California walnuts and berries may just be most perfect food pairing ever. There, we said it. The berry sweetness and savory crunch of walnuts make a delicious combo and can be added to just about any food group. From breakfast to dessert, and everything in between, it’s easy to see how berries and walnuts make their way into a wide variety of everyday snacks and meals. When you’re ready to cook with this powerhouse pair, we’ve got you covered with a robust collection of simple and easy recipes to try at home!
Walnuts & Blueberries for Breakfast
Start the day right with our Walnut Blueberry Oatmeal Energy Bites. Packed full of flavor and dense with nutrients, the buttery texture of walnuts combines with tart blueberries for a delicious and energizing meal. There’s a touch of sweetness from the maple sugar and maple syrup, enhanced with cinnamon and cardamom. Round out your breakfast with a dash of homemade Walnut Milk added to refreshing iced coffee.
For an alternative to traditional oatmeal, try Breakfast Quinoa Topped with Walnut Cream and Blueberries. The Walnut Cream only takes 5 minutes to make, but once it’s made, you can store it in an airtight container and have it ready to use as a great dairy substitute and thickener for spreads, sauces, and desserts alike!
Walnuts & Berries in Smoothies
Smoothies are a great way to recover from a good workout or stay cool when the weather gets warm. For a delicious cool-down, we love this Mixed Berry Walnut Chia Smoothie. The combination of farm-fresh berries, chia seeds, and California-grown walnuts created the ultimate superfood smoothie!
If you want to get a little more adventurous, hop on the food bowl train with a Walnut Berry Beetroot Smoothie Bowl. This mouth-watering smoothie bowl takes just five minutes to make for a quick and easy way to pack in the day’s nutrients. The beetroot and berries give this dish a beautiful magenta hue, then garnish with walnuts, blueberries, coconut, or any other delicious toppings you have on hand.
Snacking with Walnuts & Berries
If you need a little something to hold you over between meals, try making some simple Walnut Berry Bars. Pairing the naturally tart cranberries with crunchy walnuts creates a hearty snack the whole household will love. The recipe calls for puffed rice cereal for an extra crunch, and dark chocolate chips to round out the decadent factor.
For a tea time snack, try your hand at baking with a load of Walnut Blackberry Quickbread. The sweet blackberries and citrusy lemon give this bread a summery twist! Serve a slice with iced tea for a delightful mid-afternoon snack that’s best enjoyed out in the sunshine.
Walnuts & Berries in Salads
This Spinach, Walnut, and Strawberry Salad screams summers and uses the freshness of the season to create a light but filling entrée. Farm-fresh juicy strawberries paired with crunchy walnuts is a heavenly match. Served atop a bed of fresh spinach and dressed with a simple strawberry vinaigrette, it has to be one of the simplest salads ever. A little bit of feta cheese gives the combo a boost of creaminess. Eat it as a stand-alone light meal at midday or pair it with a protein for dinner in the evening.
Sweet Walnut & Berry Treats
If you’re hunting for a new sweet summer treat, this recipe doesn’t disappoint. Plump and juicy red strawberries get the star treatment in a Chocolate-walnut Strawberry Popsicle dessert. Proving that frozen popsicles aren’t just for kids, the recipe combines decadent dark chocolate with fresh strawberries to create a dessert that’s rich and refreshing. Even better, you can make this dessert ahead of time and have in the freezer ready to bring out for summer entertaining! Find even more walnut and berry recipes here!
