Recipes For A Smooth(ie) Summer!

As we bid adieu to the cool air and cheerful colors of spring, and brace ourselves for yet another round of blazing days ahead, we rifle through our recipe books to whip up a variety of summer coolers in advance. Summer months can be unforgiving, especially in the kitchen –and these are the times when quick and easy recipes are the most sought after. Add your wonder nuts like California walnuts to it, and you are all set to say cheers to a glassful of superfood smoothie made in minutes! A handful of walnuts provide key nutrients like protein (4g), fiber (2g) and plant based omega-3 fatty acids, making them a simple yet powerful addition to your smoothies.

Be it the refreshing goodness of cocoa, coconut, banana, dates in Walnut Mocha Smoothie, an intense burst of fruity flavor in Mixed Berry Walnut Chia Smoothie, or the creamy concoction of the Walnut, Date and Fig Milkshake – cool off ‘smoothly’ with these nutritious delights in the rising temperatures.

Walnut Mocha Smoothie

Ingredients

1 cup brewed coffee, cooled
1 cup coconut milk
1 banana, sliced and frozen
4 Medjool dates, pitted
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup California walnut halves and pieces
4 large ice cubes

Preparations

  1. Place all ingredients in a blender. Turn the blender on low and then gradually increase to high. Blend on high until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.

Walnut, Fig & Date Milkshake

Ingredients

3/4 cup vanilla ice cream
1/2 cup California walnut milk.
2 large Medjool dates (pitted)
2 tablespoons chopped California walnuts
1 tablespoon fig jam
Fresh figs, honey and walnut pieces

Preparations

  1. In a blender, purée ice cream, dates and walnut milk until smooth.
  2. Pour small amounts into a tall glass, alternating with spoonfuls of fig jam.
  3. Add fresh figs, honey and walnut pieces, for garnish

*For California Walnut Milk:

Soak a cup of untoasted California walnuts for 2 Hours in 2 cups of water. Strain and rinse California walnuts well. Transfer to a blender with one cup of cold water. Blend on high for a minute. Strain through a muslin cloth till you get an almost dry powdery mass in the muslin cloth after pressing the milk. Transfer in a glass jar and store in the refrigerator. This gives you 2 cups of homemade pressed California Walnut milk.

Mixed Berry Walnut Chia Smoothie

Ingredients

1 cup milk
1/4 cup frozen strawberries
1/4 cup frozen blueberries
1/4 cup frozen raspberries
1/4 cup frozen blackberries
2 tablespoons California walnuts
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparations

  1. Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.