Tag Archives: pears

Stuffed Avocado with Bay Shrimp, Pear, and Mango

Hilary By on

This stuffed avocado recipe is both simple and elegant. Begin with sweet and salty bay shrimp, and add crunchy pears and tropical, ripe mango to provide great texture and flavor. Bright, fresh lime juice plays perfectly with the creamy, rich avocado, and a pop of fresh mint will bring it all together. Serve this salad for lunch on a warm day, or alongside some grilled meat at your next barbecue. Ingredients 8 oz. bay shrimp ¼ a red onion, finely minced 1 firm ripe USA Pear, small dice 1 ripe mango, peeled and diced small 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice 2 teaspoons neutral oil, such as grapeseed ¼ teaspoon sea salt 1 small handful fresh mint leaves, torn 2 ripe avocados, halved and pitted Directions In a medium bowl, combine the shrimp, onion, pear, mango, and lime juice and Continue reading →

Grill Master

Amy Kweller MS, RD By on

To me, summer means sunshine, farmers’ markets and grilling. I personally love the flavors of grilled foods and regularly grill veggies as a side or base for meals. One of the greatest challenges I have faced in my years of counseling and teaching is that people have been trained to think they don’t like fruit and/or vegetables, and they don’t venture outside the norm for ingredients or culinary techniques. The remedy is simply to get a little creative in the kitchen – or backyard – and be okay with failing once in a while. I base most of my meals on produce, and in the summer that means adding a treat of grilled fruit at the end! Grilling is probably one of the simplest culinary techniques for fruit and veggies. In the beginning, it’s a good idea to stay close Continue reading →

Pear and Fresh Vegetable Summer Rolls

Hilary By on

These colorful and refreshing summer rolls aren’t just beautiful, they are absolutely delicious! You can use any variety of vegetables and herbs to fill the rolls, not just those I’ve mentioned here. Use firm pears for filling the rolls – they add just the right amount of sweetness along with a unique crunch. It takes a little practice to get the hang of working with the spring roll skins, but once you’ve got it down, you’ll be wanting to make fresh rolls all summer long. Ingredients: several handfuls spinach leaves, stems trimmed half an English cucumber, cut into long, thin strips 1 large carrot, grated or cut into a fine julienne 1 sweet pepper, cut into long thin strips 2 firm USA pears, such as Anjou, sliced julienne style several sprigs fresh basil 12 spring roll skins your favorite peanut Continue reading →

Thai-Inspired Chicken and Pear “Noodle” Salad

Hilary By on

This fresh and fun recipe isn’t just chock-full of vegetables, it’s chock-full of delicious USA Pears! Firm, fiber-rich Anjou pears stand in for noodles in this salad, and the “noodles” couldn’t be more simple to make using a spiral vegetable slicer. Start by shredding leftover chicken (or pick up a rotisserie chicken). Next, shake together the Asian lime dressing, slice the veggies for the salad, and finally, toss it all together with the pear “noodles”. Top the salad with toasted, chopped peanuts and get ready to fall in love! Thai-Inspired Chicken and Pear “Noodle” Salad For the Asian Lime Dressing: ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice 2 tablespoons honey 2 tablespoons water 1 – 2 teaspoons fish sauce, according to your taste Directions: Combine the lime juice and honey in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake vigorously Continue reading →

Spring Tartine with Shaved Pears, Fromage Blanc, and Pea Shoots

Hilary By on

Spring is in the air, and this easy and elegant tartine features some of the season’s finest flavors. Enjoy this open-faced sandwich as a meal in itself, or make miniature versions using your favorite baguette. Simply toast the bread, spread with tangy fromage blanc, and top with delicate spring pea shoots and thinly shaved USA Pears gathered into pretty curls. Spring Tartine with Shaved Pears, Fromage Blanc, and Pea Shoots Ingredients 4 slices of your favorite artisanal bread, about ¾ inch thick 8 ounces fromage blanc goat cheese (or other spreadable goat cheese) 1 cup (gently packed) pea shoots or other delicate spring greens 2 firm USA Pears, such as Bosc or Anjou, cut from the core and very thinly sliced on a mandoline olive oil, for drizzling sea salt and freshly ground black pepper Directions Toast the bread until Continue reading →

Pear, Buckwheat, and Gouda Scones with Fig Jam

Hilary By on

Do you have company coming for Easter brunch? Alongside the ham and asparagus, serve these delightfully unique savory scones. Honey-sweet pears, nutty buckwheat, and tangy Gouda cheese are a match made in heaven. Offer the scones with a side of fig jam and watch how quickly they disappear. Pear, Buckwheat, and Gouda Scones with Fig Jam Ingredients: 1 ¼ cups all purpose flour ¾ cup buckwheat flour ¼ cup sugar ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg 2 teaspoons baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt 6 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into small cubes 6 ounces firm, aged gouda cheese, grated 2 ripe USA Pears, such as Red Anjou or Bosc, small dice ¾ cup buttermilk (plus 2 tablespoons more if necessary) Fig jam, for serving Directions: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a food processor, combine the flours, sugar, nutmeg, baking powder, Continue reading →

Three Different Dips for Fresh Pears

Hilary By on

Here is a fun and simple way to serve fresh USA Pears as a snack or appetizer. I’ve taken already fiber-rich pears and added ingredients containing protein, calcium, and antioxidants. Whip up these three dips and store them in the refrigerator for up to three days. Simply pull them out to soften slightly before the kids get home from school or while waiting for guests to arrive. All that’s left to do is slice up a few of your favorite USA Pears for dipping! Three Different Dips for Fresh Pears Ingredients ¼ cup of your favorite nut butter 2 tablespoons dried cherries, finely chopped 4 oz. low-fat cream cheese, softened ⅛ – ¼ tsp. almond extract 3 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted and chopped 1 (6 ounce) container plain or vanilla flavored Greek yogurt 8 – 10 fresh raspberries cinnamon, for Continue reading →

Crunchy Vegetable and Pear Salad

Hilary By on

Did you know that many varieties of USA Pears are delicious when not yet ripe? Red and Green Anjou Pears are a perfect example. Though they might not seem ready to eat, they are already full of juicy pear flavor with a great, lightly crunchy texture. That makes unripe Anjous the perfect addition to salads and slaws. This tasty salad is full of crisp, colorful vegetables and sweet Red Anjou Pears. Toss it with my almond butter-based dressing (sweetened with dates instead of refined sugar), and enjoy it as a quick lunch or an easy dinner side. Crunchy Vegetable and Pear Salad Ingredients For the Almond Butter – Date Dressing: 3 tablespoons unsalted almond butter 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 2 Medjool dates, pitted and finely chopped ½ cup water ½ teaspoon sea salt Directions: Combine all of the ingredients Continue reading →

Love Your Heart!

Amy Kweller MS, RD By on

This Valentine’s Day, love your heart! Have you heard of phenols, flavonoids, and antioxidants? Phenols and flavonoids are families of phytonutrients, nonessential nutrients found in plant foods that provide color, flavor, and health benefits, particularly as antioxidants. In the body, antioxidants inhibit molecules that cause damage to body cells. Because of these antioxidants and other nutrients, increased fruit and vegetable consumption has been linked to decreased risk for many chronic illnesses, including heart disease, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. Does this mean pears are good for your heart? Well, a systematic review of pears and health published in the November/December 2015 issue of Nutrition Today supports what I’ve been saying all along. To be specific, pears contain many nutrients, including fiber, vitamin C (an antioxidant!), potassium, and phytonutrients that act as antioxidants – in particular, pears provide between 27 and 41mg Continue reading →

The Two Diet Changes to Make in 2016

Willow Jarosh MS, RD & Stephanie Clarke MS, RD By on

When it comes to personal meal goals, it’s important to focus on making changes that will make an impact, but aren’t unrealistic or overwhelming. So, we’ve put together our top two big-impact changes. These are changes that studies have shown will help you stay at a healthy weight, prevent disease and have more energy! 1. Keep track of the colors on your plate: Mind your fruits and veggies and aim to get 1 1/2 – 2 cups of fruit and at least 2 1/2 – 3 cups of veggies each day. For more information about exactly how much you should be eating based on your age and activity level, check out ChooseMyPlate.gov. Research shows that getting enough colorful produce can help keep weight off and ward off nasty diseases like cancer and heart disease. This is why the new 2015 Continue reading →