Abby's Food Court

View Original

Walnut Date Baked Pears

Abby Cannon

I originally made these Walnut Date Baked Pears with fresh, local pears from Local Roots (a customizable CSA based in NYC) and they were such a hit with my whole family that I had to give the recipe a permanent home here.

I usually don’t describe recipes as “easy” or “simple” because what I find easy or simple, you might not! However, I really think this is a super simple recipe to make when you’re craving something sweet and also want to flood your body with nutritious food.

Here are the nutritious superstars in this recipe:

- One medium sized pear has 6 g of fiber and is a rich source of many vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, folate, potassium, and copper. Be sure to eat the skin- that’s where the majority of the polyphenol antioxidants are!

- Walnuts are a wonderful nut to include in your diet. One ounce of walnuts (about 14 halves) has 4.3 g of plant based protein and 1.9 g of fiber. They boost brain and cognitive health (and even look like a tiny brain!) because of their healthy fat content. They’re the only nut that contains significant amounts of the omega-3 fat alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). ALA supports heart health, reduces inflammation, and is a precursor to the essential fatty acids, EPA and DHA.

- Dates are my favorite natural sweetener. Because we use them in their whole form, they’re not a source of added sugar (date syrup IS considered added sugar). Dates contain fiber, plant based protein, potassium, magnesium, vitamin B6, and antioxidants.

Walnut Date Baked Pears

Serves 6

Ingredients

  • 3 RIPE PEARS

  • 1/3 CUP WALNUTS

  • 4 PITTED DATES

  • 1 TBSP MAPLE SYRUP (CAN USE WATER TO MAKE THIS ADDED SUGAR FREE)

  • 1/2 TSP CINNAMON

Instructions

  1. Cut the pears in half, lengthwise and scoop out the seeds using a spoon. To make it easier to fill, slice a small bit of the skin off the pear to give you a flat edge so that the pears lie down flat and don’t wobble.

  2. Roughly chop the walnuts and dates and mix them together with the maple syrup (or water) and cinnamon.

  3. Fill the center of each pear with the walnut and date mixture.

  4. Bake in 350F oven for about 20 minutes, until the pears are nice and soft.

  5. Take a deep breath and enjoy. You can sprinkle some cinnamon or drizzle some extra maple syrup on the top.