On many holidays we often consume large amounts of food at parties and family gatherings, and often festive foods are not particularly healthy. Actually on Tu B’Shevat it is customary to eat naturally healthy foods, dry and fresh fruits and nuts. Of all the nuts, walnuts are the healthiest! They belong to the "fats" food group, but they are rich in nutritional fiber, antioxidants, vitamin E and folic acid, and minerals like magnesium and potassium.
Unique among the different species of walnuts is the “king walnut” bred in California. It contains a very high content of the vital fatty acid of omega 3 compared to other walnuts and other foods.
Studies have shown that daily consumption of California walnuts diminishes levels of “bad” cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood, reducing risk factors for heart disease by 30-55% when combined with a balanced diet. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends a serving size of 3 to 7 walnuts per day.
Storage tip: Keep your walnuts in an airtight package so you will be able to eat them until next Tu B’Shevat! You can freeze them, too.
Recipe:
Peppers with California Walnuts
4 portions, 90 calories and 7 grams walnuts per portion
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large green peppers
1 large red pepper
1 large yellow pepper
1 crushed garlic clove
¼ cup chopped California walnuts
1 tablespoon wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Wash the peppers, remove the seeds and ribs, and cut them into strips. Heat a pan over low heat, add the olive oil and peppers and cook, stirring, about 20 minutes until that the peppers are soft. Add the garlic and mix well. Set aside.
Toast the walnuts in a small skillet over low heat until crisp and golden. (Watch them carefully—they will burn very easily.)
Before serving, add the walnuts, the vinegar, the parsley and the thyme. Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste.