As summer draws closer to an end, my cravings for fall-inspired cuisine are beginning to bloom. Rainy days, changing leaves, and bald patches of grass (gotta love Texas' laser-beam scorching sun) are transforming the neon tank top + lemonade weather into something more rustic. What better way to welcome autumn than end-of-season fruit embraced in crispy spiced toppings? These baked pears take advantage of summer sweetness while staying light enough to be a healthy lunch.
It's like a pear version of your favorite apple pie, with oats instead of pie crust. They absorb the pear juice in the middle layer, making a thick, slightly chewy filling and leave a crisp spiced crust on top. Well stop drooling and get baking already! All you need is five cheap ingredients and about an hour to bake. It's one of my 'pop it in the oven and forget it recipes' again. Gather some of the following (serves 1, because who can't eat the whole darn thing?) :
- 1 Large pear, roughly chopped or sliced
- 1/2 Cup oats (old-fashioned or quick, not the instant packets)
- 1 Squirt of maple syrup (Mrs. Butterworth's still your bff)
- cinnamon & nutmeg (to taste)
Here's the Captain's orders for a great pear bake;
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
** Tip: If you put it in a container for lunch tomorrow, leave the lid off until morning so the oats stay crunchy.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a small baking dish (that can easily hold 1 1/2 - 2 cups), dump sliced fresh pear, oats, spices, and swirl of maple syrup, in that sequence. Smooth out the oats to cover most of the pears on top.
- Cover dish with foil, place onto a cookie sheet, and slide it into the preheated oven for 45 minutes or a little longer. Go attempt to clean your closet or knit a scarf or snuggle your kitty while you wait.
- Remove the foil from the dish and continue cooking the pears for 15 minutes. This will give the oats their 'crisp'.
- Take out of the oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes before serving.
** Tip: If you put it in a container for lunch tomorrow, leave the lid off until morning so the oats stay crunchy.
There you have it! pair your pears with a side of rice or hummus & sweet pepper sticks for a light and cleansing lunch!