December Nutrition Highlight: Pears
By Kristen Latteri
This fall and winter I have been all about foods that are simple to use and cook with. December’s nutritional highlight is pears! They are local, delicious, and nutritious. There are many varieties of pears grown in NY state including Bartlett, Seckle, and Bosc.
According to the USDA, a raw pear has the following nutrients:
Calories: 101
Protein: 1 gram
Carbs: 27 grams
Fiber: 6 grams
Vitamin C: 12% of the Daily Value (DV)
Vitamin K: 6% of DV
Potassium: 4% of the DV
Copper: 16% of DV
I love pears slices as a snack, in salads, on pizza or a flatbread, poached, and obviously in a cake or crumble. Here are a couple of pear recipes I’ll be making this winter:
This Pear White Sangria is perfect for a festive New Year’s Eve celebration.
Pear White Sangria
Ingredients
1 750mL bottle dry white wine
¼ cup apple brandy
1 ½ cups pear juice or pear brandy
¼ cup lime juice
2 pears (rinsed and thinly sliced)
2 cinnamon sticks
10 whole cloves
1 ½ cups ginger ale or ginger beer
Ice
Pear slices and fresh rosemary sprigs for garnish
Step 1 In a tall pitcher combine the white wine, brandy, pear juice, lime juice, pear slices, cinnamon sticks, and cloves. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
Step 2 Fill glasses with ice and fill ¾ of the way with sangria, then top with ginger ale or ginger beer. Garnish with a pear slices and rosemary sprigs for a festive touch. Enjoy!
This salad is really pretty and delicious.
Escarole & Pear Salad
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
Kosher salt
1 small garlic clove
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 heads of escarole (about 2 1/2 pounds), tough outer greens removed, leaves torn into bite-sized pieces
2 Comice or Anjou pears, preferably red, cored, thinly sliced lengthwise
1/2 pound Parmesan, shaved
2 cups (packed) basil leaves, torn into bite-sized pieces
Flaky sea salt
Step 1 Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a small skillet over medium. Add hazelnuts and toast, stirring occasionally, until golden, 2–3 minutes. Season with 1/8 tsp kosher salt. Remove from heat and set aside.
Step 2 Finely chop garlic clove. Using the side of a chef's knife, mash garlic with 1/4 tsp kosher salt to form a paste. Whisk garlic paste, vinegar, mustard, and 1/4 tsp pepper in a medium bowl. Whisk in 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil in a slow and steady stream. NOTE: This dressing can be made up to a day in advance. Whisk well before using.
Step 3 Place escarole, pears, parmesan, basil, and about 1/3 of the reserved hazelnuts in a large bowl and drizzle with vinaigrette. Gently toss until salad is evenly dressed; season with sea salt and pepper. Top with remaining hazelnuts.
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