Father’s Day recipes: Pamper your dad with hearty veg keema lunch or evening BBQ

A hearty meal is all he needs to ditch his strong and tough side and be a total teddy bear whose bright smile lights up our world. From Walnut, Aubergine and Mushroom Keema Curry to Griddled Pineapple with Walnut Crust and Walnut Panna Cotta, here are some walnut delicacies to spoil your dad with while taking care of his health.

Ingredients:

150g walnuts, chopped

1 tablespoon oil

1 onion, chopped

1 red chilli, finely diced

1 tablespoon medium curry powder

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 aubergine, cut into 1cm dice

200g mushrooms, sliced

400g can chopped tomatoes

100g baby spinach

225g basmati rice, cooked

Method:

Soak the walnuts in lukewarm water for 20 minutes, drain well. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the onion and chilli for 4-5 minutes, add the spices and then the aubergine and mushrooms, cook for a further 4-5 minutes.

Stir in the tomatoes, 100ml water and the walnuts, bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the spinach until just wilted and season. Serve with the cooked basmati rice.

Griddled Pineapple with Walnut Crust

Ingredients:

100g walnuts, finely chopped

2 tablespoons maple syrup plus extra to serve

1 large pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into 12 wedges

50g butter, softened

2 tablespoons icing sugar

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Mix the walnuts and maple syrup together and spread out onto a small baking tray lined with baking parchment, bake for 7-8 minutes until golden and allow to cool.

Meanwhile, griddle the pineapple in 2 batches for 2 minutes each side to give golden bar marks. Whisk the butter and icing sugar together in a small bowl until pale and fluffy, stir in 25g of the walnut crumb.

Serve the griddled pineapple sprinkled with the remaining walnut crumb, a drizzle of maple syrup and a spoonful of the walnut butter.

Cooks tip:

Great for barbecues. Try stirring the 25g walnut crumb into vanilla ice cream instead of the whisked butter.

Walnut Panna Cotta

Ingredients:

100g walnuts, chopped

300ml double cream

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

50g caster sugar

3 sheets leaf gelatine

100ml full fat milk

200g mixed berries to serve

Method:

Grease 4 x 200ml dariole moulds. Finely chop 75g of the walnuts in a food processor and add to a small saucepan with the cream, vanilla and sugar, bring to just below boiling and remove from the heat. Allow to infuse until cool.

Meanwhile, soak the gelatine in cold water for 5 minutes, drain and squeeze out excess liquid. Place the milk in a small saucepan and heat until steam just begins to show, off the heat stir in the soaked gelatine and stir until dissolved. Mix into the walnut cream mixture. Pour into the dariole moulds and chill for 4-5 hours until set.

To serve, briefly dip the moulds into a bowl of hot water and upturn onto small plates and serve with mixed fruit and remaining chopped walnuts.

(All recipes: California Walnuts)

Benefits:

Walnuts can heal depression as they are one of the richest nuts in omega 3 fatty acids which support brain function and reduce symptoms of depression. They promote good digestion, metabolism and strong immune system and are rich in antioxidants like vitamin E, ellagic acid, melatonin and carotenoids.

Their consumption improves heart health by reducing inflammation and improving blood vessel function. Walnuts reduce appetite which in turn helps in weight loss hence, they can be incorporated in your diet.

Mushrooms are rich in selenium antioxidant that help reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer by protecting the body from damaging free radicals that can cause such medical conditions. Apart from boosting your immune system, mushrooms protect one against damage from aging and even boost sleep with high levels of vitamin D, selenium and potassium.

The leaves of spinach are rich in protein, iron, vitamins and minerals. The vitamin A in it moisturises the skin and hair while the vitamin C in it provides structure to skin and hair and the iron content keeps hair loss at bay.

It not only helps in managing diabetes and preventing cancer but also helps prevent asthma and lowers blood pressure. Apart from being cheap and easy to prepare if not served raw, spinach is known to contain vitamin C, is high in fiber and water and it promotes a healthy digestive tract by preventing constipation.

Maple syrup extract may dramatically increase the potency of antibiotics according to researchers at McGill University in Canada. Another study claims that consuming pure maple syrup extract may help protect against Alzheimer’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a neurodegenerative disorder affecting motor neurons and maintain neuronal integrity during aging.

Apart from being a very good source of fiber and high in antioxidants that help reduce oxidative stress, raspberries are low in calories but boast many nutrients. Their consumption helps reduce the risk of cancer, diabetes, heart disease and other illnesses due to their antioxidant content.

They may positively impact blood sugar, improve arthritis, aid in weight loss and may also combat ageing. Though raspberries are best to eat after purchasing, they can also be frozen and enjoyed at any time of year with same healthy option.

Strawberries are sodium-free, fat-free, cholesterol-free, low-calorie food and are packed with fibres and vitamins. They protect the heart by increasing HDL which is good cholesterol, guard against cancer and lower the blood pressure.

On the other hand, blueberry-enriched diet may help women’s muscle growth and repair, manage oxidative stress and oxygen consumption rate or metabolism as per a study conducted at Cornell University and published in the Journal of Nutrition.