugar
  • 2 cm piece of ginger, finely grated

Preparations

  1. Whisk together the tahini, lime juice, soy sauce, ginger and sugar. Loosen the mixture with a splash of water to create the perfect dipping consistency.
  2. Take a large mixing bowl and fill with warm water. Gather together the remaining ingredients so they are all to hand.
  3. Soak a rice paper wrapper in the warm water for about 20 seconds and place on a damp, clean tea towel.
  4. Put a little chicken, avocado, watercress and a sprinkle of the herbs in the middle of the wrapper, then sprinkle with some of the California walnuts. Fold in the edges of the wrapper over the filling and roll up the opposite edges to seal. Continue this process with the remaining ingredients.
  5. Serve with the dipping sauce and remaining chopped California walnuts on the side to dip as you go.


Beet Ravioli Stuffed With Blue Cheese And California Walnuts

Ingredients

  • 1 medium beet
  • 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
  • Pinch of salt

Filling

  • 150 g of blue cheese
  • 100 g of California Walnuts
  • Basil

Preparations

  1. Peel the beet and cut into slim slices using a mandolin slicer. The slices must have flexibility, but they should not be broken.
  2. Put the best slices in a bowl and add the bowl lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil and salt, mix them up with hands until all the slices are soaked. Let them macerate for 30 minutes and drain them.
  3. Fill in the beet slices with blue cheese and chopped California walnuts. Put approximately one California walnut in each one.
  4.  Serve it accompanied by basil and extra virgin olive oil.


Spelt Salad With Roasted Green Asparagus, Radish And California Walnuts

Ingredients

  • 250 gm spelt, peeled
  • 1 cup vegetable stock
  • Salt and pepper
  • 50 g California walnut kernels
  • 1 bunch of green asparagus
  • 1 bunch of radish
  • 40 ml olive oil
  • Juice and peel of half a lemon
  • 1 clove of garlic

Preparations

  1. Cook the spelt according to the package instructions in the vegetable stock until soft, drain and let it cool down.
  2.  Roast the California walnut kernels without any fat in a pan and chop them coarsely.
  3.  Peel the lower end of the asparagus and cut it into medium size, diagonal pieces.
  4. Pour some olive oil into the pan and roast the asparagus with some garlic.
  5.  Clean the radish and cut them into equal slices.
  6. Mix the rest of the olive oil with lemon juice and season to taste  with salt and pepper.
  7. Now mix the lukewarm asparagus with olive oil, garlic, radish, roasted California walnuts and spelt in a big bowl and pour the dressing over the salad. Mix everything together and season according to your taste.


Summer Corn And Edamame Salad With California Walnut Miso Dressing

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup California walnut halves, toasted
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 2 tablespoon white miso paste
  • 2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1/4 cup warm water
  • 1-1/2 cups shelled edamame, fresh or frozen
  • 3 cups cooked fresh or frozen corn (about 3 cobs)
  • 1/2 cup diced red pepper
  • 1/2 cup diced orange pepper
  • 2 green onions, sliced
  • Salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Preparations

  1. Toasting Walnuts: In a large, dry skillet over medium-high heat, toast walnuts, stirring occasionally, until lightly brown, about 1 to 2 minutes.
  2.  California Walnut miso dressing: Blend the walnuts, olive oil, garlic, miso paste, vinegar, honey and water in a blender or with an immersion blender until smooth; set aside.
  3.  In a small sauce pan, bring 3 cups of water to a boil and add edamame. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, drain and rinse under cold water and place in a large bowl. Add corn, peppers, onions and dressing. Mix well and season to taste. Serve immediately.


Spicy Summer Salad With California Walnuts

Ingredients

  • 100 g sugar snap
  • 80 g California walnuts
  • 1 charantais melon
  • 400 g red watermelon
  • 1 bunch of arugula
  • 50 g Edam cheese
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 2 tablespoon oil
  • A pinch of cayenne pepper and chili powder
  • 2 tablespoon dried cranberries

Preparations

  1. Rinse, clean and blanch sugar snaps for 1-2 minutes in salted water. Drain beans, quench them with cold water and drain well again.
  2. Chop walnuts coarsely and fry shortly in a pan without fat. Leave to cool on a plate.
  3. Slice the Charantais melon, remove the seeds and peel. Also peel the watermelon. Cut both melons into pieces. Clean, rinse and spin arugula dry. Cut the Edam cheese into small cubes.
  4.  Mix lime juice with oil and season with cayenne pepper and chili powder. Mix the prepared ingredients (except the California walnuts) with the vinaigrette, sprinkle with cranberries and California walnuts and serve.


California Walnut And Roasted Carrot Hummus

Ingredients

  • 200 g carrots cut into sticks
  • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 400 g tin chickpeas, drained
  • 2 tablespoon tahini
  • Juice of one lemon
  • 80 g California walnuts, toasted
  • Salt and pepper to taste

To serve

  • A handful of green olives, roughly chopped
  • 2 slices of preserved lemons, thinly sliced
  • Small bunch coriander, roughly chopped or torn
  • Additional extra virgin olive oil (optional)

Preparations

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the carrots onto a small roasting tray and sprinkle over the cumin  and olive oil. Roast in the oven for 20-30 minutes, or until tinged golden.
  2. Place the roasted carrots, chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice and 50 g of the California walnuts into a food processor and blend until smooth. Add a splash of water as per desired consistency. Season it with salt and pepper.
  3. Spoon the hummus into your chosen container, then top with the olives, preserved lemon slices, coriander and leftover California walnuts. Drizzle over some extra olive oil.


Roasted Beets, Spring Onion, Barley And California Walnuts

Ingredients

  • 300 g beetroot
  • 150 g spring onion
  • 50 g barley
  • 100 g California walnuts
  • 50 g rucola leaves
  • 5 ml lemon juice
  • 1 ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 5 g thyme, rosemary
  • Salt, pepper

Preparations

  1. Soak the barley overnight. Boil for 15 minutes until cooked but not soft. Strain and add some olive oil to prevent sticking. Keep aside.
  2. Wrap each beetroot with the thyme and rosemary and a drop of olive oil individually in aluminium foil and roast in the oven at 175°C for 1 1/2 hours or until soft. Remove from the foil and peel off the skin.
  3. Chop the green off the spring onion. Blanch the white bulbs in vinegar and salt for 3 minutes. Keep aside to cool.
  4. Wash the rucola leaves and leave them in ice water to crisp up. Dry in a cloth or salad spinner. Mix lemon juice and olive oil in a bowl for the dressing.
  5. Add salt and pepper. Cut the beetroot into large chunks. Add barley, toasted California walnuts and spring onions. Toss with the rucola. Drizzle the dressing on top and mix the whole salad.


Rocket, California Walnut And Parma Ham Salad

Ingredients

  • 8-10 rocket leaves
  • 1⁄2 cup California walnuts
  • 100 g parma ham
  • 100 g red grapes
  • 50 g gorgonzola cheese
  • 25 g asparagus
  • balsamic dressing

Balsamic Dressing

  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper, ground
  • 1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Preparations

  1. For Balsamic Dressing: Mix all the ingredients except oil together.Thereafter, add oil to the mixture and mix well with a whisk.
  2. Toast walnut in the oven at 170°C for 7-8 minutes.
  3. To make Parma ham chips: Arrange the slices in one layer, without overlapping, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in a 170°C oven for 8- 10 minutes, then turn off the heat and let the ham stay in the oven for another 10 minutes. Remove and cool, then break into shards.
  4.  Clean, wash & dry rocket leaves, blanch asparagus in salted water for 3-4 minutes, remove with tongs and immediately transfer to iced water.
  5. In a large bowl mix rocket leaves, grapes, asparagus, walnut & balsamic dressing.
  6. Arrange salad in individual bowls, garnish with California walnuts and parma ham chips. Finish the salad with crumbled gorgonzola cheese.


Spinach, Strawberry And California Walnut Salad

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons strawberry preserves
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries
  • 1 packet baby spinach
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped California walnuts, toasted*
  • 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Preparations

  1. Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, strawberry preserves and salt in a large bowl.
  2. Add sliced strawberries and toss lightly. Place spinach in the bowl and toss again to coat with the dressing. Top with California walnuts and cheese and serve immediately.

*To toast walnuts, add the walnuts to a hot, dry pan set over medium heat, only toasting as many walnuts as fit in the pan in a single layer. Cook walnuts, watching constantly and stirring frequently, for 1-2 minutes or until the walnuts start to brown and smell fragrant & toasted. Since the walnuts will burn easily in the pan, you must stir constantly to ensure even toasting until the walnuts turn a rich, golden brown. Remove walnuts to a plate or bowl to cool.