Pears: why and how you should eat them + BEST GREEN SMOOTHIE RECIPE
If you’ve been around me long enough and if we’ve had an opportunity to work together, you’ll know that as a part of your diet recall I very specifically ask “do you enjoy pears?” I almost can’t help myself because:
a) I love pears and my home almost always has some.
b) They are such a versatile fruit with tons of nutritional benefits!
And guess what? USA Pears are inseason right now! It’s important to know this because about 70% of the pears we enjoy in Canada are imported from the US. Phew! Meaning I always have my favourite fruit available, year round!
Now, back to my diet recall question. The reason I ask this is partly because a) I need to selfishly see who else shares a love of pears like I do and b) to see if my clients might need to assess their fiber intake.
Why Include Pears in Your Diet?
Pears offer a variety of nutrients that may support heart, brain and gut health. Fun fact: Pears are a natural source of the sugar alcohol sorbitol. Sorbitol is not well absorbed in the body and actually acts as a natural laxative by bringing water into the intestines, helping you move things along more smoothly.
Pears can also be beneficial for digestive health because they’re packed with fibre. It can feel daunting to get enough fibre in a day. The recommended daily intake of fibre for women is 25 grams and 38 grams for men. Most Canadians are only getting about half that much, including my clients. Now you can see why I ask that question? Pears are a delish way for adults to meet their daily fibre needs. Snacking on a pear provides 21% of the fibre you need per day. Not too shabby.
How to Pick the Perfect Pear
So now you know why you need to include this juicy fruit in your diet when you can...how do you pick a good, ripe one? And what kind to choose?
First, let’s start with the how. How do you know when a pear has ripened to sweet and juicy perfection? The best way to judge ripeness is to Check the Neck™ - apply gentle pressure to the neck of the pear with your thumb. If it yields to pressure, it’s ripe and ready to eat! Full disclosure: You may get some stink-eye from people at the grocery store if you’re touching pears and putting them back. I’d say you’re more than likely to get a good pear, so just take what you touch. But if you come home to find it’s not so, just place the pears in a paper bag on the counter to ripen faster!
What are the Different Varieties of Pears?
The most common pear varieties available in Canada are Bartlett (red and yellow), Anjou (red and green), Comice and Bosc. Here’s how you can identify each one and how to enjoy them:
Red and Yellow Bartlett Pears: What to Look For
On the sweeter end of the spectrum, Bartlett pears are juicy, aromatic and very sweet. As Red Bartletts ripen, they change from a dark red colour that’s crunchy and tart to a beautiful bright red colour that’s juicy and sweet. In the grocery store, these pears are often simply labeled as Red Pears. Red Bartletts taste the same as Yellow Bartletts, but it’s their colour that can add flair to any dish.
Ah, the Yellow Bartlett pear. This is the one you’re probably most familiar with. They look like a pear, smell like a pear and have that distinctive pear flavour. In the grocery store, Bartletts are green then change to yellow as they ripen at home when left at room temperature. Tip: You can put them in the fridge to slow the ripening down.
These juicy gems work best as a canning pear in addition to eating them fresh in a variety of ways. Also, any recipe calling for apples can be made using fresh pears. Think: Sliced on top of your favourite salad, or in my family’s favourite green pear smoothie.
Red and Green Anjou Pears: What to Look For
Red Anjou pears are easy to identify by their shape. Whereas Bartletts have their trademark “pear” shape, these little guys have more of an egg-shaped appearance. Red Anjous are dark maroon in colour and often labeled as Red Pears in the grocery store as well, which makes their egg shape an easy way to identify them. Green Anjou pears taste and look much like Red Anjou, but their skin colour is bright green, and sometimes has a soft red blush.Need a pear that will go well in any recipe? The Anjou is truly an all-purpose pear. They are a bit more tangy (lemon-lime flavour) than Bartletts and this variety goes well sliced over top of a green salad. Yum! They are also delicious in baking, poaching, roasting, or grilling.
Comice Pears: What to Look For
The Comice pear has a unique shape. Compared to other pear varieties, they have a very round body with a very short neck. They are most often green in color, and sometimes have a red blush covering small to large areas of the skin surface.
You actually don’t want to cook with this variety because it is the juiciest, softest and sweetest of the bunch. Cooking it will make it mushy. If you’re gonna do a charcuterie board with cheese, this is the pear you want!
Bosc Pears: What to Look For
This one you’ve seen, but maybe never picked up because they can look a little unique! Bosc pears have a long, curved stem and a longer neck than the Bartletts. But what’s most unique is their colour: a warm cinnamon brown with russeting over the surface of the skin.
Of the bunch, Bosc pears have a more firm, dense flesh. This makes them perfect for baking, broiling or poaching. Of course, you could always take a big bite out of a fresh Bosc pear if you prefer a bit more crunch!
Okay, so now that you know almost everything you need to know about pears….what about that smoothie?
About the BEST green smoothie
Okay, okay. I know you’re wanting more information on how you can make the best green smoothie ever. Yes, I did just say that and I know it’s pretty ballsy! This is hands down the best green smoothie ever because my 2 and 4 year old boys said so. Okay? Okay!
You should know, we’ve been making this in my home for 5 years straight and we’re still into it. It’s the perfect way to use an over-ripe pear and prevent food waste. And please, don’t peel your pear for this recipe. In fact, keep the peel on because it contains tons of nutrients and offers up a hefty dose fibre (6 g per medium pear, to be exact!).
When you’re preparing your smoothie you can definitely swap the almond butter for tahini if you’d like, this is sometimes a nice way to keep things allergy-friendly. You’ll notice in addition to the almond butter that I’ve also included hemp hearts. Speaking from a personal perspective, I need multiple protein sources in my smoothie to ensure they keep me full until my next meal, because #momlife. And I’m also not upset that plant-based proteins offer up important nutrients like fibre, magnesium and zinc!
My last tip before you get going with the recipe. Don’t skip the cinnamon. Cinnamon really helps to add a level of sweetness to the recipe and seriously, it just makes it taste so darn cozy!
If you try this recipe, share it with your family and let me know what you think!
The Best Green Pear Smoothie
Prep time: 5 minutes
Makes about 4, 1 cup servings
*note: I find 1/2 this portion is perfect for me as a meal, if serving my family of 4 this is perfect
INGREDIENTS:
1 tbsp ginger, minced
1 ripe banana, sliced, frozen
1 ripe pear, sliced, fresh or frozen
1/4 cup hemp hearts
1/4 cup almonds or 2 tbsp almond butter
2 cups spinach
1 1/2 - 2 cups milk (any kind)
Pinch of cinnamon
INSTRUCTIONS:
Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend for about 1 minute or until the contents are smooth. Add more milk as needed to attain your desired consistency.
I like to use frozen fruit in my smoothies but fresh will work just fine! Pears are best eaten fresh, but if you need to preserve them to prevent food waste, you can slice them up and freeze them to use in smoothies. Another good option is to make a pear puree to freeze. This helps to maintain better texture and colour and the puree can be used in smoothies, sauces, dressings, baked goods, and more.
