Nourish - pear

Pears can be quite juicy so after you have grated the pears you will need to squeeze out any excess pear juice, otherwise the fritters will turn out soggy. The easiest way is to grab a handful of the grated pear (pop a glass underneath) and then squeeze tight to remove as much juice as you can , repeat the process until all the grated pear is done. Bonus pear juice (yum)

Table of Contents Show

Ingredients
What are the benefits of eating pear?
Is Pear an anti inflammatory?
What is Bartlett pear good for?
What are the benefits of pear tea?

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients together - grated pear, chia seeds, flour and egg, the mixture should come together and hold in a ball shape (like rolling a meatball)

2. Heat a frying pan on medium heat and melt the butter or ghee

3. Shape dessert spoon fulls of the mixture into balls

4. Place in the frypan and gently press down with a spatula to make a fritter shape

5. Cook for a few minutes on either side until they are golden brown

6. Serve on their own, or with some greek yoghurt.

Ingredients

110g sultanas
200g medjool dates, pitted and chopped well
50g dried cranberries
110g dried pears, chopped well
80ml brandy
75g pecans
100g sourdough bread, crust cut off
70g self-raising flour
160g dark brown sugar
1 tsp allspice
60ml coconut oil, melted
1 orange, juice and zest
3 tbsp aquafaba (chickpea water)

Method

Place the sultanas, dates, cranberries, and pears in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the brandy and leave to soak, covered, overnight.
The next day, preheat the oven to 160°C. Grease a 1-litre pudding pot and line the bottom with a circle of baking paper.
Place the pecans in a food processor and roughly chop, then add them to the dried fruit mixture. Make sourdough breadcrumbs by pulsing the crustless bread in the processor, then add these to the mixing bowl as well.
Next add the flour, sugar, allspice, melted coconut oil, orange juice and zest, and aquafaba to the bowl and stir through until well combined. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pudding pot, compressing and smoothing out the batter as best you can.
Cut two sheets of baking paper into circles 8cm larger than the mouth of the pot. Lay the sheets on top of each other and fold a 2cm pleat down the middle (to create space for steam). Place the pleated paper over the mouth of the pot and secure with kitchen twine.
Place the pudding in an oven-proof pan and carefully fill the pan with boiling water to reach halfway up the side of the pudding pot. Place in the oven and bake for 4½ to 5 hours, or until a skewer comes out clean from the centre of the pudding.
Either serve immediately or wrap the pudding tightly to store in a cool, dry place until ready to serve. To reheat with the best results, return the pudding to its pot and place it in a saucepan filled to halfway up the side of the pudding pot with boiling water. Warm over a low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until warmed through.

TIP: For a perfect pud, it’s best to use a kitchen scale to measure the ingredients where a weight is given.

More inspiration from our mindful collective

YOUR INPUT

0 people are cooking this

Harvested in autumn, most Australian pears are available through winter, here, we uncover the health benefits of this delicious stone fruit.

We might like them poached in red wine, baked into cakes and sliced up and sprinkled on salads, but did you know that pears have been used as a traditional folk remedy for more than 2000 years? In Chinese traditional medicine, pears are used to ease inflammation and coughs and as a hangover cure.

While the latter claim may seem unlikely, scientific studies on Korean pears have backed it up. “It appears that the factors in Korean pears act on the key enzymes involved in alcohol metabolism – alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase – to speed up alcohol metabolism and elimination or inhibition of alcohol absorption,” says Professor Manny Noakes, research director for food, nutrition and health in the CSIRO Food and Nutrition Flagship. “In particular, reductions were seen in blood acetaldehyde levels, the toxic metabolic thought to be responsible for the hangover symptoms, with pear juice consumption.”

But that’s not it for health perks. Pears contain several ‘bioactive components’, such as polyphenols (especially in the peel) and fibre, which contribute to your overall wellness. A 2015 CSIRO report on the health properties of pears concluded they have the following health perks.

Regulate bowel function
According to the report, pears surpass all other fruits for its high content of digestive regulating nutrients including fibre, fructose and sorbitol. The high fibre content of pears (4.1 grams in a medium-sized pear) also helps ‘keep you regular’. (Unfortunately, these same features of pear may result in discomfort in a small proportion of the population who inadequately absorb fructose or FODMAPs.) This “natural package of digestive-regulating nutrients”, the report says, may well be our daily prescription for digestive health.

Assist with weight loss
A study of women (aged 30 to 50) on a weight loss diet found that eating 300 grams of pears or apples per day resulted in significantly greater weight loss over a 10-week period compared to 60 grams of oat cookies per day. The theory behind the results is that eating more low-energy density pear as opposed to high-energy density cookies resulted in lower calorie consumption overall.

Help manage blood sugar
Pears have a low glycaemic index (GI), which means (though they’re sweet) they won’t give you a sugar rush. According to the CSIRO report, studies have also shown that pear extracts can have favourable effects on blood glucose, important for diabetics. “This is potentially related to insulin-like activity of various bioactive compounds in pear, in particular blocking of carbohydrate digestion by certain phenolic acids” the report says.

Easing allergies
According to the report, pears may be able to treat or ease allergic inflammatory diseases (such as asthma, rhinitis and eczema) with their unique combination of polyphenols and flavonoids. “Research on flavonoids, including the rutin and quercetin present in pears, indicates some potential activity for the treatment of allergic diseases such as asthma,” the report says.

Prevent disease
Pears are joining apples in ‘keeping the doctor away’. According to the CSIRO report, pears are a good source of phenolic acids, in particular chlorogenic acid, arbutin, ferulic and citric acid. “Chlorogenic acid is of interest due to its role in regulating glucose and lipid metabolism,” the report says. “A recent review on chlorogenic acid identified 27 studies including 3 human clinical trials and 18 animal studies which showed improvements in a range of metabolic biomarkers related to diabetes, cardiovascular health and obesity including serum lipids, insulin resistance, glucose tolerance and obesity-related hormones.”

NEXT: Try this delightful chocolate, almond & pear tart for a treat.

What are the benefits of eating pear?

In addition to being a good source of fiber, pears are also high in vitamins C and K, as well as potassium and antioxidants. They're also especially good for gut health, and they may help keep you regular, too.

Is Pear an anti inflammatory?

Pears are a rich source of flavonoid antioxidants, which help fight inflammation and may decrease your risk of disease ( 14 ).

What is Bartlett pear good for?

And because Bartlett pears contain vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and some iron, they're a very healthy snack, too (particularly when eaten with the peel). Pears are thought to fight inflammation, promote heart and gut health, protect against certain diseases, and even aid in weight loss and maintenance.

What are the benefits of pear tea?

It turns out that the benefits of Pear Tea extend beyond treating your taste buds. Evidence suggests that it can, among other qualities, improve heart health, boost immunity, aid digestion, enhance cognitive function and reduce diabetes risks.