Salads, as a general rule, can be a tad one-dimensional.
Cold. Green. Uninspiring.
That is… until they’re not!
Take this walnut, avocado and grilling cheese salad, which juxtaposes perfectly, the cold and warm, soft and crunchy and sweet and savoury, all in one made-for-sharing bowl. (Click here for the recipe)
What the tomatoes bring to this dish in fresh fruitiness, the California Walnuts enhance with their mild yet distinctive creamy crunch.
It needs no pointing out, that the protein and omega 3 (alpha-linolenic acid) profile of the star ingredient - the walnuts, of course - means this ‘salad’ is so much more than-just-your-average aside.
As the only tree nut to contain a significant amount of these so-called 'good' fats - the benefits of which extend to myriad of bodily functions - walnuts have quite rightly earned the reputation as a fridge/freezer essential in today's nutrition-conscious times (fun fact: they can last here up to 6 months and 12 months respectively.)
Owing to this, and their stealthly supply of fibre-shaped ‘good stuff’, it's no wonder this recipe has main-event potential beyond its on-paper simplicity.
So much so, that it’s fast becoming something of a regular feature on my mid-week meal planner, especially when shortness-of-time threatens to scupper the best laid veggie-eating plans!
Ready in ten minutes, all you’ll need is some salad leaves, tomatoes, avocado, walnuts, grilling cheese and asparagus, with some olive oil, white wine vinegar and lemon juice to dress.
Combine all the ingredients, and for best results, serve still-warm, with a side of late-evening sunshine!
Sponsored by California Walnuts