Light Up Your Diwali Celebrations This Year With These Healthy And Delicious Recipes

In India, Diwali is one of the most awaited festivals of the year. Twinkling lights at every window, glowing homes, delicious sweets, and beautiful rangolis outside every door – what’s not to love about this festival? Usually lasting for five days, Diwali signifies the triumph of light over darkness and also symbolizes new beginnings.

Every year, Diwali sees friends and family coming together to celebrate, and the aroma of scrumptious food begins to waft out of every kitchen. This Diwali, California walnuts recommends a few yummy dishes that you can cook for your loved ones this year, with a touch of added nutrition, thanks to the presence of walnuts. Filled with nutrients that support the heart, brain, and gut walnuts are a very healthy food choice. They also bring in an element of festive cheer to all kinds of dishes. Just a handful of walnuts (28 grams) offer natural, wholesome, plant-based nutrition that includes 4 grams of protein, 2 grams of fiber, and 2.5 grams of omega-3 ALA.

So, go on and experiment with any (or all) of these recipes. Happy Diwali!

Walnut Baklava – Chef Neha Deepak Shah

Ingredients

  • 16 phyllo sheets
  • 1 cup California walnuts, chopped
  • 100g butter

For the Sugar syrup (to pour on top):

  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 5 tablespoon water
  • 1 inch cinnamon stick
  • 4-5 whole cardamom
  • 1 lime (To prevent crystallisation)

Preparations

    1. Melt the butter on low flame.
    2. Take one phyllo sheet & generously spread some butter on it, sprinkle chopped walnuts, place one more phyllo sheet on it, brush it once again with some butter & sprinkle walnuts.
    3. Roll it up using a chopstick or any thin stick. Pull it together to create beautiful creases. Make 7 to 8 of these or more depending the size of your tray. Cut it as desired.
    4. Place this in a baking tray & bake this on a pre heated oven at 180°C for 25 to 30 mins or until it is golden.
    5. Remove it from the oven & while it is still hot, pour some sugar syrup on it.
    6. For making the sugar syrup, simply bring all the ingredients to a boil and let it cook down. Don’t over cook it else it will crystallise.
    7. Let it soak for 3 hours and then serve or you can store in an air tight container for upto a week.

Walnut Peda – Kumar Nachikhet

Ingredients

  • 1 cup California walnuts
  • 1l milk
  • 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
  • ½ cup sugar

Preparations

  1. In a kadhai, add milk and then bring it to boil. Keep stirring and scraping the sides till the milk is reduced to 90% and it thickens
  2. Add cardamom powder and crushed and ground walnuts and mix and cook for 3-4 mins
  3. Add sugar and cook till it dissolves completely
  4. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let it cool down completely.
  5. Apply ghee in hands and then take small portions and form pedas and top it with some chopped walnuts

Walnut Mushroom Tikka – Kumar Nachikhet

Ingredients

  • ½ cup California walnuts
  • 3 tablespoons fresh cream
  • 4 green chillies
  • 1½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon white pepper
  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • ½ teaspoon cumin powder
  • ½ teaspoon Kasuri methi
  • ¼  cup water
  • 200g mushroom
  • 1 capsicum
  • 1 onion
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter

Preparations

  1. In a blender add California walnuts, fresh cream, green chillies, salt, white pepper, coriander powder, cumin powder, Kasuri methi, water and blend into a fine paste
  2. In a bowl, add mushrooms, diced capsicum and onions and pour the walnuts paste in it. Coat it well and put it on a skewer
  3. Heat a grill pan and add oil and butter to it, place the skewers on the pan and cook for one minute on each side till well charred