Fall Pear Bread

While I find myself back home in the Pacific Northwest in October, I've been so excited to witness the first of the fall colors and that familiar crispness to the air. My favorite season has inspired me to play around with some delicious fall recipes, and the other night I made (if I do say so myself) an amazing pear bread from the abundance of asian pears growing outside my parents house. You can use any type of pears you have (preferably organic, of course), or if pears aren't in season near you, you could probably replace them with bananas or another seasonal fruit. Get creative!

First of all, lets take a quick look at the nutrient value of pears. Similar to many fruits, almost half of the beneficial nutrients in pears are found in the skin, which is chalked full of compounds called phenolic phytonutrients. These compounds contain powerful antioxidants, anti-inflammatory flavanoids, and anti-cancer phytonutrients (whfoods.com). Pears are very high in fiber, along with Vitamins C and K. Pears are one of the highest foods in flavonols, which have been shown to have act as powerful anti-inflammatory agents in the body, therefore protecting against cancer, degenerative disease, and heart disease. Pears are also known as a "hypoallergenic" food, meaning people who tend to be sensitive or allergic to many fruits generally are fine with pears.

Now, on to the recipe!

Fall Pear Bread
adapted from sweettwistoffate.blogspot.com

Coat a bundt cake pan (or a square pan would work too) with coconut oil or butter
Preheat oven to 350

Ingredients:

2 cups almond flour (or other nut flour of your choice, try walnut or pecan)
3/4 cup arrowroot powder
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
2 tbsp chia seeds (optional)
3 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/3 cup grade b maple syrup (or less)
2 large eggs plus 2 egg whites
1 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp vanilla
1 cup pear puree
3/4 cup dark chocolate (optional)

Instructions:

Mix together all dry ingredients in a large bowl. In another large bowl or mixer, add all remaining ingredients and mix. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until combined, Fold in chocolate chips until they are incorporated. Pour into pan and bake for 40-45 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for about an hour before removing. Enjoy!!