5 DIY Pear Recipes To Keep Yourself Healthy This Winter

1. Fresh Pears and Burrata cheese with Hazelnut-Mint pesto

Burrata takes fresh mozzarella to another level. The marriage of juicy pears and creamy cheese is a classic, but this love affair is particularly amazing.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup firmly packed fresh mint leaves
• 1/2 cup roasted hazelnuts
• 1 small clove garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, plus more for brushing
• 2 (4-ounce) balls burrata cheese, drained
• 3 large USA Pears (Green Anjou/Red Anjou)

Directions:

Combine the mint, hazelnuts, garlic, and salt in a food processor and process to a coarse paste. With the motor running, drizzle in the oil to make a loose sauce. Add the lemon juice and process to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning. (The pesto will keep in the refrigerator with a piece of plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface to prevent browning for up to 3 days.)

Just before serving, cut the pears lengthwise into four 1/4-inch-thick planks, reserving the bulbous edges for another use. Use a paring knife to cut out the core from the middle slices. Brush the planks on both sides with lemon juice to prevent browning. Tear each burrata ball into 6 chunks and place a piece on each pear. Spoon the pesto on top, and serve immediately.

2. Oatmeal with brown butter glazed pears and walnuts

This simple and flavourful breakfast is perfect for weekday mornings or weekend brunch.

Ingredients:

• 3 1/4 cups water
• 2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (divided)
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 pound firm but ripe USA pears, such as Green Anjou or Red Anjou halved, cored and cut into wedges
• 1/3 cup pear hard cider
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
• 2 tablespoons honey
• Milk or cream, for serving

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, combine the water, oats, cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 1 to 5 minutes (depending on the consistency you like it), stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat and cover to keep warm.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and cook, swirling the skillet occasionally, until the butter solids are just brown and have a toasty aroma, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour off all but 1 teaspoon of the browned butter into a small bowl and set aside.

To the hot skillet, add the pears, with cut sides down, and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook until nicely browned on both of the cut sides, turning once, about 5 minutes.

Decrease the heat to medium and add the cider, reserved brown butter, walnuts, honey, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Simmer until the sauce reduces to a glaze that coats the pears and walnuts, 3 to 4 minutes.

Spoon the oatmeal into shallow bowls and top with the pears, walnuts, and sauce. Drizzle with milk or cream, if desired.

3. Yogurt bowl with Pears, Nuts, seeds, cacao

An easy to make yogurt based recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla Greek Yogurt (or dairy-free alternative)
• 1 small Green Anjou Pear
• 1-2 Tb chocolate almond butter drizzle
• Almond butter
• Unsweetened cacao powder
• Maple syrup
• Coconut oil
• Sunflower seeds
• Pecans

For the Chocolate Almond Butter

• ¼ cup smooth almond butter
• 1 Tb unsweetened cacao powder
• 1 Tb maple syrup (optional)
• 1 tsp. coconut oil

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl until combined. Sweeten to taste…for the bowl.

Add your yogurt to a small bowl. Top with sliced pear, chocolate almond butter drizzle, extra cacao, nuts and seeds. Grab a spoon and enjoy!

4. Pear bread with brown butter and cardamom

Got ripe pears? This pear bread recipe is simple to make and uses ingredients you probably already have on hand. The loaf is lightly spiced with cardamom and made moist and sweet with the addition of two ripe USA Pears. Browning the butter in a small saucepan before mixing up the batter gives this bread a wonderfully nutty flavour. Enjoy it as an easy breakfast, pack it into lunchboxes, or have a slice with a cup of afternoon tea.

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup butter (1 ½ stick)
• ⅔ cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 ripe USA Pears, such as Green or Red Anjou
• 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon cardamom
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Directions:

Place the butter into a saucepan over medium-low heat. Once the butter begins to sizzle, cook for 5 – 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the butter has taken on a golden brown colour and smells nutty. Remove the pan from the heat and set the brown butter aside to cool slightly.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a loaf pan by greasing it with butter and dusting it with flour. In a medium bowl, combine the brown butter and sugar and stir well to thoroughly combine. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix. Grate the pears on the large holes of a box grater and add them to the wet ingredients as well.

In a second small bowl, combine the flour, cardamom, baking powder, and salt and whisk to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and fold together gently just until the flour is moistened – do not over-mix.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake the pear bread for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Allow the bread to cool for 30 minutes before removing from the pan.

5. Pear Cranberry buns

Serve these pear-cranberry buns filled with holiday spirit with breakfast, as a dinner roll to compliment the holiday turkey, or as fragrant and festive appetizer to welcome guests making holiday calls.

Ingredients:

• 1 package (13 ¾ ounces) hot roll mix
• 1 to 2 fresh Green or Red Anjou USA Pears
• ½ cup chopped fresh or frozen cranberries
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

Prepare hot roll mix and let rise once according to directions. Punch down and shape into 16 small balls. Flatten each slightly and place on greased cookie sheets. Cover and let rise until double. While dough is rising, core and finely chop pears to equal 1 ½ cups. Mix with cranberries, sugar, and cinnamon. Make an indentation in center of each bun, leaving a ½-inch edge. Fill with pear and cranberry mixture. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown.

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