Pear? Poor mans apple springs to mind. Until this morning, I don’t think I had eaten one since I was 10 years old. As a child, fruit extended to an apple or a pear and even then apples were the preferred choice. After all, ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’ had to have some true meaning. Perfectly ripe every time and not as easily bruised, these have remained a staple in my fruit bowl (actually I like them cold from the fridge, but who’s being picky). Needless to say, once I discovered the rather significant world of fruit, I never went back to the inconvenient pesky pear.
My husband, on the other hand has quite the addiction, and bizarrely eats them unripen. So, when I came across a neglected soft lonesome pear, I knew it was the day to reunite. Like apples, pears are high in pectin, a type of soluble fiber that helps lower cholesterol, slow down absorption of sugar and improve digestive health. Coupled with vitamins C & K and the trace mineral boron, pears are a great choice for improving skin, strengthening bones and fighting inflammation. Oh, and there is more fiber and antioxidants in the skin, so eating them whole is the way to go.
With so much hype about berries (and yes… we love them for their anti-aging antioxidants and low fructose), its about time the pear took some credit! The following smoothie is dairy free, low calorie, immune boosting, anti-inflammatory, with no added sugar and consists of just 5 ingredients. What’s not to love?
Ingredients (Serves 1):
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (I use Almond Breeze)
1 pear (keep the skin on!)
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
enjoy!
