healthy treats you can whip up at home with just a few bananas
Gluten-free pancakes with grilled honey bananas and raspberriesPancakes are one of the best parts of weekends, apart from sleep-ins, of course. But you don't need to miss out because you've cut out gluten from your diet. This recipe from The Australian Women's Weekly's 'Delicious Gluten-Free Food' cookbook is tummy-friendly.Find the full recipe here.
Gluten-free pancakes with grilled honey bananas and raspberries
Pancakes are one of the best parts of weekends, apart from sleep-ins, of course. But you don't need to miss out because you've cut out gluten from your diet. This recipe from The Australian Women's Weekly's 'Delicious Gluten-Free Food' cookbook is tummy-friendly.
Find the full recipe here.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner: 3 healthy recipes that show the versatility of this delicious fruit
Let’s get right down to it — who opted for a 2022 resolution of eating healthier?
We’re right there with you. And if you’re anything like us, you’ve already started to struggle to hold true to these goals while also ensuring delicious dishes to appease all your cravings.
Well, let us reintroduce you to pears. An astounding fruit, pears truly are one of those gold nugget items on the produce stands that you can always find a use for in your kitchen. According to Nicole Osinga, registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator, these green, hourglass-figured gems pack in loads of fibre, antioxidants, and flavanols (which are linked to better brain health).
With the help of Osinga, let’s shine some light on the goodness of pears and inspire your inner foodie with three mouthwatering, pear-based recipes — one for each meal of the day.
- Pear and pineapple green smoothie
Just reading the title of this dish transports you to a white sand beach. Tropical fruit flavours balance out the spinach and cilantro in this dish, offering a ton of flavour (don’t worry, you can remove or substitute for parsley if you have the “I hate cilantro” gene).
This smoothie makes for a perfect start to your day. As Osinga says pears help with many of the dietary issues peoples struggle with daily. “Pears are a low glycemic index food, which makes them helpful for managing blood sugars,” she says. “They are also high in fibre, which can help with digestion, managing cholesterol and helping with fullness.”
Prep time: 5 minutes
Servings: 2 smoothies
Ingredients
1 ripe USA Pear, such as Anjou, Bartlett, Concorde, or Comice, cored and cut into large chunks
1 ½ cups pineapple, cubed
1 packed cup spinach
10 to 12 sprigs of fresh cilantro
1 cup cold coconut water
Method
Place all of the ingredients into a blender and puree at high speed until smooth.
Tip: to ripen a pear at home, leave it at room temperature. For extra fast ripening, store near other fruits like apples or bananas.
- Pear and burrata salad
Not only does this salad include all the health benefits of pears atop a bed of fresh arugula, but it also gives us an excuse to eat burrata.
Osingsa says that finding inspiration for healthy eating and getting more nutrition is often about adding to one’s diet, rather than subtracting. “Most times, it’s about adding fruits, veggies, and protein to dishes [you] love to eat. Making smaller changes at a time is key for sustainability,” she explains. “It’s best to start with foods that [you] tend to enjoy, and put a healthy twist on it.”
Prep time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
4 cups baby arugula
2 Anjou pears, thinly sliced
8 oz burrata cheese (4 minis)
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red onion, finely minced
3 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
2 tsp stone-ground mustard
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup crushed candied walnuts
Method
Arrange the arugula on a serving platter. Top with the pears and burrata cheese. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, onion, vinegar, and mustard. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle some dressing over the salad and garnish with candied walnuts. Serve immediately, with additional dressing on the side.
Tip: you can store ripened pears in the refrigerator to delay further ripening and make them last longer.
- Gluten-free and vegan cauliflower crust pizza with pears
Pizza has a confusing reputation. It’s widely loved and known as a superior dish, yet is often connotated as a cheat meal or guilty pleasure. This recipe adds whole pears and swaps out the white flour for cauliflower, making it a feel-good and familiar meal.
Its thanks to pears’ mild flavour that they can work well in so many different dishes. And Osinga says their natural sugars are not to be confused with added sugars. “Sometimes we tend to group all sugars in one category and look down upon them. [But] sugar is needed for fuel. Those naturally occurring sugars will also occur alongside fibre, vitamins, and minerals, which are essential for human health,” she explains. “We tend to over-consume sugar when it is in its added form.”
She suggests selecting mostly whole foods for your diet, explaining that it will “help with minimizing adding sugars.” Osinga also recommends meal preparation as a way to help you select mostly whole foods.
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 30 to 45 minutes
Ingredients
24 oz frozen riced cauliflower, thawed overnight in the fridge
1/2 cup almond flour
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp ground flax
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tbsp arrowroot starch (or cornstarch)
8 oz vegan ricotta (or regular ricotta)
1 to 2 green Anjou pears, thinly sliced
1/2 cup crushed roasted pistachios
4 tsp olive oil
handful arugula
drizzle of balsamic glaze (optional)
Method
Preheat oven to 400°F. Using a nut milk bag or clean dish towel, strain the cauliflower, making sure to squeeze out all the liquid. Mix ground flax with three tbsp water and set aside for five minutes.
In a bowl combine strained cauliflower with almond flour, dried oregano, garlic powder, salt, arrowroot starch, nutritional yeast, and ground flax mixture. Mix until smooth. Form into two balls and thinly spread out into two pizzas on parchment-lined baking sheets. Use a sprinkling of flour if needed if the dough is too sticky to work with.
Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, keeping an eye on them to make sure they don’t burn. Flip over and bake for an additional five to 10 minutes. Top pizzas with thinly sliced pears, vegan ricotta in spoonfuls, crushed pistachios and drizzle olive oil on top. Bake for additional 10 minutes. Serve topped with arugula and drizzled with balsamic glaze (optional).
Tip: enjoy pears with the peel-on, since that’s where most of the fibre and antioxidants are found.
Now before heading out on your grocery haul, remember how to shop for pears. The best way to judge ripeness for most pear varieties is to check the neck. Apply gentle pressure with your thumb and if it yields to this slight force, it’s ripe and ready to eat.
For more pear-based recipes, visit the USA Pears website.
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5 Healthy Reasons to Crave More Cauliflower—Plus Flavor-Packed Recipes for Any Night of the Week
Cauliflower benefits: Raw cauliflower on the table of the kitchen
Angel Simon/Getty Images
The goodness of cauliflower goes beyond its ability to become almost anything you can imagine in the kitchen—a crust, a "wing", a rice, a mash, and the list goes on. Cauliflower's mild flavor, satisfying texture, and chameleon-like versatility makes it not only a hearty and nutritious add-in as is, but also an inventive and savvy swap for gluten-free, plant-based, and refined-carb-conscious eaters.
"Cauliflower is grown seasonally in many climates and locations, so it's easy to find and budget-friendly—and you can also grow it yourself quite easily," says Sharon Palmer, MSFS, RDN. "It comes in different colors, like pink, orange, purple, and green."
And in terms of nutritional value, although bright and colorful veggies typically get all the attention, don't let cauliflower's (often) pale complexion fool you: This member of the cruciferous family is loaded with nutritional benefits, too.
RELATED:How to Cut and Cook Perfect Cauliflower Steaks
Cauliflower Benefits Cauliflower is fiber-rich.
Recent research estimates that 95 percent of Americans don't get enough fiber in their diets (yikes). Fiber helps keep you feeling full and satisfied, maintains healthy digestion, and regulates blood sugar levels, and meeting your daily requirements can also reduce cholesterol and blood pressure. Specifically, cauliflower is a good source of insoluble fiber, which helps keep things moving in your digestive system.
RELATED: 6 Types of Fruit That Are Loaded With Fiber—Plus, Delicious Ways to Eat More of Them
Cauliflower contains vitamins for immunity, blood clotting, bone health, and more.
One cup of cauliflower provides over 75 percent of the daily value of vitamin C, which means your immune system, metabolism, and nervous system get the boost they need. It also contains 20 percent of the daily value of vitamin K that's essential for bone formation and blood clotting. A cup of cauliflower also has impressive amounts of vitamin B6, folate, and potassium.
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Cauliflower has antioxidant power to fight inflammation.
The veggie's anti-inflammatory compounds help the body reduce free radicals and lower oxidative stress that increase the risk for chronic diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer, Palmer says. Eating foods high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents as part of a healthy diet, like cauliflower, can help prevent and mitigate chronic inflammation and protect your cells.
Cauliflower is a source of choline.
A cup of cauliflower contains around 45 milligrams of choline, around 10 percent of the daily adequate intake for women. Our bodies need this essential nutrient for several key functions, including fortifying cell membranes, DNA synthesis, brain development, and nervous system maintenance. But since the body only makes a small amount of choline on its own, high-choline food sources are important.
Cauliflower may protect against cancer.
With antioxidant compounds and the benefits of sulfur, cauliflower could help reduce your risk of cancer. Cruciferous vegetables are associated with reduced risk of colorectal, lung, prostate, and breast cancer. This is because the glucosinolates help to fight oxidative stress caused by free radicals.
Cauliflower Ideas and Recipes
Some of Palmer's favorite ways to cook and enjoy cauliflower include: "roasted or grilled with a flavorful marinade as a side-dish or a topper for a grain bowl, tacos, or salad; in a flavorful buffalo cauliflower recipe; and raw in crunchy salads." Keep going for more recipes packed with cauliflower (and it's many nutritious benefits!).
RELATED: 6 Plant-Based Foods That Will Completely Change How You Perceive Vegan Barbecue, According to Chefs
Grilled Cauliflower Steaks With Romesco and Manchego
Hearty, lightly charred cauliflower steaks are the perfect vehicle for savoring this flavorful Spanish-inspired romesco sauce.
Grilled Cauliflower Steaks With Romesco and Manchego Recipe
Cauliflower en Croute
A (seemingly) humble head of cauliflower becomes the main event when wrapped in a buttery puff-pastry crust, rubbed in a zesty garlic-Dijon paste, and baked in the oven until perfectly golden.
Cauliflower en Croute
Buffalo Cauliflower With Yogurt Ranch
This is everyone's favorite game-day popper, reimagined using cauliflower and tangy Greek yogurt. Who says bar snacks have to be bad for you?
Buffalo cauliflower with yogurt ranch
Creamy Cauliflower Rice With Shrimp
Need dinner party or date night dish inspiration? Impress anyone at the table with a bowl of creamy cauliflower rice topped with gorgeous shrimp and greens.
Crealy Cauliflower Risotto with Shrimp
Whole Roasted Cauliflower With Grapes and Feta
Here's another delicious way to make vegetables the main attraction. Boil a whole head of cauliflower before placing it on a baking sheet and roasting alongside salty feta cheese and sweet grapes. You'll finish it with the subtle punch of almost-pickled shallots and fresh oregano to tie all the flavors together.
whole roasted cauliflower with grapes and feta
Pasta With Bacon and Caramelized Cauliflower
For this pasta entree you'll cook the cauliflower florets in leftover bacon drippings for deep color and even deeper flavor.
Pasta with Bacon and Caramelized Cauliflower
RELATED: 15 High-Protein Vegetables and How to Incorporate Them Into Your Diet