Reduce period cramps and improve gut health with this plant-based chilli recipe

California Walnut mince chilli recipe

Credit: Californian Walnuts

Strong Women


Reduce period cramps and improve gut health with this plant-based chilli recipe

By Miranda Larbi

3 years ago

Take your chilli game to the next level, with this gut-loving, cramp-busting recipe from California Walnuts UK.

Few things in life can get you down like incessant period cramps. In fact, over 80% of those who have periods say they experience ’significant PMS’ and cramping. While there might be a few factors at play, one science-backed tip for reducing the severity of period pains is to eat more omega-3 fatty acids – something walnuts are rich in.

In fact, walnuts are higher in omega-3 fat than any other nut. The fatty acid isn’t just good for reducing inflammation; it also cuts your risk of dying from heart disease by 10%. Oh, and walnuts have also been found to increase beneficial gut bacteria, including butyrate – a substance that nourishes the gut and promotes better gut health.

We don’t like to use the word ‘superfood’ at Strong Women but if we did, walnuts would be right up there (far and away above any manufactured powder or expensive freeze-dried berry).

Anyway, this recipe makes walnut its hero – showing how versatile an ingredient it can be for savoury dishes. Serve your walnut chilli with rice, tacos or on a baked potato with a handful of grated cheese (whether you go plant-based or not is up to you).

Ingredients

100g walnuts

300g mushrooms

1 tbsp oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp chilli powder

400g chopped tomatoes (1 can)

2 tbsp tomato puree

400g red kidney beans (1 can), drained and rinsed

2 tbsp chopped coriander

Method

Place the walnuts in a food processor and mix to give a coarse crumb. 

Repeat with the mushrooms and mix into the walnuts.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry the walnut mixture with the garlic for five minutes. 

Add the spices and cook for one minute

Stir in the tomatoes, tomato puree and both beans and cook gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Season and stir in the coriander.

Serve with rice and enjoy!


Image and recipe courtesy of California Walnuts UK.

A weekly dose of expert-backed tips on everything from gut health to running, plus receive our 8-week beginner’s guide to strength training.

By signing up you agree to occasionally receive offers and promotions from Stylist. Newsletters may contain online ads and content funded by carefully selected partners. Don’t worry, we’ll never share or sell your data. You can opt-out at any time. For more information read Stylist’s Privacy Policy

Thank you!

You’re now subscribed to all our newsletters. You can manage your subscriptions at any time from an email or from a MyStylist account.