1. Snack Time
Walnuts are an excellent snack on their own. They provide protein, fiber, and healthy fats, making them a great food to keep you feeling full between meals. You can eat walnuts raw or roasted. If you want to add some flavor, you can sprinkle them with a bit of salt, black pepper, or some minced herbs.
2. Make a Pesto
Pesto is a sauce made of basil, garlic, nuts, and olive oil. While most recipes call for pine nuts, walnuts can substitute pine nuts easily. The earthy flavors of the walnuts complement the sweet basil and sharp garlic to make a delicious sauce. Use it as a pasta sauce, as a dip, or add it to your vegetable salads.
3. Add Crunch to Salads
Adding walnuts to salads is a great way to jazz them up. Toasted walnuts are fantastic in salads because they add a great crunch and nuttiness to your lettuce. You can mix walnuts with your greens, toss them in with other vegetables, or add them to a fruit salad.
4. Make Your Own Granola
Granola is an excellent breakfast cereal that you can enjoy with milk, yogurt, or on its own. It is typically made with oats, nuts, and dried fruit. Walnuts make a fantastic granola addition because they offer excellent crunch and are nutrient-rich. Use walnuts in place of or in addition to any nuts like almonds or pecans in the recipe.
5. Use as a Meat Substitute
Walnuts can make a fantastic substitute for meat in vegetarian and vegan dishes. They have a meat-like texture and are also rich in protein, making them an ideal substitute. You can use walnut mince in place of beef mince in tacos, spaghetti bolognese or as a stuffing for vegetables like tomatoes or peppers.
6. Add to Baked Goods
Walnuts are a great addition to baked goods. They mix well with sweet and savory flavors and provide an excellent crunch. You can add walnuts to cakes, biscuits, bread, and muffins. They also work well in desserts like brownies, bars, and cookies. Try adding chopped walnuts to applesauce muffins for breakfast, or mix them with chocolate chips in your next batch of cookies – the options are endless!.
7. Make Walnut Butter
Walnuts can also substitute peanut butter and butter to spread on bread. Toast some walnuts, blend them in a food processor with a bit of salt and oil, and you have your homemade spread. The nutty and creamy flavor of the walnut blends well with sweet or savory toppings. Spread your walnut butter over toast or use it as a dip.
Conclusion
Walnuts are a great ingredient to include in your kitchen for their versatility, taste, and nutrient profile. Incorporating walnuts into your daily routine is easy with the numerous ways they can be used. You can add them to salads, baked goods, and granola, toast and munch on them as snacks, or even make your nut butter. Experiment with these ideas and explore more uses for walnuts in the kitchen to add variety and depth to your meals.