Easter is a time meant to be spent creating memories with your loved ones. The festivities may look different this year with limited supplies and opportunities but creating the perfect brunch spread for your family doesn’t have to be a daunting task. This year, refresh your Easter feast by adding heart-healthy walnuts to a variety of “traditional” dishes, for an exciting nutty twist.
Not only do walnuts add flavour and crunch to all sorts of dishes for holiday feasts, but also boost the nutrition of whatever they’re incorporated into. Walnuts are the only nut that provides an excellent source of plant-based omega-3 fatty acid (2.5g/28g) and a handful of walnuts also offer 4 grams of protein along with 2 grams of fibre.
So, try out these recipes easy to make Easter recipes with the added crunch of walnuts and a few pantry staples that you can relish with your family and friends created by Celebrity Chef Sabyasachi Gorai.
Mashed Potatoes And Walnuts
Ingredients
8 potatoes (medium size)
80g of walnuts, roughly chopped
500 ml of milk or vegetable drink
Pinch of salt, pepper to taste and extra virgin olive oil.
Preparation: Boil the potatoes until tender. Beat the potatoes with the chopped walnuts and the milk or vegetable drink. Season with salt and pepper, add a dash of olive oil, beat again. Serve with roasted vegetables or with the protein you prefer.
Walnut Crusted French Toast with Berries
Ingredients:
2 medium eggs
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon honey
2 thick slices white bread (100g)
50g walnut halves, chopped & extra to serve
1 tablespoon oil
Knob butter (10g)
To serve: Fresh strawberries, blueberries and raspberries
Preparation: Mix together the eggs, milk and honey in a shallow dish, add the bread slices and soak on both sides until most of the egg mixture has been absorbed. Sprinkle the walnuts over 1 side of each slice and press in. Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan and fry the bread gently, walnut crusted side down first, for 2 minutes each side or until golden. Halve each slice and serve drizzled with honey (optional), extra walnuts and fresh berries.
Cooks tip*
For a savoury option, remove the honey and replace it with a pinch of dried mixed herbs and serve with grilled bacon, mushrooms and tomatoes.
Paprika & Walnut Scrambled Egg Bagel
Ingredients
1 bagel, halved (90g)
75g baby spinach
½ tablespoon oil
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
25g walnut halves, chopped roughly
2 medium eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon milk
Sprinkle of chopped chives to serve
Preparation: Toast the bagel and set on a plate. Meanwhile, place the spinach in a microwaveable bowl, cover with cling film and microwave on high for 1 minute or until just wilted. Heat the oil, paprika and walnuts in a small saucepan until it just starts to sizzle, remove and set aside. Beat the eggs and milk together and season. Add the eggs to the pan and stir gently to scramble. Place the spinach on top of the bagel and top with the eggs. Serve sprinkled with the reserved walnuts and chives.
Cooks tip*
For a spicy version, try using hot smoked paprika. Simply use to top your favourite toast or serve with pan-fried leeks instead of the spinach.
Walnut Carrot Sponge Cake
Ingredients
200g of wheat flour
200g of grated carrots
200g of brown sugar
150ml sunflower oil
80g of walnut halves, chopped roughly
3 eggs
20g of ground walnuts
1 packet of royal yeast
Ground cinnamon
Nutmeg powder
Preparation: Preheat the oven to 180°C. Arrange eggs together with sugar, wheat flour and walnut flour, yeast and sunflower oil in a bowl. Beat well until smooth and lump-free. At this point, add the shredded carrot, cinnamon and nutmeg to taste, in addition to the crumbled walnuts. Mix well until all the ingredients are well-integrated. Line a pan with baking paper and pour the dough into it. Place the pan in the oven and cook the cake for 20 minutes. After time check if it´s cooked by poking it with a knife and checking that the knife is clean if not, let it cook for a few more minutes. Allow it to cool before consuming.
Lemon & Walnut Drizzle Cake
Ingredients:
100g walnut halves, roughly chopped
125g butter softened
125g caster sugar
2 lemons
3 medium eggs
150g purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Preparation: Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Grease and baseline a 1 kg loaf tin. Place 50g walnuts in a food processor and blitz to a coarse powder, chop a further 25g. Whisk the butter and sugar in a large bowl until pale and fluffy. Whisk in the zest of 2 lemons and then whisk in the eggs, 1 at a time. Fold in the flour, baking powder and prepared walnuts to give a smooth batter. Spoon into the prepared tin and bake for 35-40 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean. Just before the cake comes out of the oven, mix the juice of 1 lemon with granulated sugar. Chop the remaining 25g walnuts and stir into the syrup. Prick the cake with a skewer several times and drizzle over the lemon syrup. Allow to, cool a little in the tin before removing then allow to cool completely.
Cooks tip*
Try using a mixture of lemon and lime juice. This cake will keep for 2-3 days when wrapped in foil.
