Monday Nutrition Tip of the Week: Healthy Dessert

There are two things that are my absolute weakness when it comes to sweets: chocolate and cinnamon. Give me a brownie or some coffee cake with streusel topping and I am completely done for. And I can never stop at just one piece, either. Put that plate of brownies down and I'm diving in for a couple, at least.

I don't fix dessert all that often anymore, but when I do I try to find something with at least a little redeeming nutritional value. I found this great recipe in the Sunflower Market magazine last month and made it when we had some friends over for dinner last week. It was delicious, and I had multiple helpings. But I didn't feel too bad about it since it was fruit.

This dessert contains blueberries (a great source of antioxidants) plus flax seed and walnuts for a nice dose of omega-3 fatty acids. And cinnamon. Mmmm....cinnamon. Enjoy this!

Wild Blueberry and Pear Crisp
- 2 or 3 medium pears, cored and sliced
- 1 TB lemon juice
- 1 10 oz. package (I used about two cups) blueberries (can be frozen and thawed)
- 1 1/2 TB cornstarch
- 3 TB turbinado or brown sugar, divided
- 1/4 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
- 4 TB ground flaxseed
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 TB melted butter
- 1 TB canola oil

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place pears in an 8x8-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Top with blueberries. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and 2 TB brown sugar; sprinkle over fruit. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or till syrup is partially thickened.

2. While fruit is cooking, in a medium bowl, combine remaining 1 TB sugar, flour, oats, walnuts, flaxseed, and cinnamon; add melted butter and canola oil, and mix well. Spoon over fruit. Bake for 15-20 minutes more, until topping is lightly browned and fruit is bubbly and thickened. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

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Workout of the Day
Insanity Intervals Plus. Trying to prepare for the Asylum workout that starts in two weeks!