A ‘Pear’-fect Fall Snack

Pears are perfectly in season this September, which provides a fantastic snack and meal option for families with picky-eaters. Not only do pears taste amazing, but because they are chalk full of vitamins, phytonutrients (nutrients that come from fruits and vegetables), and antioxidants they offer many significant health benefits!

Pears are a good source of:

• Vitamin B2

• Vitamin C

• Copper

• Pectin (water soluble fiber)

• Potassium

These vitamins and minerals, in combination with a host of phytonutrients make pears an inflammation-fighting powerhouse that has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and even cancer. With its mild taste and easy digestibility, pear is an outstanding choice for people of any age, even infants!

Here are some of our favorite, kid-friendly pear recipes for the whole family to enjoy:

Cinnamon Baked Pears:

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 10-12 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients –

• 4 pears, halved and skinned

• 4 tbsp. butter, melted

• 1/3-cup brown sugar

• 1 tsp. cinnamon

Baking Instructions –

1. Place pear halves in a baking dish

2. Brush pears generously with butter

3. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon

4. Bake 10-12 minutes, or longer if pears have not warmed through

5. Serve and enjoy!

Spiced Pear Baked Oatmeal:

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 25-35 minutes

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients –

• 2¼ cups old-fashioned rolled oats

• 1½ tsp. ground cinnamon

• ¼ tsp. ground ginger

• 1/8 tsp. ground cloves

• Pinch of nutmeg

• ½ tsp. baking powder

• 1 egg

• 1¾-cup milk (or almond milk)

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• 1/3-cup maple syrup

• 1 cup diced pears (about 1 pear)

Baking Instructions –

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F

2. Combine oats, spices, and baking powder in a mixing bowl

3. Beat the egg in a second bowl. Then stir in milk, vanilla, and syrup

4. Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold in the pears

5. Grease a square baking dish. Pour oatmeal into the baking dish and bake for 25-35 minutes, or until set and beginning to brown

6. Serve immediately, or let cool and cut into 6-8 pieces if you want to freeze them

Crescent Roll Pear Turnovers:

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients –

• 1 can sliced pears, drained or 1 lb. of fresh pears sliced

• 1 can crescent roll dough

• 2 tsp. butter, melted

• cinnamon sugar, to taste

Baking Instructions –

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Unroll crescent dough, separating into 8 triangles (keep matching pairs together)

3. Place 1 or 2 slices of pear in the center of one dough triangle

4. Cover with matching triangle and pinch closed along the edges

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you have four turnovers

6. Brush melted butter over the tops and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar

7. Place turnovers on parchment paper and bake for 11-15 minutes, or until golden

8. Cool and serve!

Or, if you don’t feel like making anything, simply slice, serve, and eat! Mixing these healthful fruits into your family’s diet is a fantastic way to keep everybody healthy and happy.