bosc – The Pear Dish https://usapears.org/blog A blog about our favorite fruit, USA Pears! Mon, 24 Sep 2018 23:52:57 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.25 Chocolate Pear Hand Pies https://usapears.org/blog/chocolate-pear-hand-pies/ Tue, 20 Feb 2018 22:11:37 +0000 http://usapears.org/blog/?p=4976 I had heard rumblings about the glory of pairing pears and chocolate in pie. I mean, they’re both two delicious things, so how could it not be amazing? I also loved how portable these hand pies are. They’re so easy to just hold in your hand and completely devour in five seconds while watching Netflix with bae (or by yourself…any situation really). Some ingredient notes: I used a combination of Bartlett and Bosc pears. For chocolate, I used semi-sweet chocolate chips, but if you have some REALLY good chocolate laying around (like some Valrhona discs…) you should totally go for it. TREAT YO-SELF! Ingredients: Crust (crust recipe adapted from Four and Twenty Blackbirds) 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp sea salt 1 tbsp sugar 1 cup butter (straight from the fridge, cut into 1-inch pieces) 1 cup cold water 1/4 cup Continue reading →

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]]> Keep Love In The Air With Chocolate and Pears https://usapears.org/blog/keep-love-air-chocolate-pears/ Mon, 12 Feb 2018 15:40:26 +0000 http://usapears.org/blog/?p=4958 Love is in the air and few things are as enticing as the passionate relationship between chocolate and pears. These two foods may come from opposite worlds but when they meet, the chemistry is unmistakable and downright charming. The possibilities are truly endless with these two simple ingredients, and you don’t need to be a gourmet chef to pull off something delicious and creative. We can’t prove it, but we are pretty sure chocolate and pears will please pretty much anyone. As you think of the perfect way to please your Valentine, consider savoring the joyous relationship that is chocolate and pears with these five recipes. 1. Dark Chocolate Dipped Pears Move over strawberries— there’s another fruit that tastes amazing when dipped in chocolate! Rich dark chocolate pairs perfectly with Red Anjou pears, which just so happen to be heart-check Continue reading →

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]]> 5 Hearty Pear Soups to Warm Your Winter https://usapears.org/blog/5-hearty-pear-soups-warm-winter/ Tue, 16 Jan 2018 19:24:12 +0000 http://usapears.org/blog/?p=4932 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 →

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]]> Beautiful on the Inside https://usapears.org/blog/beautiful-on-the-inside/ Tue, 25 Apr 2017 17:45:19 +0000 http://blog.usapears.org/?p=4658 This week a coworker said to me, “My son doesn’t eat fruits and vegetables, but it’s okay. He looks healthy.” Uh oh, this sounds familiar. Rather than what’s on the outside, the question we should ask is, “What does he look like on the inside?” Thinness does not imply healthy, and those who look like they are a healthy or expected weight on the outside may, due to poor diet or lack of exercise, harbor risk factors for chronic diseases on the inside. Medically this is called metabolically obese normal weight and socially called “skinny fat.” Unfortunately, like obesity, this condition is associated with insulin resistance and elevated blood sugar, blood pressure, and blood lipids, predisposing individuals to premature diabetes and cardiovascular disease. [1] National data suggest that metabolically obese normal weight individuals make up more than 20% of the Continue reading →

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]]> Pear “Toasts” https://usapears.org/blog/pear-toasts/ Thu, 13 Apr 2017 16:14:47 +0000 http://blog.usapears.org/?p=4649 You’ve probably noticed how trendy the idea of toast has become, with food magazines, cooking shows, and restaurant chefs across the country coming up with enticing toppings for a humble slice of bread. There are even entire cafes dedicated to the concept. But what happens when you have the wacky idea to exchange a slice of pear for the bread? Magic! Here are four delicious ideas for topping pear “toasts” at home. Consider this a jumping off point for coming up with your own creative combinations, using whatever variety of pear you have ripening on the counter, and any tasty toppings sitting in your fridge or pantry. The options are practically endless, since pears taste amazing with both sweet and savory flavors. These quick creations are a yummy snack for kids and adults alike, whether the craving strikes after school or Continue reading →

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]]> Pickled Pear and Irish Cheddar Toasties in a Bread Basket https://usapears.org/blog/pickled-pear-and-irish-cheddar-toasties-in-a-bread-basket/ Mon, 27 Mar 2017 16:04:11 +0000 http://blog.usapears.org/?p=4629 Little toastie sandwiches, filled with melting Irish Cheddar and piquant pickled pears, are (adorably) presented right in their own hollowed out bread loaf. This recipe makes 2 pints of sweet and tangy pickled pears perfumed with caraway and bay. You won’t need that much for the toasties, so you’ll have pickled pears in your fridge for a month, if they last that long! Enjoy them with cheeses and charcuterie, in salads and sandwiches, or as a tasty snack. Makes 8 toasties; serves 4 (because everyone will want 2!) Caraway Pickled Pears 2 medium ripe or slightly underripe Bosc pears 1¼ cups apple cider vinegar 1 cup water 6 tablespoons honey 2 teaspoons kosher salt 2 teaspoons caraway seeds 2 bay leaves For the Toasties 1 unsliced loaf of hearty whole-grain sandwich bread (AKA a “Pullman” loaf) 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, Continue reading →

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]]> Put Your Best Fork Forward! https://usapears.org/blog/put-your-best-fork-forward/ Thu, 23 Mar 2017 18:48:47 +0000 http://blog.usapears.org/?p=4619 Happy National Nutrition Month! Every year, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics encourages getting back to the basics of a healthful diet, and moving toward healthful habits can be as simple as changing the next bite. Lately, I have been hearing of more nutrition and food fads and myths than usual. It seems the internet has made everyone a nutrition expert. (Insert a shrug and a sigh.) My personal pet peeve is the use of the phrases good food and bad food. Unfortunately, nutrition isn’t black and white unless you’re eating a hot fudge sundae. When I was an obese teen, I’d come home after school and cram my mouth full of snack cakes, potato chips, whatever packaged food I could find in our overstuffed pantry. These, of course, were not nutrient-dense choices and I don’t ever recommend eating this Continue reading →

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]]> Go green and get your culinary jig on this St. Patrick’s Day https://usapears.org/blog/go-green-and-get-your-culinary-jig-on-this-st-patricks-day/ Thu, 16 Mar 2017 21:43:31 +0000 http://blog.usapears.org/?p=4613 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 →

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]]> Ditch the Guilt https://usapears.org/blog/ditch-the-guilt/ Thu, 03 Nov 2016 17:27:11 +0000 http://blog.usapears.org/?p=4516 It’s Sunday morning and you splurged too much on food or drink last night. You’re tired, unmotivated, and guilt creeps in from not making the best choices. Sound familiar? The truth is we all splurge sometimes, myself included, and we need a plan – especially with the holidays approaching – to ditch the guilt and get out of the splurge cycle! As a dietitian, I feel like I work with guilt almost as much as I work with improving eating habits. Unfortunately, too many of us associate eating habits or what the mirror displays with self-worth and confidence. We are more than what we eat! Here are some steps I review with my clients (and sometimes myself!), give it a try! First, reflect on the occasions when you splurged. Would you take back the entire day or night, the time Continue reading →

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]]> Spring Tartine with Shaved Pears, Fromage Blanc, and Pea Shoots https://usapears.org/blog/spring-tartine-with-shaved-pears-fromage-blanc-and-pea-shoots/ Fri, 08 Apr 2016 00:10:18 +0000 http://blog.usapears.org/?p=4416 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 →

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