Pears: The Forgotten Super Fruit

Acai, gogi, goldenberry and dragon fruit are just a few of the interesting “super” fruits that come across my desk as a food editor but, sometimes, I crave one of the classic fruits I enjoyed as a kid. 

Pears are a favorite in the fall. Many varieties are available year-round, which could be why we take them for granted, but pears are at their best in November. Packing 5.5 grams of fiber in a 100-calorie portable package, they don’t disappoint in the nutrition department. I often cut one into thin wedges and eat them with chopped walnuts for an afternoon snack.

Pears also pair beautifully with the warming spices of the season — allspice, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg — so they are a natural to include in many autumnal dishes. 

I still prefer my pears raw, so one of my favorite ways to use them is in a salad or salsa. This salsa perks up the flavor of any grilled fish or chicken meal.


Fresh and Crispy Pear Salsa

Recipe developed by Regina Ragone, RDN, MS, and Susan Mitchell, PhD, RDN, FAND

Makes about 3 cups

Ingredients
2 8-ounce firm but ripe Bartlett pears, cored and chopped
⅓ cup finely chopped red onion
⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
¼ cup fresh lime juice
1 large serrano or jalapeño chili with seeds, minced
½ teaspoon sugar

Directions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made three hours ahead. Cover; chill.)
Regina Ragone, RDN, MS, and Susan Mitchell, PhD, RDN, FAND on Twitter
Regina Ragone, RDN, MS, and Susan Mitchell, PhD, RDN, FAND
Susan Mitchell, PhD, RDN, FAND, and Regina Ragone MS, RDN, share the food you love, how to stay fit for life and be fabulous everyday through their Breaking Down Nutrition podcasts, videos, social media and websites Food Fit Fabulous and BreakingDownNutrition.com. Connect with them here and on Twitter.