Get Warm This Winter With Soothingly Satiating Recipes By California Walnuts

Your hands and feet have started needing just an extra dab of moisturizer. You’re craving for a mug of rich hot chocolate is getting deeper. And so is the urge to enter a kitchen that’s warm from the stove and rich with the scents of something cooking. To put it simply, winter isn’t coming – it’s already here!

Every winter, there’s a desire to stay home with a throw tucked around your feet as you read your favorite book or catch up on that TV show. However, whether you choose to stay in or brave the cold and head out, it’s imperative to eat well as the seasons change. As temperatures dip, the body needs to adapt to the changing weather, and a good diet is absolutely important for it to do so.

As always, we’re here to help you whip up some delicious winter specials that will not only keep you warm, but also your bellies full and happy. Here are a few simple recipes that you can try for yourselves this winter, with the wholesome goodness of California walnuts.

Coconut Curry Lentil and Walnut Meatballs – Chef Sabyasachi Gorai

Ingredients
Meatballs:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and coarsely shredded
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup chopped California walnuts
  • 1/2 cup brown lentils, cooked
  • 1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten

Coconut Curry Sauce:

  • 1 can lite or regular coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoons red curry paste
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon cold water
  • Juice of 1 lime (2 tablespoons)
  • Salt to taste
  • Cilantro leaves
  • Thai basil leaves
  • Snipped green onion tops
  • Lime zest (optional garnishes)

Preparations

    1. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion and carrot and cook for 7 minutes or until very soft, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomato paste, ginger, salt and garlic and cook for 3 minutes more, stirring frequently.
    2. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in walnuts, lentils, breadcrumbs and egg; mix well. Chill the mixture for 15 minutes.
    3. Preheat oven to 200°C and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease. Roll walnut mixture into 16 equal balls and place on baking sheet, and bake for 20 minutes or until tops are lightly browned.
    4. While walnuts are baking, bring coconut milk, curry paste and garlic to a gentle boil in a medium saucepan. Whisk in dissolved cornstarch and cook until slightly thickened. Stir in lime juice and salt.
    5. Add meatballs to sauce and gently stir to coat. Garnish as desired.

Broccoli Walnut Soup-Chef Neha Deepak Shah

Ingredients

  • A handful of spinach
  •  250g broccoli florets
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 2-15 California walnut halves
  • 1/2 cup water/ vegetable stock
  • ½ stock cube
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • Salt to taste

For the Béchamel sauce (optional):

  • 2 teaspoons butter
  • 2 teaspoons refined flour
  • 1 cup milk

Preparations

  1. Wash and blanch the spinach for one minute. Remove, strain and keep aside. You can keep them in ice cold water.
  2. Wash and blanch the broccoli florets. Remove, strain and keep them aside too.
  3. Now, heat some oil in a pan. Add onion and garlic. Season them with salt and cook for about 5-7 minutes.
  4. Once the onions are cooked, add in the walnut halves and toast them for about 2-3 minutes.
  5. Add the blanched veggies and combine well. Pour the vegetable stock/ water and add in the stock cube.
  6. Mix well, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
  7. After 10 minutes, remove the lid and transfer the cooked mixture into a large bowl.
  8. Blend them super smooth using a hand blender. Keep aside.
  9. For the béchamel sauce, heat butter in a pan. Add the flour and mix well.
  10. Add the milk and cook on medium flame with constant stirring until it thickens.
  11. Add the pureed broccoli-walnut mixture. Mix well and cook until it starts simmering.
  12. Add black pepper and simmer for another 3-4 minutes.
  13. Remove and serve hot with a drizzle of cream, some pink salt and pepper. Garnish with blanched broccoli florets and toasted walnuts.

Walnut Lauki Halwa – Kumar Nachikhet

Ingredients

  • 1  medium-sized lauki/ bottle gourd
  • 400ml milk
  • 3 tablespoons ghee
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
  • ½ cup California walnuts  crushed
  • 1 teaspoon keora water

Preparations

  1. In a pan, heat 3 tablespoons ghee and add grated lauki and cook till it just starts to change color, for approx 15 mins.
  2. Add equal parts of milk and cook it together till it reduces and mix with the lauki completely.
  3. Add sugar and cardamom powder, and cook till the sugar dissolves completely. Add crushed California walnuts and cook for another 2-3 mins.
  4. Add keora water and give it a final mix.