Just one bite into a crisp, cool pear and I’m hooked. I just love the fragrant crunch of these delicious fruits, which are nature’s perfect on-the-go foods. Thanks to its natural protective skin, you can toss a pear into your handbag, gym bag, or lunch box for a delicious, healthful treat. These fruits are also packed with nutrition in a skinny 100-calorie serving, providing a super dose of fiber (6 grams!), as well as vitamin C and health-protective phytochemicals linked with the color of the skin.
So, don’t peel away the skin of the pear when you’re eating one of these beauties. Growing up in the Northwest, I helped my mother can pears each year to capture their beautiful flavor to enjoy all year long. Now that I live in California, I love adding pears to my family’s menu all year long, too. To learn more about cooking with pears, I’m sharing my top 5 ways to use pears.
Check out my video here for additional inspiration!
Top 5 Ways to Use Pears
Ginger Pear Date Oats1. Into that Morning Cereal. One of my favorite breakfasts is oatmeal (or any whole grain for that matter) cooked with chopped pears (skin and all) and sweet spices. Check out this recipe for Ginger Pear Date Oats for inspiration.
2. Wedge them Up! Pears are just so delicious sliced into wedges as a crunchy, satisfying snack for the whole family.
Baked Pear Trail Mix3. Pairing Pears with Snacks.
Pears can make such a fabulous appetizer paired with cashew cheese, nut butter, and even hummus! They are also great in trail mix, such as my recipe for Baked Pear Trail Mix.
Jade Pear Pistachio Salad4. Tossing Pears into a Salad. The naturally sweet crunch of pears suits salads beautifully, such as this Jade Pear Pistachio Salad.
Add sliced pears to fruit crumbles, such as this recipe for Cinnamon Apple Crumble.5. Baking with Pears. I just love fruit-focused desserts and baked goods starring pears, such as pies, breads, muffins, pancakes, and crisps, such as my Ginger Pear Crisp with Almonds from The Plant-Powered Diet.
Get to know more about how to use plant foods in the following guides:
Top 5 Ways to Use Pumpkin Seeds
Top 5 Ways to Use Quinoa
Top 5 Ways to Use Brown Rice
Top 5 Ways to Use Blackberries
