This morning when I woke up, it was 21°F outside. That’s a hard NOPE. But, the dog needed to be walked, so I put my big girl pants on and bundled up. More on that on tomorrow’s Friday Favorites (stay tuned). Let’s get to dessert first, shall we?
The only good part of being freezing cold that I don’t mind, is knowing that I get to eat comfort foods, drink hot coffee/tea/hot chocolate and put on my fuzzy slippers. Other than that, I’ll pass on my ALWAYS freezing cold hands this time of year. This morning, I was motivated to go on my walk by the thought of coming home to make a warm Pear Cranberry Crisp. Not to mention, coffee. As I was cooking, I was using the gas stove as a hand warmer. Anyone else that ridiculous?
It is literally my favorite time of year for food. Wait, who am I kidding? Everytime of year is my favorite time of year for food. What I mean to say, is that I love all food surrounding Thanksgiving & the holidays. I’m hoping to get a few more Thanksgiving style recipes out for you lovely people so you have a menu that screams deliciousness with a little healthy on the side. Fingers crossed that gets done.
Eating In Season
The harvest season is upon us. This means there is a plethora of squashes, apples, pears, cruciferous veggies (ya know, broccoli, cauliflower), cranberries, and a whole host of other root veggies. When you eat in season, you catch the fruits & veggies at their prime taste and nutrition. That’s right, when in season, you are getting more bang for your buck as far as vitamins & minerals go. Not to mention, a ripe-crisp apple or pear is 100% tastier than an old mealy one.
Not sure what’s in season where you are? Check out this site here to keep tabs on it. Also, if you head to the farmer’s markets, participate in a CSA (community supported agriculture) or use a produce delivery service, like Field Goods, you’ll be greeted with what’s in season. If you go to the grocery stores, you’ll notice they put items that are in season up front & center of their produce section. BONUS, they are usually running sales on them. That being said, I got my cranberries & pears from Whole Foods (Albany) as we are partnering to bring you this post. Both were on sale, I’d call that a win-win.
Nutrient Dense Pears & Cranberries
Before I let you indulge in this delicious Pear Cranberry Crisp, let’s take a look at the health benefits of the stars of this dish. Pears & cranberries, as mentioned above, are in season and therefor, rich in nutrients this time of year.
Let’s check out what makes pears so special:
Good source of fiber, great for heart and gut health
Decent amount of vitamin C, helping boost immune function (get outta here colds & flu)
Rich in antioxidants, like glutathione, that help to reduce inflammation and prevent chronic disease
Okay, now time for cranberry’s spotlight:
Good source of polyphenols that can help promote a healthy heart
Rich in antioxidants (especially proanthocyanidins) that are known to help prevent a range of diseases, including UTIs (urinary tract infections)
Decent source of the mineral, manganese, which is known to help build healthy bones, keep skin intact and even regulate a healthy blood sugar
To recap, pears and cranberries help to promote a healthy immune system, gut, skin, bones, heart and much more!
Now, eating the fruit without added sugar (as seen in this recipe) is ideal, but it’s the Holiday season and I want you to enjoy a little extra sweetness without completely blowing your healthy efforts. Afterall, life’s short, go ahead, eat dessert first 🙂
Pro tip: you can make this a day or 2 before you need it (good luck resisting eating it) but make sure to reheat it and top with vanilla ice cream, that combo is magical!
4 Bosc pears (~2lbs), peeled, core removed and chopped
2 Tbsp maple syrup
2 Tbsp fresh squeezed orange juice
Zest of 1/2 orange, optional
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1 Tbsp arrowroot powder, optional
For the topping
1/2 cup flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour|http://amzn.to/2hhXOmM)
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 stick butter (1/4 lb), cold & chopped into cubes
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger, optional
Pinch of salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F
In a medium bowl, add all ingredients for the topping, except the butter. Stir to combine.
Add in butter and using a pastry cutter or two forks, cut butter into flour blend until coarse crumbs are formed, set aside.
In a medium cast iron skillet (or any oven safe skillet), melt 1 Tbsp butter and add in pears and cranberries, sauté in pan for 3 minutes until slightly fragrant.
Stir in maple syrup, orange juice, orange zest, cinnamon and salt. Stir to combine and continue to saute for ~1-2 minutes.
Turn off heat, add in arrowroot powder (if using, helps to bind mixture together) and stir to combine.
Top filling with topping mixture evenly.
Place in oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, until top is golden brown and cranberries are bursting.
