Dietitian August pick of the month: California walnuts

DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) -The back-to-busy season is nearly upon us. Hy-Vee registered dietitian Nina Struss RD, LD shares how to fuel up for a school day or the hustle and bustle of every day with Hy-Vee’s Dietitian Pick of the Month – California walnuts.

California walnuts are versatile and can satisfy sweet or savory cravings while adding a boost of flavor, texture and nutrition to keep you energized and full. Nina demos a delicious recipe featuring walnuts (scroll down) and discusses the following consumption benefits.

Reasons to choose California walnuts:

ESSENTIAL ALA OMEGA-3: Walnuts are the only nut with an excellent source of the omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA (2.5g/oz). The adequate intake for omega-3 ALA is 1.6 g/day for men and 1.1 g/day for women.
LASTING ENERGY: Walnuts provide 190 calories per one-ounce serving, which is equivalent to ¼ cup, approximately 12-14 walnut halves or a handful.
GOOD FATS: Walnuts are a good-fat food with 13 grams of polyunsaturated and 2.5 grams of monounsaturated fat of the 18 grams of total fat in one ounce of walnuts. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats (like those found in walnuts) to support cardiovascular health.
PLANT PROTEIN: Walnuts have 4 grams of protein per one ounce serving, an essential nutrient that provides the body what it needs to grow, build muscle and bone, and stay healthy.
FIBER: Walnuts have 2 grams of fiber per one ounce serving, an important nutrient that supports heart health, gut health and weight management.

Walnut, Quinoa and Ranch Chicken Salad

1 (4.2-oz) container cooked quinoa
1 cup (1.5-oz) light ranch dip (Option to sub with yogurt based ranch dressing)
½ can (2.5-oz) chicken breast meat
¼ cup cherry tomato wedges
3 tbsp Hy-Vee English walnut pieces, toasted and coarsely chopped
2 tbsp ranch flavored kale chips
Optional toppings: 1/3 cup diced cucumber, 1/3 cup minced red onion, 1/3 cup sliced ripe olives. ¼ cup bacon bits

1. Stir together quinoa and ranch dip in a medium bowl. 2. Lightly stir in chicken, tomatoes and walnuts. 3. Top with a small handful of diced cucumber, red onion, olives and bacon bits for extra crunch and flavor, if desired.

Recipe source: https://walnuts.org/recipe/walnut-ranch-quinoa-chicken-salad

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