We love a kale salad, folks. That is especially true when pomegranate arils, pears, pecans, and and maple tahini dressing accompany nutritionally dense kale. You get a nice balance of sweet and tart flavors with varying textures. We are talking about sweet, tart, salty, nutty, and creamy and crunchy. And the maple tahini dressing ties everything together, making this the perfect kale salad for the holiday season.

This kale salad, as you can see in the picture, requires some serious chopping skills. Chopping the kale thinly helps break down the fibrous nature, which makes for a more enjoyable eating experience. Just make sure to remove the thick stems and massage the leaves prior to slicing the leaves thinly. That will really help to break down the fibrous texture. Additionally, the pears are cut into matchsticks, but you can cube them or slice them thinly. Whichever type of cut you prefer is the exactly the way to do it!

We love salads that have multiple textures and layers of flavor. What ties everything together, much like the rug in The Big Lebowski, is the creamy maple tahini dressing. The nutty tahini makes this dressing incredibly luxurious and you get a little zing from the apple cider vinegar and sweet hint of maple syrup. It is a dressing that you can enjoy not only on this salad, but on other salads also. If you find a salad that works with this dressing, be sure to reach out and lettuce (wink wink) know about it!

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Get your fall palate ready because your taste buds are about to go crazy for this delightful homemade vegan pear butter. This is a smooth and creamy spread that captures the essence of fall in every spoonful. It goes great on toast, mixed into yogurt, or as a topping for pancakes. You can even incorporate some into your chia pudding or overnight oats. It’s a simple yet luxurious treat crafted from ripe pears, which you simmer slowly with warming cinnamon and sweetened to perfection with maple syrup.

What you end up with is a velvety butter that is not only delicious, but also versatile. This vegan and naturally sweetened pear butter is a great way to preserve the flavors of fall, utilizing seasonal pears, which are not a prominent ingredient in a lot of recipes. Pears are great to enjoy raw in salads and smoothies, but you can also cook them down. You just want to use ripe pears to avoid a tart flavor. By eating pears, you can reap some of their impressive health benefits, which include:

• Pears are naturally rich in dietary fiber, which is an essential nutrient for optimal digestion. Researchers note that a high-fiber diet can help maintain healthy weight, lower cholesterol levels, and prevent constipation.
• Pears contain flavonoids and vitamin C, which are antioxidants that work to combat oxidative stress in the body. Antioxidants work to reduce the risk of chronic diseases, in addition to benefitting immune function and cell health.
• According to researchers, regular pear consumption has been associated with improved heart function. The fiber content of pears, in addition to the antioxidant properties, works to support healthy cholesterol levels and reduce inflammation, two things that reduce the risk of heart disease.

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A fruit salad is really any combination of fruits, but this recipe calls for classic fall produce items. Pears and apples offer a refreshing crunch, but they can easily turn brown. That won’t happen in this recipe because of the lemon dressing.

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A nutritional survey found that about 95% Americans do not meet their recommended daily intake (RDI) of fiber. The RDI of fiber ranges from 21-38 grams, depending on your age and gender. Most people have a lot of room for improvement on this nutrient, which plays an essential role in regulating bowel movements, nurturing the gut, and filling you up. In this article, we detail easy ways to add more fiber to your diet. 

Try Chickpea Pasta

It’s hard not to love pasta, especially because you can usually throw a recipe together in 30 minutes or less. The unfortunate reality is that most people use jarred sauce (full of sodium) and boxed pasta enriched with poor quality ingredients. Instead of feeling tired and bloated, consider switching to chickpea pasta to increase your fiber intake. Two ounces of chickpea pasta (about one cup of noodles) offers eight grams of fiber, which is a major increase from two grams of fiber from regular pasta. Chickpea pasta also has twice the protein content as regular pasta and it’s gluten-free!

Add Lentils To Grain Bowls

You can easily customize grain bowls, but a lot of people like to use rice as the base. Rice, even brown rice, is not the best source of fiber. One cup of brown rice offers 1.6 grams of fiber, while a mere half-cup of lentils offers eight grams of fiber. If you enjoy rice, consider a lentil-rice mixture to enhance the fiber content of your grain bowl. Plus, a half-cup of lentils offers nine grams of protein, and a good portion of the fiber in lentils comes from prebiotics, which feed the probiotics in your gut. 

Blend Kiwis Into Your Smoothies

Kiwis have an incredible vitamin C content and they are bursting with antioxidants. They also contain fiber, with two kiwis offering four to five grams, depending on the size. Half of that fiber content, however, is concentrated in the skin. Most people do not enjoy snacking on fuzzy kiwi skin, though. In order to reap all the fiber benefits of kiwis, toss a couple whole kiwis into your smoothie. You won’t even taste the skin!

Eat Chia Pudding With Berries

Most dietitians agree that breakfast is the best meal of the day to load up on fiber-rich foods. In doing so, you will be full and energized until lunch, avoiding unnecessary snacking. Both chia seeds and berries contain a lot of fiber, despite their small size. A half-cup of raspberries and one tablespoon of chia seeds provide four grams of fiber, each. We have many chia pudding recipes available in our recipe section (click here) if you need some inspiration. 

Snack On Nuts And Figs

Each fig, depending on the size, generally provides one gram of fiber, and one serving of figs is roughly between three to five fruits. Pair those figs with a quarter-cup of almonds for four more grams of fiber and six grams of protein. That makes almonds and figs an ideal snack to give you a natural pick-me-up and fill you up between meals. 

Add Pears To Your Salads

Pears are sneaky fiber superstars, with one medium pear offering five to six grams of fiber. Can you enjoy pears as healthy snacks from time to time? Sure, but adding them to salads can give you a better fiber bang for your buck. Pair your pears with kale (one gram of fiber per cup) and other fiber-rich ingredients for a filling, lunchtime salad!

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Do you ever go to the grocery store and find inspiration for a recipe based on ingredients you notice? Perhaps inspiration strikes when you visit a farmer’s market, which only has certain produce items available. You may think of something, but the result scares you a bit. We understand not wanting to waste food, but sometimes beautiful recipes happen when you experiment.

That is exactly how we feel about the powerful pear smoothie. It combines the sweet, earthy flavor of pear with creamy homemade almond milk and spicy cinnamon. The raw almond butter also adds a nutty element to this flavor, in addition to providing healthy fats and protein. We encourage you to add a sprinkle of sea salt, an optional ingredient, to play off the almond butter flavor. Think of this like sea salt and caramel or sea salt and chocolate. These pairings just go well together!

Don’t worry about this smoothie not being sweet, though. You have the natural sugars from the pear, banana, and maple syrup. You can always try the smoothie before adding the maple syrup to the blender to see if that extra sweetness is necessary. It’s possible that you’ll enjoy the flavor combinations of the other ingredients. Just remember to save the almond pulp after you make the almond milk because you can use it in a couple different raw vegan recipes. It works great as a binder in raw vegan desserts or energy bites!

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A good spread, especially if it is a healthy one, is always good to have on hand. With pear season nearing its end, there has never been a better time to make pear butter. Similar to apple butter, pear butter has warming fall spices that are addictively delicious. You’ll want to spread this on everything! Well, maybe it won’t go great on your roasted vegetables, but it does elevate toast and raw fruit slices.

Pear season ends in October, which is why you’ve probably seen a plethora of pears in grocery stores and farmers’ markets. Most pears (about 95%) are grown in the United States and tend to come from California, Oregon, and Washington. While we cannot control how your palate feels about pears, we can tell you that the most common and tasty varieties are Bosc, Bartlett, Anjou, Concorde, Forelle, and Comice pears. If you have a lot of pears and need to use them before they go bad, this pear butter is the recipe you’ve been searching for. It helps preserve the pears, so you won’t waste them.

Because this recipe does not come together in a slow cooker, it does take about 45 to 50 minutes to come together. You want to cook it low and slow because the pears need to soften in order to easily blend them into a smooth and luxurious butter. This is a spread that you’ll be craving from the moment you try it! Let us know how you like it in the comments below.

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There are more than 10 varieties of pears grown in the United States throughout the year. Can you believe that there are over 3,000 known varieties of pears around the world? Each pear has its own distinctive color, flavor, texture, and culinary application. You want to know the best part about all these pears that are available to you? They offer some serious nutritional benefits and health properties. 

Aside from their crisp texture and refreshingly tart flavor, pears contain powerful nutrients that may help fight chronic diseases. Specifically, the antioxidant activity in pears, in conjunction with their high fiber content, helps lower cholesterol, fight free radicals, and reduce inflammatory markers. In fact, pears are some of the best sources of dietary fiber! The polyphenols in pears may be beneficial for fighting early signs of aging, such as wrinkles and fine lines. Continue reading to learn more about the health benefits of pears. 

Great Sources Of Fiber

The average medium pear contains over five grams of fiber, making pears the ultimate high-fiber food. You should ideally consume between 25 to 30 grams of fiber per day, so eating one pear every day can help you meet that goal. Fiber is a key component to a healthy diet because it promotes bowel regularity and helps sustain healthy blood sugar levels. Pears contain pectin fiber, which is a water-soluble type of fiber that may improve digestive health and lower bad cholesterol levels. 

Provides Lots Of Antioxidants

Pears are excellent sources of vitamin C, which is an antioxidant, but they also contain flavonoids, polyphenols, and phenolic acids. Most of those antioxidant compounds exist in the skin of pears. Researchers note that antioxidant compounds may help ward off disease, so don’t peel your pears. In fact, studies have shown that pear peels exhibit higher antioxidant activity compared to apples, and they also have healthy fatty acids. Another important benefit of pears is that they contain glutathione, a super antioxidant that may help prevent high blood pressure, cancer, and stroke. 

Supports The Heart

As mentioned several times already, pears are great sources of vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants. There is a specific type of fiber, pectin, in pears that is useful for naturally reducing cholesterol levels. That makes pears an excellent choice for your cholesterol-lowering food list. Additional studies show that eating more fruits and vegetables can help reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular diseases. Researchers followed adults over a 15-year period and found that greater intakes of fruits and vegetables was associated with lower risks of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and all-cause death.

Helps Maintain Bone Health

If you want to maintain healthy bones, don’t reach for milk as your first food choice. Researchers note that vitamin K-rich foods can help encourage healthier bones. If you are deficient in vitamin K, you have a greater risk of bone-related disorders. Vitamin K works with magnesium, phosphorus, and calcium to help prevent bone breakdown. Pears contain vitamin K and boron, two nutrients that are vital for optimal skeletal health. Boron helps keep bones strong by adding mineral density, treating inflammatory conditions, and preventing osteoporosis. 

Improves Digestion

High-fiber foods like pears can help improve the digestive process. Adding more fiber to your diet from whole foods can help improve bowel regularity. The pectin in pears acts as a natural diuretic and has somewhat of a natural laxative effect. Although pears may not cause you to run to the restroom, they may help prevent water retention, decrease bloating, and regulate bowel movements. Additionally, the phytonutrients in pears work to protect digestive organs from oxidative stress and alkalize other cells in the body. 

Great Sources Of Vitamin C

One of the main reasons that pears are so great for you is because they contain a lot of vitamin C. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that works to reduce oxidative stress by fighting free radicals in the body. Researchers note that vitamin C helps to stop cell mutation, maintain healthy metabolism, repair tissue, and protect DNA. Vitamin C also happens to be a great nutrient for the skin, increasing the skin’s immunity and providing anti-aging effects. Lastly, vitamin C supports the maintenance of connective tissues, so it may help to accelerate the healing of cuts and bruises.

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There’s something to be said about a crunchy slaw. The different textures and flavors complement each other, and the uniform ingredient cuts make for a great eating experience. A slaw can go awry if you mix together the wrong ingredients. For example, you don’t want ingredients that will wilt because the beauty of slaws is that they can keep for a day or so after you dress them.

Cabbage holds up from one day to the next because of its sturdy, crunchy texture. It differs from your average lettuce in that way. Kale is another green that can hold up from one day to the next, so you have the option of including kale in this slaw if you desire. You don’t just want bitter greens in the slaw; rather, you need a sweet component, which is where the pear enters the equation. When you choose a pear, make sure that it is relatively firm. While softer pears offer a sweeter flavor profile, they may not hold up as well in the slaw. Firmer pears that have a sweet yet tart flavor hold up better in slaws.

Could the slaw be complete with the standard cabbage, pear, green onion, and cilantro? Yes, but we are extra and wanted to add raw walnuts. In addition to the extra crunch, walnuts help to fill you up with their healthy fats and protein. Plus, their nuttiness works great with the citrusy dressing.

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Has anyone said, “You seem to have a winter glow about you,” this season? If they haven’t, it’s probably because you aren’t drinking this smoothie. Made from ginger, hemp hearts, spinach, pears, and other nourishing ingredients, this smoothie replenishes you with tons of nutrients. It freshens up your morning, and that’s not just because of the zesty zing from the fresh lemon!

Even though it’s cold, you can still enjoy smoothies. In fact, starting your day off with a nutritious smoothie is a great move during the holidays. The reason for this is because people often eat unhealthy meals during this time of year. Being out and about, running around to buy gifts, finishing up end of the year projects, and more can be very stressful. You make a quick decision about food, and it isn’t always the healthiest choice. A nutrient-dense smoothie in the morning may encourage you to make healthier food decisions throughout the day! Plus, the fiber and healthy fats will help keep you full until lunch.

The flavor of this smoothie is slightly nutty and a little sweet. There’s a subtle zesty flavor from the fresh lemon juice, but that’s something you notice after a big gulp. If the flavors make the smoothie a little too bitter, you can always add a tablespoon or so of raw agave nectar. The pear should provide the natural sweetness you need, though.

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How much do you love a recipe that only contains five ingredients? It is easy to prep, which means that it comes together in no time, especially when you don’t have to cook. As is very common with most salsas, this salsa contains freshly squeezed lime juice, red onion, and cilantro. It then take a sharp left turn differentiate itself from the other recipes.

The remaining two ingredients in this salsa are pomegranates and pears. Pomegranates, which contain high amounts of antioxidants, provide a sweet and tart flavor, but they also add a textural component. The pears, so juice and sweet, balance the intensity of the red onion and citrusy lime juice. Now, you may be wondering where the spice is. The answer: nowhere, unless you decide to finely dice some jalapeño and incorporate it into the salsa.

Not all salsas have to be spicy. Sometimes, you can enjoy a refreshing blend of ingredients! And the great thing about this salsa is that you can actually enjoy it as a salad. It is a great appetizer or side dish as well! On a final note, if you are cleansing, please understand that you cannot eat chips, like the one that’s in the recipe picture.

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