“I received free samples of California walnuts mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by the California Walnut Commission and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.”

I’m a huge fan of nuts, especially walnuts as witnessed in this salad, these cookies, and these energy bites. In these recipes you can see the versatility of walnuts whether you are adding them to a sweet or savory dish they are the perfect complement to other whole foods. Walnuts are a health food- an ounce of walnuts is packing 4 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber they help provide a full feeling and also contains 2.5 grams of healthy fat as omega-3 alpha linolenic acid.

In addition to salads and cookies I also use walnuts in my daily meals by incorporating them into trail mix, grinding to use as flour, in pesto, as a streusel topping, and even just snacking on them plain. In my recipe I roasted the walnuts but the parfaits would be just as delicious if you left them plain. The crunch of the walnut adds texture and depth to what would be a boring chia pudding. Walnuts are also excellent to add on top of smoothies or smoothie bowls.

Ingredients: (makes 4 parfaits)

1 can coconut milk

½ cup chia seeds

2 cups California walnuts

1 pineapple, chopped

1 TBSP coconut oil

1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Combine the coconut milk and chia seeds and allow to sit overnight- mixture will become a thick chia pudding by morning.
Add the coconut oil to a hot pan on the stovetop, add cinnamon, and chopped pineapple. Sauté until pineapple starts to brown~ about ten minutes.
Optional: roast walnuts at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes
Layer parfaits in bowl or mason jar with sautéed pineapple, chia pudding, and finally walnuts.
Serve cold, store in fridge. When eating try to make sure you incorporate each layer in every bite!