For the February blahs try something new in the kitchen. Gremolata is a traditional Italian condiment with the main ingredients being Italian parsley, garlic, lemon zest, and coarse salt. Other ingredients that may be added are olive oil, mint, anchovies, rosemary and/or sage. It is usually served with veal but can also be served with fish or to enhance a salad.
Here’s a recipe that adds in walnuts! Walnuts are a great addition to the meal as they are high in anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids crucial for brain and heart health. Higher amounts of omega-3 fatty acids in the diet have been linked to reduced incidences of heart disease, depression, and Alzheimer’s. And walnuts are packed full of anti-oxidants to protect our cells from free-radical oxidation damage (cancer).
You may not have noticed but there is a skin on walnuts. It is the whitish, sometimes waxy or flaky outermost part of the walnut that remains once it has been shelled. Some recipes ask you to remove the skin as it is slightly bitter. Do not remove the skin! Research shows that approximately 90% of the phenols (anti-oxidants including flavonoids) in walnuts are found in the skin.
Adding walnuts to your diet regularly will also nourish your body with high amounts of manganese, copper, magnesium and phosphorous. And significant amounts of calcium, potassium, iron, zinc and B vitamins. A small handful of raw walnuts is a satisfying snack. Or add walnuts to yogurt, oatmeal, slices of pear or a salad.
And here’s the recipe for walnut gremolata. 
- ½ cup flat leaf parsley, rinsed and dried
- ½ cup raw walnuts, lightly toasted in a dry pan
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- Pinch of coarse sea salt
- 1 – 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oilAdd all the ingredients to a blender or mini-chopper and pulse until coarsely chopped. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.