Two of the most popular superfood fruits to enjoy in the fall are apples and pears. They are both loaded with vitamins and nutrients, have a sweet flavor for healthier desserts, and even go great in more savory dishes. Here are some different ways I use apples and pears during the fall.
Problem… I don’t like pears. Not even a little bit. I don’t care how good they are for me. I don’t care that we had a bumper crop this year. They feel like sandpaper in my mouth. Eww. I even canned some using Laurie’s Almond Pear recipe. It was delicious, but too pear-ey to eat often.
Apples, on the other hand, I like well enough. They never sound good, you know? “Oh, I’m dying or a good crunchy apple.” Said Jodi, never.
But if my daughter slices one up for my grandson and offers me a one, I will always take it and it is always good. My mother-in-law has severe dementia. I’m the one that has to make sure she eats well. I slice her apples and always have a few. Always, I think to myself, “I should eat these more often.” Do you do that? It’s silly, I know, but I have friends that feel the same way. It is probably the fact that someone did all the work and all I had to do was eat it that has something to do with that 😉
Well, my daughter Hannah (the queen of mix and match) cut up apples and pears, mixed them together in a smoothie and I couldn’t taste the pear at all. Problem solved. Since then, I’ve discovered more than a couple of ways to make these two fall superfoods work together and get the fabulous nutrition of pears into my body without the hassle of tasting it, LOL.
Put Them in a Smoothie
If you’re not sick to death of reading about smoothie recipes (they really are little nutritious powerhouses) you may enjoy knowing that green smoothies can be bitter and pear and apple have the “just right amount of sweetness” for making them enjoyable to drink. A smoothie is perhaps one of the easiest ways to use apples and pears in your fall foods. You can make a smoothie using both of these ingredients, which will sweeten up any smoothie, in a green smoothie or green juice. When you use lots of veggies in your smoothie, it can taste a little bitter, so you need some fruit for sweetness. Both apples and pears are wonderful for this. You can also make a fruit smoothie with one or both fruits, ice, a frozen banana, yogurt, and your preferred form of milk.
Make a Salad With the Fruit
If you enjoy salads as a way to add in more superfoods and eat healthier at the same time, don’t be afraid to add some fruit to it. It gives it a light, crisp flavor that is great during this time of year. When adding fruit, a vinaigrette is usually the best type of dressing, or you can just make your own by combining olive oil with a little lemon juice and honey if you want to sweeten it up. Then use kale – another superfood – as the greens, along with your sliced pears and apples, some nuts, and cranberries.
Sautéed Fruit
This turns your chosen superfood fruits into a type of dessert that is light and sugar free, aside from the natural sugars that are in the fruits. You can go with just apples and pears, or mix and match with other fruits that are available in the fall as well. You want to use coconut butter or cashew butter instead of regular butter, giving it a healthier, nuttier flavor that really transforms the fruit. Sautee in some coconut oil with a little sea salt and cinnamon.
Apple and Pear Butter–
Apple butter is a very popular choice in the fall, as it is perfect for topping your cookies, muffins, scones, and toast. You can go one step further by using both apples and pears in the fall butter. You can make it in your slow cooker, providing a more convenient cooking method. If you want, you can also mix in some pumpkin, then add in your maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, and fall spices like ginger and cloves.
And last, but not least….
Cocoa Pear Chips
I found this recipe at Tipnut, followed the link to Not Derbie Pie Cocoa Pear Chips heavy on the cocoa… yes, definitely. I didn’t even need the apples to disguise the pear. Simply GOOD.
If you’ve got extra fruit, be sure to dehydrate it to use in any of the above ideas later in winter when fresh fruit is long gone… CommonSenseHome.com has more information on how to preserve pears.
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