Produce Picks: Pears and Spinach

I had so much produce to chose from, why pick just one? So I didn't.  I hate how everyone complains,  "I hate making such an elaborate meal for just myself."  NONSENSE - I made today's recipe all for myself, and it was sinfully delicious not to have to share :) Now I get to share it with all of you!!! Aidan and I walked ( I walked and he sat in the stroller) up to the Farmer's Market. We decided we were going to use our ripe banana when we got home to make smoothies, but what about lunch? He wanted to pet dogs and I was trying to score produce. He even got a free slice of fresh watermelon! By the time we made it back I was tired, but not to tired for lunch - so using up what I bought from last week, I bring you....

Roasted pear spinach salad w/apple cider glaze

Ingredients:
3 pears, firm but ripe
Juice of 3 lemons
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup pistachios
1/2 cup apple cider or pressed apple juice
1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Spinach
Black pepper and sea salt

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 375.
Peel the pears and cut in half length-wise. Use a spoon to scoop out the cores and seeds. Cut a small slice away from the rounded side of each pair to keep it steady when filling and baking. Toss the pears with lemon juices and arrange them core side up in a baking dish.

Toss the blue cheese, cranberries, and pistachios together and divide among the pears. Combine apple cider,  and brown sugar, whisking together until sugar dissolves. Drizzle over and around the pears. Bake the pears, basting ever 5-10 minutes with the apple mixture, until tender (about 35 mins). You can let cool to room temp or serve them warm on top of the Spinach - totally up to you!

Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice,  2 T. of blue cheese crumbles and 1/4 cup of the basting liquid. Toss with the spinach and divide among 3 plates. Top each salad with two pear halves, season with salt and pepper.

See, you can make wonderful meals, just for you!

Strawberry - Banana Smoothies

Ingredients:

Handful frozen strawberries
1 ripe banana
1/2 C Plain "Super" Yogurt
1/4 Soy Milk (More or less depending on how thick you want it)
2 T. Organic Agave Sweetener (Looks like honey, you can get it at Trader Joe's)
1 T of Truvia or other all natural sweetener
1 t. vanilla extract 
4 ice cubes

Add all in a blender and mix and serve, add a few mint leaves to top it off!

Until next time...eat, love, live and eat some more.