Impress holiday guests with a sweet treat that wont break the calorie bank

Apples, cranberries and pumpkins may get all the glory this season, but dont forget about an oft-overlooked juicy gem: Pears. Not only is their soft, sweet, buttery flesh delicious, but theyre also pretty healthy, according to these fun facts from FitSugar:

• Pears are high in fiber. One medium-sized pear contains six grams, so snacking on a pear can help you meet your daily requirement of 25 to 30 grams. They're a delicious way to keep you regular too, which can help prevent colon cancer. A diet high in fiber can also keep your cholesterol levels down, which is good news for your ticker. Getting your fill of fiber from fruit is also linked to a lower risk for breast cancer.
• Pears contain a fair amount of vitamins A, C, K, B2, B3, and B6. For expecting or nursing moms, they also contain folate. Pears aren't too shabby in the mineral department either, containing calcium, magnesium, potassium, copper, and manganese. Vitamin C and copper are antioxidant nutrients, so eating pears is good for your immune system, and may help prevent cancer.
• Pears also contain boron, which our bodies need in order to retain calcium, so this fruit can also be linked to osteoporosis prevention.

But thats not all; pears offer other health benefits, too:

• The hydroxycinnamic acid found in pears is also associated with preventing stomach and lung cancer.
• It's a hypo-allergenic fruit. That means those with food sensitivities can usually eat pears with no adverse effects.
• Eating three or more servings of fruits a day, such as pears, may also lower your risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the primary cause of vision loss in older adults.
• Quercetin is another antioxidant found in the skin of pears. It helps prevent cancer and artery damage that can lead to heart problems. A recent study at Cornell University found it may also protect against Alzheimers disease. So don't peel your pears!

So save the best for last this season, and end a special meal with this lovely inverted pie dessert featuring caramelized pears. Its a great dish for parties when youre pressed for time because you dont have to worry about being overly fussy with it; the more haphazardly this dessert is constructed, the more rustic and charming it looks!

Pear Tarte Tatin

Adapted from Cooking Light magazine

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1/2 cup sugar, divided
• 4 peeled ripe Anjou pears, cored and halved lengthwise
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 5 (14 x 9-inch) sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
• 3 tablespoons crme frache

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Coat a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with 1 1/2 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle 6 tablespoons sugar into pan. Arrange 7 pear halves, cut sides up, in a circle in pan; place remaining pear half in center. Cover skillet, and place over medium-low heat. Cook, without stirring, for 15 minutes or until sugar mixture is bubbly and caramelized. Place pan in oven. A fat burning overview can help you build a clear summarize of what you need to focus on to complete your fat reduction goal if you're a beginner; or serve as a reminder for the ones who are at an intermediate or more boost stage of their losing weight strategy. Promptly after are seven steps that can serve as guidelines for your personal weight loss program. The first thing that one must understand is that losing weight and losing fat is not the same. Many weight loss applications have tricked people into thinking that it is the same, but most diets and weight loss programs only work by producing a person's body to reduce more muscle cells and water than actual body fat, more help please visit The Fat Loss Factor. Bake at 400 for 5 minutes.
3. Place 1 1/2 teaspoons butter and oil in a bowl. Microwave at HIGH for 30 seconds or until butter melts. Lay 1 phyllo sheet horizontally on a flat work surface; brush lightly with butter mixture. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons sugar evenly over phyllo. Place next phyllo sheet vertically on top of first. Repeat procedure twice with remaining butter mixture, sugar, and phyllo, ending with phyllo. Fold edges to form a 9-inch circle.
4. Place phyllo circle in pan over pears, pressing gently. Bake at 400 for 16 minutes or until filling is bubbly and crust is browned. Remove from oven, and let stand for 5 minutes. Place a plate upside-down on top of pan; invert tart onto plate. Cut tart into 6 wedges. Top each wedge with 1 1/2 teaspoons crme frache.

Nutritional Information

Amount per serving

• Calories: 258
• Fat: 10.3g
• Saturated fat: 4.4g
• Monounsaturated fat: 2.9g
• Polyunsaturated fat: 1g
• Protein: 2g
• Carbohydrate: 41.7g
• Fiber: 3g
• Cholesterol: 17mg
• Iron: 0.5mg
• Sodium: 79mg
• Calcium: 70mg

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