There are countless diets and new ones every year. But plant-forward is not a diet. It’s a lifestyle. Over time, by embracing easy incremental changes you’ll find yourself eating more healthfully. While the air is still chilly this winter, start with plant-forward recipes that also double as delicious comfort food.
What Is Plant-Forward?
A plant-forward diet is not about excluding or limiting food groups; it’s about being more mindful of how to add and enjoy more plants on the plate. Flavorful fruits and vibrant vegetables, satisfying whole grains and a variety of wholesome, nutrient-packed foods such as legumes, nuts and seeds are mainstays. Low-fat milk and dairy products, seafood, lean meat, poultry and eggs are also part of this balanced diet and complement plant foods deliciously and nutritiously.
Walnuts are especially versatile in plant-forward eating. When making delicious comfort food recipes, walnuts are the perfect go-to. Walnut meat can easily replace ground meat for a rich and satisfying take on a variety of dishes. One ounce of walnuts contains 4g of plant-based protein. And, walnuts contain 2.5g of omega-3 ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) per ounce — that’s more than any other nut!
Plant-Forward Comfort Food Main Dishes Using Walnut Meat
Making walnut meat is surprisingly easy. After pulsing walnuts and beans in a food processor until coarsely chopped, it’s about the needs and cuisine of the recipe. Adding oils, herbs and spices flavors the ‘meat’ and then it’s ready to cook.
This especially flavorful walnut meat is a superb substitute for chorizo. It’s cooked in a skillet until browned to mirror the texture of ground meat. This 5-star California Walnut “Chorizo” Crumble is spicy and colorful, easy and delights the taste buds. The mixture of smoked paprika, ancho chili, chipotle, oregano, cumin and coriander makes it intensely fragrant, hot and delicious. It’s the perfect plant-based “meat” for both a breakfast frittata or yummy stuffed bell peppers. Here’s how we’re using walnut ‘meat’ in some of our favorite dishes.
Plant-Forward Breakfast Frittata
California Walnut “Chorizo” Frittata is an essential comfort food for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Better yet, it’s amazing as a leftover. The flavors improve over time. This recipe uses garbanzo beans for denser meat. Roasted red peppers and yellow pepper add rich color and more smoky flavor to the walnut meat. Spinach, green onions, cilantro and jalapeño contrast vibrant red and yellow with a wealth of green. Shredded Monterey Jack adds buttery-creamy melted gooey contrast to cool the potent chorizo flavors. You can substitute a vegan Monterey Jack if you prefer. Top it all off with more California walnuts, these toasted and crunchy.
Walnut Stuffed Bell Peppers
For more chorizo flavor, Walnut Chorizo Stuffed Bell Peppers with Avocado Crema is a sure way to fill your belly with a one-pan comforting meal. This recipe roasts colorful bell peppers and overfills them with a walnut chorizo. Black beans darken the “meat” and pay tribute to this Mexican-inspired dish. White vinegar enhances the smoky and hot spices with a little tang. The dish is topped with smooth avocado crema, fresh cilantro and cherry tomatoes.
Meatless Meatballs
Another brilliant use for walnut meat is to make the perfect comfort food — meatballs! These two recipes go in two very different directions. One is red, one is golden. Both are tasty!
These California Walnut Meatless Meatballs are great with pasta, slathered in marinara or in some California Walnut Muhammara sauce. These meatballs are ground in a processor using walnuts and cooked brown rice, as well as roasted red peppers, panko, Parmesan and Italian seasoning. After forming into small balls, they cook in only 12 minutes. These are so much easier than traditional meatballs but just as tasty.
These brilliantly golden Coconut Curry Lentil and Walnut Meatballs are comfort food to the extreme. Lentils and walnuts build the meatballs with yellow onion, carrot, tomato paste, garlic and ginger. The simple coconut curry sauce is aromatic and garnished with Thai basil, cilantro, crisp green onions and lime zest. Over hearty grains and sautéed vegetables, this is a well-balanced, delicious plant-forward meal.
Plant-Forward Chili Renditions
This 5-star recipe for plant-forward California Walnut Firehouse Chili is a sure way to keep warm on a chilly winter day. Cooking for kids? Try this recipe for Walnut Chili Mac. It uses a mixture of ground beef and walnut meat, so it’s perfect for adults too—especially if you’re eating some meat but trying to add more plants to your diet.
A Meatless Bolognese Sauce
You don’t have to be Italian to reach for California Walnut (Meat Free) Bolognese as the best comfort food choice on a cold winter’s night. The soffritto builds the base of the sauce with finely chopped onion, carrot and celery. Once cooked, it’s super easy to add loads of garlic and San Marzano canned tomatoes to toasted walnuts. Fennel seeds, rosemary, basil and sea salt bring this bountifully fragrant and mouth watering pasta dish together.
Taking small steps toward a plant-forward lifestyle will make a significant impact in your life. California walnuts can help you eat more plants, and you can be sure you will have lots of options for your comfort food satisfaction anytime.
