How to Use Walnuts
Walnuts add a great deal of flavor and appeal to many food items. They have many nutritional benefits including Omega 3 fatty acids, protein and antioxidants. If you’d like to take advantage of these delicious and nutritious nuts, here is how to use walnuts.
Shelling Walnuts
If you have purchased or collected walnuts that are still in the shell, you are in for a fun afternoon of cracking and peeling. This can actually be fun, especially with kids. Invest in a nutcracker, get a comfortable seat outside or by the trash can and get started. Crack each walnut and open it. There are two halves of meat inside. Try and extract each side of the meat in a single piece leaving behind any skin or shell fragments. You may need a pick to be able to get under the meat and pull it out.
Serving Whole Walnuts
You can serve whole walnuts as a snack as they are, or with extra flair. You can roast walnuts at 160-170 degrees and then sprinkle lightly with sugar or salt for a nice treat.
Crushing Walnuts
Most recipes call for crushed walnuts. Fortunately, walnuts are soft, so they are easy to crush. Put your whole walnuts inside a study plastic bag. Use a kitchen mallet or spoon to beat the walnuts gently. You can also use a rolling pin to break them down. A food processor or special grinder can do the job easily as well.
Crushed walnuts can be added to many different recipes to add additional flavor and as a garnish. Here are suggestions of how to use walnuts in recipes:
- Sprinkle crushed walnuts on the top and sides of a chocolate cake.
- Sprinkle crushed walnuts into pancake or muffin batter.
- Stir crushed walnuts into yogurt
- Sprinkle crushed or whole walnuts into a salad.
- Add crushed walnuts to dressings and stuffing.
- Include walnuts in a trail mix.
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Posted in Food and Drink, Nutrition and Health
