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Plant-based eating should be easy and delicious — and it can be. Rather than follow strict rules, simply add foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans and grains to more meals throughout the day.

Walnuts, for example, are a kitchen multi-tasker with uses well beyond baked goods. In fact, walnuts can be used as a simple, whole-food meat alternative.

One ounce of walnuts contains important nutrients, including 4 grams of protein, 2 grams of fiber, 2.5 grams of monounsaturated fat, 13 grams of polyunsaturated fat and 2.5 grams of essential omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid.

Try walnuts as an alternative to meat in recipes like these two, and find more plant-forward recipes at walnuts.org/plantrecipes.

Walnut Meatless Meatballs

Total time: 42 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¼ cup minced onion
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• ½ cup California walnuts,  chopped
• ¼ cup cooked brown rice
• ¼ cup chopped roasted red peppers
• ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
• 1 egg, beaten

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375° F and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In small skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add tomato paste and cook 1 minute.
3. Transfer to food processor with walnuts, rice, roasted red peppers, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, parsley and egg. Pulse until combined but not mushy.
4. Form into eight equal balls and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake 12 minutes, or until firm to touch. Serve with sauce of choice.

Walnut Steak House Burger

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups California walnuts
• ¾ cup red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• ¾ cup cooked red lentils
• 6 tablespoons caramelized onions, chopped
• 1½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1½ tablespoons steak house seasoning
• 1½ tablespoons olive oil
• ½ teaspoon kosher or sea salt
• Optional: add 1 egg and ¼ cup of panko for firmer texture
• Additional oil for brushing

Directions:

1. Place walnuts in a food processor and pulse to coarsely chop. Add kidney beans and lentils and pulse to combine.
2. Add caramelized onions, Worcestershire sauce, steak house seasoning, olive oil and salt, and pulse until blended but not mushy. Form into 4 large patties.
3. Heat grill or flat top. Brush patties with olive oil and cook for 2 minutes on each side or until nicely seared. Serve on a bun with burger toppings.