|
The hubbub of the holidays shouldn't mean taking a break from healthful eating. Fortunately, no matter how hectic your schedule becomes, there's always time for working some delicious fruit into your diet.
Pears can be a great place to start. Besides being delicious, they're wonderfully nutritious-an excellent source of dietary fiber that contains vitamin C and is also a source of potassium, with only about 100 calories per serving.
Pears are great anytime of the day: Try pear halves with yogurt for breakfast. Pack one with your lunch. Cut one up over a dinner salad. Or top a dish of ice cream for dessert. In addition, there are many varieties to enjoy throughout the year: Bartlett, Anjou, Bosc and Comice. Each has a distinct texture, color and flavor that can be made into savory snacks, main dishes, appetizers, salads and desserts.
And remember: Adding pears to a main dish gives food a burst of flavor while helping your family get the recommended five to nine daily servings of fruits and veggies.
The following quick-and-easy recipe does not use a traditional sauce, letting the juicy pears bring a sweet balance to the Parmesan and prosciutto's more salty flavors. Using a prepared pizza crust makes this an effortless meal or a beautiful and savory appetizer.
Savory Pear Pizza
1 prepared pizza dough crust (such as Boboli)
3 T. extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 oz. grated, fresh Parmesan cheese
3 oz. chopped prosciutto or thinly sliced cured ham
1 red Anjou pear, cored and sliced very thinly
1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Place pizza crust on baking sheet.
3. Spread olive oil and garlic over the pizza crust.
4. Top with cheese, prosciutto and pear slices.
5. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
6. Slice and serve. Serves 6.
For more delicious pear recipes, visit www.usapears.org. |
|
|
|
