Caramelized Pear and Pecan Salad with Garlic Essence Dressing

INGREDIENTS:

2 firm Organic pears, slightly shy of ripe

Juice of 1 lemon

3 tablespoons Organic Cane sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground star anise

2 tablespoons Organic Dried Cranberries (NOT Craisins)

2 tablespoons unsalted Earth Balance butter

7 ounces Organic Spinach Leaves, Romaine, or Spring Mix

About 1/3 cup Garlic Essence Dressing

1/2 cup toasted or candied pecans

1 tbsp Feta, Blue, or Goat Cheese

***Can add red pepper and asparagus for extra nutrients and taste***

DIRECTIONS:

Peel the pears and rub them with lemon juice. Cut the pears in half through the stem end and remove the cores with a small spoon. Rub with more lemon juice. Cut each pear half into 4 wedges, so that you have a total of 16 wedges.

Combine the sugar and star anise in a small bowl and stir to blend.

Melt the butter in a skillet that is large enough to hold the pears in a single layer without crowding (alternately, use 2 pans or cook them in batches) over medium heat. Arrange the pears in the skillet and raise the heat to medium-high. Sprinkle the pears with half of the sugar and cook until the bottoms begin to turn golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully flip the pears, sprinkle with the remaining sugar, and cook until the second side is caramelized, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the wedges to a plate and let them cool.

Assemble the salad by placing the lettuce leaves, either whole or broken into pieces, in a large bowl. Add some of the dressing and toss to coat the leaves, adding more as desired.

Divide the greens among 4 plates. Arrange 4 pear wedges on top of each mound of greens and sprinkle with the pecans. Lightly drizzle some of the dressing over the pears and serve immediately.

 *Vegetarian, *Gluten-Free                             Optional: Can add meat of your choice if not vegetarian

AMAZING BENEFITS OF PEARS AND PECANS

PEARS:

Pear are high in various vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin A, Vitamin B1 (Thiamine),  Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Folic Acid, Copper, Niacin, Calicum and Potassium.  They are a good source of fiber because they contain a significant amount of pectin, which is a water soluble fiber.  Pears include health benefits such as enhancing weight loss, supporting digestive health, optimizing metabolism and blood presssure levels.

PECANS:

Pecans provide you more than 19 vitamins and minerals including vitamins A, B, and E, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc.  They are rich in fiber which boosts the health of your heart by reducing the risk of coronary heart disease and preventing some forms of cancer.  Eating pecans may lower your total cholesterol because they are high in unsaturated fats and contain phytochemicals that further contribute to their cholesterol-lowering benefits.  

FOOD AS MEDICINE

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