Tag Archives: health

5 Hearty Pear Soups to Warm Your Winter

By on

Few things warm the body and soul like a bowl of soup in the wintertime. When it’s cold outside, soup can bring a sense of nourishment and comfort. The winter months also happen to be an ideal time to experiment in the kitchen since the frigid temperatures keep many of us inside. Pears may not be an ingredient that immediately comes to mind when you think of soup, but they can bring a unique flavor and texture to both sweet and savory soups. They’re also an excellent source of fiber and a good source of vitamin C, making them a nutritious and delicious ingredient. Whether sautéed with vegetables before stock is added, roasted and pureed to blend with stocks, or simply chopped and added to an already simmering broth, pears are a fun and tasty way to step up your Continue reading →

5 Meal Prep Tips for a Healthy New Year

By on

A healthier new year starts with building better nutrition habits. Cooking is one way to get yourself into a healthier groove, and adding a little bit of meal planning to make a significant difference! Making sure you have a well-balanced, varied diet can easily be achieved with meal prep. Here are 5 meal prep tips to give you a head start: 1. Less is more Begin meal prepping with recipes that are easy to prepare and require simple ingredients. I like to select recipes with no more than 10 ingredients (less is better!). Once you get the swing of preparing these recipes, you can expand to more robust dishes. 2. Batch cook Cook a large amount (double or triple the quantity of a recipe) so you can enjoy part of it that day, and then save or freeze the rest Continue reading →

Ginger Roasted Beets, Sweet Potatoes and Pears

By on

  This recipe is the perfect way to celebrate the bounty of fall and winter produce. The two root vegetables partnered with Anjou pears (green or red) are beautifully enhanced by the addition of fresh ginger and thyme. Present this at your next holiday gathering and be prepared to have guests swooning! Ingredients: 3 medium-large beets, peeled and diced into 1 inch cubes 1 sweet yellow onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced 2 large sweet potatoes, diced into 1 inch cubes (peel or keep skin on, either works) 2 green Anjou pears (ripe but still firm) 1-2 tsp fresh thyme Salt to taste 1-2 tbsp Avocado oil or olive oil 1-2 tsp chopped fresh parsley (optional) Instructions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a Continue reading →

3 Sweet Reasons to Choose Pears if You Have Diabetes

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

November is National Diabetes Month and it’s also a great time to find perfectly ripe pears, which comes in handy since pears have a lot of the attributes we recommend in a diet to prevent and treat type 2 diabetes. Pears are a low glycemic index (and low glycemic load) food – a medium-sized pear ranks 38 on the glycemic index – which means they have a mild effect on blood sugar levels. While there isn’t a cure for diabetes (yet!), we do know that food is a very powerful tool that can be used to reduce symptoms and improve overall quality of life. As registered dietitians, we see the power of food every day, and the research supports just how much of an effect food can have on reducing the impact of diabetes. Whether you’ve been diagnosed with type Continue reading →

Pear Pecan Pumpkin Spice Bread

Bonnie Taub-Dix By on

Some “breads” are actually quite sweet and sugary, acting more like cake than bread. This Pear Pecan Pumpkin Spice Bread lets the naturally sweet taste of the pears shine through without any added sugar AND it pears perfectly (pun intended) with savory dishes like a steamy bowl of butternut squash soup. It’ll also look beautiful on your holiday table! Makes 1 loaf Ingredients: 2 fresh ripe USA Pears – peel, core, cut into pieces 2 fresh USA Pears with stem – cut in half (leave core attached), core and peel 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon pumpkin spice 2 teaspoons cocoa – unsweetened ½ cup extra virgin olive light oil or avocado oil ½ cup plain Greek yogurt – Continue reading →

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 →

Add Pears to Your Tailgate or Watch-Party Spread

Michelle Dudash, RDN By on

Tailgate and game watch party food are among my favorite meal categories. While I love indulging in some of the heartier game-day fare, I also like to balance things out and cleanse my palate with fresh produce. Juicy and naturally sweet USA Pears, which offer an excellent source of fiber (6 grams for a medium size), can play a crave-worthy role in any game-day menu. A fresh, fruit salad is a staple dish I always enjoy on game day, whether it’s a get-together that I’m hosting or one where I’m attending as a guest. A fruit salad is also a crowd-pleaser, from toddlers to adults. (On a side note: The other day, my 4-year-old spotted the first pears of the season on our kitchen counter and literally squealed, “Ooh! Can I have one?” True story.) While pears are in peak Continue reading →

Eating Seasonally

Amy Kweller MS, RD By on
Pears with mother and son

You may have heard mention of the importance of eating seasonally, but what does that mean and why does it matter? Eating produce when it is in season is not a new idea, in fact, it was the norm before industrialized agriculture and giant grocery stores. The general idea is that we eat foods when they are naturally harvested, such as berries in the summer and pears starting in the fall. The nutritional benefit is that seasonal fruits and vegetables tend to pack more nutrients and richer flavors than foods that should ripen before being harvested or during shipment. And in this way, seasonal foods tend to be cheaper and less damaging to the environment. An interesting fact about pears is that optimal ripening actually occurs after being harvested and cold storage, and therefore, they are available nearly year-round! So Continue reading →

Three Reasons & Ways to PEAR More Often This School Year

By on

By Ashley Koff RD* An apple for the teacher? Why not a pear?! I love pears, so I get especially excited during this time of year. Pear season is kicking off (look for Bartletts, Red Bartletts and Starkrimsons!), and before I share some of my favorite ways to enjoy pears, I thought I would tell you a little about the nutritional benefits of this healthy, in-season fruit. Pears pack fiber – If you are trying to improve your fiber intake,** then pears are your better choice. A medium pear provides about 6 grams, which is a great way to help you meet your daily fiber goals. Plus, fiber helps you feel full and satisfied longer, so when it comes to smart snacking, fiber is a must. Pears have excellent skin – with pears it’s best to eat the skin for Continue reading →

Beat the Heat!

Amy Kweller MS, RD By on
Creamy pear popsicles with chunks of kiwi and yellow sticks

Summer is my favorite season, because of the social gatherings, barbecues, picnics, and summer treats that satisfy my sweet tooth. I pay attention to my calorie intake carefully – especially during the hot summer when cold, decadent treats are everywhere. So, what is a dietitian to do? Make popsicles, of course! Anything that can be made into juice or a smoothie can also be made into a delicious popsicle that fulfills that sweet craving, cools you off, and packs in nutrients without unnecessary calories. Making popsicles is very easy, in fact it’s a fun activity for the whole family. And you don’t need any molds or special equipment, paper cups and popsicle sticks will suffice. For this method, place the cups on a tray, fill them ¾ full, cover the cups with saran wrap, and press the sticks through to Continue reading →