For all the pear lovers out there, you’ll appreciate this recipe. As you all know, pears are one of my least favorite fruits. Thanks to the cranberries, I was able to enjoy this oatmeal anyway. I noticed from Foodgawker that pears and cranberries are a common food combination, but I had never experienced it before, and I found the flavor duo to be quite unique and fun.
It’s amazing how my opinion of cranberries has changed in the past month and a half. When I first bought the jar of cranberry sauce early in November to use as a topping for fall-themed recipes, I was pretty indifferent to it. It was significantly better than the cranberry sauce I’ve had in the past, but still nothing special.
Then I bought the fresh cranberries for a few recipe ideas that never actually ended up happening until this week, but I’ve been using them for other purposes (sauteed with brussels sprouts!), and I’m slowly falling in love.
I might even buy another bag. Cranberries > pears.
Ugh, pears suck.
How about you? Are you a pear lover? I try to give them a chance all the time, but they consistently disappoint me. 🙁
What you'll need:
- 1 small pear
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup milk of choice, or more water
- 1/4 cup quick cook steel-cut oats (I use Country Choice Organic)
- 1/4 cup fresh cranberries
- 1/8 tsp lemon extract
- pinch of ginger
- pinch of salt
How to make it:
- Dice pear into small cubes into a saucepan, and then cover with water. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium low and simmer for about three minutes.
- Add milk and return to a boil. Add oats, and reduce heat to medium. (If you'd like to add a teaspoon of flax or chia seeds, do so now.)
- Add cranberries and cover with a lid (trust me; they pop!).
- Once more of the liquid has absorbed, add lemon extract, ginger, and salt. Stir.
- When you're pleased with the consistency of the oatmeal, transfer to a bowl. Add a splash of your milk of choice and any other additional toppings (cranberry sauce, pistachios, walnuts, etc.).
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