Category Archives: Holidays

Fall is the Pear-fect Time for Sweet Swaps

Bonnie Taub-Dix By on

Let me set the record straight: there’s no one food that’s a miracle cure for all ailments, nor is there just one food that is responsible for causing all of our health issues. Balance is what’s key when it comes to a healthy diet. If there is one food that adds calories without adding much value, it’s sugar. Sugar is what I call, The Master of Disguise, appearing more often on food labels than you might realize, and not always spelled as s-u-g-a-r. These aliases can show up on ingredient lists as molasses, high fructose corn syrup, organic cane juice, and dozens of other names. The good news is that our new food labels (on or before January 2020) will finally differentiate between natural sugar (the sugar that is inherently within foods like milk, yogurt and fruit) and added sugar Continue reading →

Go green and get your culinary jig on this St. Patrick’s Day

Dana Angelo White, MS, RD, ATC By on
pretty diced pear and apple chutney in a jar

Many Irish staples carry an impressive nutrient profile. You can boost the benefits even further by complementing them with flavorful, nutritious pears. Here are 4 ways to do it: 1) Irish Oatmeal Start the day with a festive batch of oatmeal. Prepare this simple recipe for Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats, then speckle with pieces of bright green Anjou pear (in season now!). 2) Soda Bread This quick and easy 5-Ingredient Whole-Wheat Irish Soda Bread is hearty and satisfying without breaking the calorie bank. Serve with a spread of pear jam or spoonfuls of pear chutney and chunks of sharp cheddar cheese. 3) Potatoes Spuds get a bad reputation for being unhealthy but are actually filled with important nutrients, including potassium, iron, fiber and B-vitamins. Bake, mash or cut into fries and roast in the oven. Serve with roasted chicken Continue reading →

February is Heart Health Month

Tanya Zuckerbrot MS, RD By on

There’s good reason as to why we have an entire month dedicated to heart health: heart disease is the number 1 cause of death for men and woman in the United States (National Center for Health Statistics, 2016). According to the CDC, this has been the case for upwards of 80 years now, with current numbers pointing to about 610,000 deaths in the United States every year. Translation: heart disease is to blame for 1 out of every 4 deaths in America! While statistics like this are shocking and scary, there is at least one thing you can start doing today to immediately lower your risk: improve your diet. The truth is, a healthy heart is directly correlated with a healthy diet. Studies show that fiber is excellent at preventing and reducing elevated cholesterol levels, which is a strong predictor Continue reading →

Healthy is Strong

Amy Kweller MS, RD By on

February is American Heart Month, and taking care of yourself and the ones you love is the perfect way to say I love you this Valentine’s Day. According to the Million Hearts® Healthy is Strong campaign, heart disease is the leading cause of death in men and women. Instead of giving your sweetie chocolates this Valentine’s Day, why not give your heart? For men and women, one small change can add up to one healthy heart! One simple way to boost heart health is with physical activity. No, you don’t have to run five miles every day, but increasing activity slowly, such as a romantic walk with your sweetie, improves cardiovascular health. As a rule of thumb, aim for 150 minutes of activity each week – and if you #PearUp with a partner, you’re more likely to stick to your Continue reading →

Dark Chocolate Dipped Pears

Andrea Slonecker By on
Valentine pears dipped in chocolate and topped with fun toppings

Move over strawberries—chocolate dipped pears are a fresh twist on this decadent Valentine’s Day treat. Rich dark chocolate pairs perfectly with Red Anjou pears, which just so happen to be heart-check certified by the American Heart Association. (Happy National Heart Month!) Decorate your dipped pears with a variety of creative options for sprinkling, like nuts, coconut flakes, and even vivid red chile powder for a kick. With this thoughtful homemade gift, your Valentine will definitely be yours! Makes 32 2 USA Red Anjou pears (about 1 pound) 1 teaspoon Fruit-Fresh® Produce Protector 8 ounces dark chocolate (60 to 70% cacao), chopped Options for Sprinkling: Finely chopped pistachios or other nuts Flaky sea salt Shredded coconut Chile powder Curry powder Sesame seeds Chopped colorful dried fruit, such as apricots, cranberries, or goji berries Fill a medium saucepan with about 1 inch Continue reading →

Pear, Pistachio & Parmesan Pinwheels

Andrea Slonecker By on

You’ll be the host with the most when you present these warm, flaky hors d’oeuvres to guests on New Year’s Eve. Diced USA pears are rolled up in puff pastry, with crunchy pistachios, piquant Parmesan, and a kick of cracked pepper, creating bite-sized bursts of flavor. Deceptively simple to prepare, and sweet and savory at the same time, they make the perfect cocktail accompaniment. 1 sheet frozen puff pastry (half a 17.3-ounce package), thawed 1 large egg, lightly beaten 1 cup finely diced USA Red Anjou or Bartlett pear (about ½ a large pear) ¼ cup ground pistachios ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper Place the pastry sheet on a clean work surface and roll it out to smooth the seams and create a 10-inch square. Cut the square in half, forming two 10-by-5-inch Continue reading →

Waiting for the Weight?

Amy Kweller MS, RD By on

Ah, the holidays. That magical time of year when friends and family come together, airports are overrun, siblings fight, and we all pack on a few pounds that we resolve to lose in January. (Actually, a study in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2000 suggests we only gain about one pound over the holidays!) My first holiday gathering is this week, and since I have a terrible sweet tooth I’ve already pictured the dessert table. It looks delicious and is full of my favorites, so what do I do? I say it every year – plan, plan, plan! So where to start? First, never arrive hungry. If I’m hungry when I walk in the door, within minutes I might have a bottle of wine and an entire cake in my hands. That’s not good, so carry filling snacks Continue reading →

Staying Fit and Healthy Through the Holidays

By on

Too many indulgences and fewer workouts can wreak havoc with your energy level and your waistline this time of year. However, there are simple ways to create balance that don’t require sacrificing your favorite goodies, or even stepping into a gym. Check out my realistic three-step strategy for staying fit through the holidays. Step One: Whip up some healthy holiday dishes Go ahead and enjoy your very favorite holiday foods prepared traditionally. But commit to lightening up others. For example, replace one pie with baked pears, or a mock pear cobbler. Simply sauté chopped ripe pears over low heat in a little water seasoned with a bit of fresh squeeze lemon juice and fresh grated ginger. Top with a healthy “crumble” made from mixing rolled oats and ground cinnamon into almond butter. Or instead of creamed spinach, serve a fresh Continue reading →

Four Recipes for Diabetic Eating

Katie Cavuto By on

Nourishing, naturally sweet and truly delicious, pears are in season which makes it the perfect time of year to celebrate the joy of eating well. National Diabetes Month (November) is coming to a close, but eating diabetes-friendly foods is important year-round and it’s my personal mission to change the conversation around the diabetic diet from one of deprivation to one of gratifying intentions to eat to nourish your body. Whole foods, like pears, are nutrient dense and sustaining which makes them easy to love. I also love the concept of “food gratitude” as it offers you a positive way to celebrate the good-for-you foods on your plate like the many reasons to be grateful for pears. The fiber content of the pear, 6 grams per medium piece of fruit, helps to naturally keep blood sugars in check. Plus, they are Continue reading →

Cauliflower Pear Soup

Amy Sherman By on

Cauliflower and pear are blended together to form a rich and creamy soup with just a hint of sweetness. A garnish of pear and sage leaves adds a festive touch.  Ingredients:                2 Red D’anjou pears 1 head of cauliflower, about 4 cups roughly chopped 2 cups water 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth 1 cup whole milk 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 10-12 fresh sage leaves Directions:  Peel, core and chop one pear, then cut the other pear in half and peel, core and chop one half. Remove the core from the reserved pear half, and finely dice it, and set it aside for a garnish. Place the chopped pear and cauliflower in a soup pot and add the water and broth. Bring to a boil over Continue reading →