(NAPSI)—The only thing better than snacking on a ripe pear is pairing this delicious fruit with other whole foods.

You can add pears to any meal to make it more nutritious. Pears are an excellent source of fiber and a good source of vitamin C. Combined with other whole foods, they’ll help you follow the USDA’s recommended MyPlate guidelines and get even closer to eating your daily requirement of fruits and vegetables.

Jump-start your day by adding pears to your cereal or blending them into a mouthwatering yogurt smoothie.

When preparing lunch, you can make dishes more interesting by adding pears. They work well in midday meals, such as sandwiches, salads and soups.

Make dinner a complete source of nutrients when you add pears to whole-grain pasta or rice; protein-rich foods such as lean beef, chicken and seafood; or produce from acorn squash to zucchini. Surprisingly versatile, pears can also make desserts naturally sweet.

For a complete meal in one handy package, try this pear and chicken sandwich:

Casablanca Pear and

Chicken Sandwich

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup purchased pomegranate syrup

2 tablespoons pomegranate juice

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

2 medium USA Bartlett or Anjou Pears, cored and halved

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (12 ounces)

4 7-inch round pocket breads

4 ounces soft goat cheese

2 cups mixed greens

Pomegranate seeds for garnish

Combine oil, pomegranate syrup, pomegranate juice, salt and pepper. Reserve ¼ cup for drizzling on sandwiches.

Preheat grill to medium heat. Brush cut side of pears with pomegranate vinaigrette. Grill cut side down until lightly grill-marked, about 5 minutes. Cool. Slice thin.

Place chicken in a dish with remaining vinaigrette. Turn to coat. Remove from vinaigrette and grill on medium heat, 6−7 minutes, until lightly grill-marked. Turn. Brush with remaining vinaigrette in dish. Cook 6 minutes or until internal temperature is 170º. Cool. Slice thin.

Cut pocket breads in half. Fill halves with sliced chick?en, pears, cheese and greens. Drizzle with reserved vinaigrette and garnish with pomegranate seeds.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

For more delicious, healthy recipes, visit www.usapears.org. “Like” USA Pears on Facebook at www.facebook.com/usapears and on Twitter at @USAPears.

 

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