9.30.2009

As of Oct. 1, I have pears available! Learn more about what you can do with a pear!


Anything that can be done with an apple can be done with a pear!

Pears are an excellent source of dietary fiber (a medium sized pear has 6 grams of fiber, 24% of the recommended daily allowance) and a good source of vitamin C, a proven anti-oxidant. Pears also offer potassium (a medium sized pear has 190 mg of potassium). They contain no saturated fat, sodium or cholesterol. A medium pear has about 100 calories. Raw pears don’t freeze well.

17 Things to do with a pear:

Eat them whole and raw, easy to take them with you anywhere, anytime – not messy like some other raw fruits.

Potato Chip RAW pear, cut a pear up like a potato chip (wash and slice them into thinner chips).
Use a pear in every smoothie you make
Blend them up and use in a favorite sauce for added sweet flavor.
For later use, blend them up, add sugar, put in sandwich bag and freeze. (5 c. mashed fruit, 2 c. sugar)

Use a juicer and make pear juice. Pear juice is thick and very sweet. Bosc, Anjou, or Bartlett pears all make fine juice. Pear juice can be diluted with water and lemon juice or apple juice if desired. To juice pears, wash and remove hard stems, cut, and run through the juicer either by themselves or with other fruits and vegetables. Pear juice contains vitamins A, B-1, B-2, C, Folic Acid and Niacin. It is also rich in phosphorus and potassium, and supplies lesser amounts of calcium, chlorine, iron, magnesium, sodium, and sulfur. Pear juice has mild diuretic and laxative effects. Don't plan to attend an all day workshop or seminar after you drink a full glass of pear juice OR just make sure you can get to a bathroom a few times! Pear juice helps the most in bladder disorders, constipation, liver disorders, prostate disorders.

Pears make great tasty thickening agents for any soup, stock or stew.
Bake a pear
Poach a pear
Sauté a pear
Roast a pear
Grill a pear
Dry a pear
Make Pear Relish
Make into preserves or jam – using our Freezer Jam Recipe (see Sept. 1 Tip for recipe)
Make into a chutney
Spike any baked good with 1 – 2 mashed pears for additional sweet flavor
More info on how to use pears: http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/publication/FN_2005_Harvest_05.pdf