Why is it important to be heart healthy? Today’s post really hits home as a lot of people are affected by heart disease, whether it runs in the family or whether it’s someone they know. Kim from Cravings of a Lunatic and Jen from Juanita’s Cocina want to dedicate today to their loved ones and invited me to share a heart-healthy treat. Of course, being the girl who loves fat, it was a little bit of a challenge, but thanks to my dad’s love of fruit, I made these Mini Pear Walnut Crisps with Blood Orange Caramel Sauce. With just only two servings, you can share this dessert with your loved one and know that dessert can be heart healthy.
I thought about doing a healthy dinner or even breakfast, but I wanted to challenge myself and make a heart healthy dessert. After all, you need a little sweetness in life, no matter what your diet is. What makes these Mini Pear Walnut Crisps heart healthy? The fruit and the nuts. Pears are a great source of vitamins, potassium, and antioxidants that help prevent high blood pressure and stroke. Walnuts have been approved by the FDA for being heart healthy. There is also little fat added (the ice cream part is optional if you’re super conscious about calories).
Of course, you can’t have a warm crisp without ice cream, and you can’t have ice cream without sauce. I still have half a bunch of blood oranges left, which inspired the Blood Orange Caramel Sauce. I remember when I made Dorie Greenspan’s Scallops with Orange Caramel Sauce. I took her recipe, used blood orange juice then substituted water for the wine.
Mini Pear Walnut Crisps with Blood Orange Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped pear, peeled (roughly 1 small pear)
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon clove
Streusel
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon flour
- 1 Tablespoon quick cooking oats
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon clove
- 1 Tablespoon butter
Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons blood orange juice
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 Tablespoon butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Have two ramekins ready.
- In a medium bowl, toss together the pear, walnuts, lemon juice, vanilla, cornstarch, cinnamon, and clove. Spoon into the ramekins. Set aside.
- For the streusel: In another medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon, and clove. Cut in the butter with a knife until coarse crumbs form. Sprinkle evenly over both ramekins.
- Bake 30-35 minutes or until crisp bubbles and the streusel is brown.
- For the sauce: While the crisps are baking, in a small saucepan, warm the sugar over medium-high heat until it starts to melt. As soon as you see it turn brown, begin to gently swirl the pan. Once it starts turning a caramel color, very carefully add the orange juice and water (it will bubble and spatter, so you may need to stand back). Stir with a wooden spoon and boil until it is reduced by half (it should roughly be about 2 1/2 tablespoons or so). Remove from the heat and stir in the butter until melted. Serve the crisps with ice cream and caramel sauce.
Source: Adapted from McCormick and Dorie Greenspan’s Around My French Table
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If you are looking for more heart healthy recipes, check out the other bloggers participating today:
Healthy Snacking with Radish Dip by Juanita’s Cocina
Arugula, Walnut Pesto by Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
Farro, Apple & Pecan Salad by It’s Yummilicious
Chicken-Quinoa Burgers with an Avocado Yogurt Sauce by The Spiffy Cookie
Pasta House Wilted Salad by Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker
Gooey Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Bars by The Cooking Actress
Dark Chocolate Covered Walnuts by All Day I Dream About Food
Mini Pear Walnut Crisps with Blood Orange Caramel Sauce by Chocolate Moosey
Kung Pao Chicken Tacos by The Dutch Baker’s Daughter
Honey Soy Glazed Salmon by Curry and Comfort
Apple Walnut Spinach Salad by Magnolia Days
Broiled Salmon Gyros with Cucumber Feta Yogurt Dip by Damn Delicious
Maple Mustard Glazed Salmon by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Make-Ahead Chocolate Oatmeal by Crumb
Hoisin Flounder by Taking on Magazines
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
Cheesy Quinoa and Asparagus Bake by Hungry Couple
Ahi Tuna Salad by Noshing with the Nolands
Canapes of Apricot, Goat Cheese, Almonds and Rosemary by Cook the Story
Thai Chicken Soup by From Cupcakes to Caviar
Italian Turkey Quinoa Meatloaf by Rachel Cooks
Renee says
What a wonderful heart healthy dessert! I agree we do need a little sweetness in our lives. Homemade sweet treats are the best.
Carla says
Thanks Renee!
Jessica | Oh Cake says
I’ve been making the rounds today checking out everyone’s posts and stories. My grandmother was a HUGE crisp fan and she would have loved this. Sadly we lost her in 1995 to a heart attack. it’s so important to keep these memories alive.
Carla says
I’m so sorry to hear that, Jess. Thanks for stopping by!
Kim Bee says
Thanks so much for joining us today Carla. It was a pleasure to have you and I’m so thrilled you shared a dessert recipe. It looks wickedly delish and I think this is one I need to try. I am so honoured to have you share your story and recipe with us today. It means so much to me. xx
Carla says
Thanks for inviting me to join!
Samantha @FerraroKitchen says
Aww I kinda with I knew about this since this is what I go to school for and educate about! Preventative disease and public health. I’m always out of the loop :( ha but love your dessert!
Carla says
Aw next time I’ll have to let you know! Thanks Sam.
Jen @JuanitasCocina says
Girl, you make healthy look so bad, it’s good. Thank you for joining us, sweetheart. <3
Also, please send caramel sauce stat.
Carla says
Thanks for having me!
Nancy @ gottagetbaked says
What a fabulous foodie cause. Heart disease runs in my family. My dad has had high cholesterol for as long as I can remember and although I always joke that I’m headed towards a future of heart disease and type II diabetes, my comments are grounded in reality. I really need to do something about my fatty diet and lack of exercise. I’m glad you tackled health-ifying a dessert – if I couldn’t eat sweets, I’d be devastated! This crisp looks amazing, especially with that luscious blood orange caramel sauce.
Carla says
Well I guess the first step towards eating healthy is eating this crisp ;)
Anita at Hungry Couple says
Hooray for healthy desserts. Our lives need to be happy and healthy and I need dessert to be happy. :) Thanks for sharing today.
Carla says
Without desserts, we would be cranky! Thanks Anita.
Erin @ Dinners, Dishes and Desserts says
This crisp looks amazing! I agree, no matter what our diet everyone needs to have dessert every once in awhile. Great recipe!
Carla says
Thanks Erin!
Angie @ Big Bear's Wife says
Amazing flavor combos! I love the pictures too!!
Carla says
Thanks Angie!
Vicki @ WITK says
This is the kind of heart healthy dessert I can get along with! I love pear desserts, though I would totally have this for breakfast, sans the ice cream of course :)
Carla says
Oh yes it’s fruit for breakfast ;) Thanks Vicki!
Elizabeth @ SugarHero.com says
I love this! I have a wild sweet tooth so I’m always looking for ways to satisfy it in a healthier manner. Also, blood orange caramel sauce? Purrr.
Carla says
Yes the caramel sauce is my favorite part! Thanks Elizabeth.
Susan says
We all need a little sweetness in our live, even if it’s healthy and I love this sauce too.
Carla says
Thanks Susan!
Tara says
That looks so fabulous!! Lovely pictures too!! My mouth is watering. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful dessert!!
Carla says
Thanks Tara!
Jenni says
Good for you for making a healthy dessert! It sounds lovely, Carla! I have been having a ball playing with blood oranges too, recently. Love your spin on blood orange caramel sauce. :)
Carla says
I saw your blood orange caramel sauce on Facebook the day after I made these crisps! Isn’t it such a great sauce? Thanks Jenni!
[email protected] says
Carla,
I love how this dish is even perfectly portioned–no grabbing one more cookie or taking an extra-thick slice of pie to mess up the goodness of the serving size.
Thanks!
Carla says
Unless you eat both ;) Thanks Kirsten!
Isabelle @ Crumb says
These crisps look delicious, but it’s the Blood Orange Caramel Sauce that really caught my eye. Is it wrong that I kind of want to chug an entire cup of the stuff? (Probably, but I don’t care.) :)
I can relate to how hard it is to have aging parents living far away enough that you can’t just drop in to make sure they’re OK. I worry about mine all the time – we had a bit of a scare with my dad last year, and it was hard not being in the same city. :( Fingers crossed that the stars align and you can find the perfect job in the perfect place.
Carla says
Thanks Isabelle!
JanetFCTC says
This sounds wonderful and just decadent enough to make one forget that it’s not even bad for you lol.
Carla says
Haha well there is fruit in it ;) Thanks Janet!
Alanna says
Dear Carla,
I love your site,you feel like a very close friend for me,thank you! I have two questions what is cookie butter and how big are the ramekins you use for the mini pear walnut crisps?Thanks for the fabulous recipes,i’ve tried quite a few.My husband says I can bake BUT can’t cook haha.Have a great day……………Alanna
Carla says
Hi Alanna,
Thanks for the comment! I’m glad to hear you enjoy the recipes :)
1. Cookie butter is a spread very similar to peanut butter that is made of cookies, either speculoos or Biscoff cookies. It tastes like graham crackers with some gingersnap spice. You can find a jar either at Trader Joe’s (their brand) or at Walmart (Biscoff brand and is located next to Nutella in the peanut butter aisle). Here’s one of my posts that explains Biscoff and shows the jar: https://www.chocolatemoosey.com/2012/08/17/no-bake-egg-free-biscoff-swirl-cheesecake-guest-post-for-a-culinary-journey/
2. The greens one in particular are 3 inches. However, the standard white ones you find at the stores are 4 inches. Both work in this recipe.
[email protected] says
Carla,
Like I need an excuse to eat salted caramel ice cream–but if I did, this would be an excellent one. Thanks for giving me the link to include in my upcoming Band Fruit Fundraiser Recipe Round Up! It will be published on 12/4/2013!
sk says
I think steps 4,5,6 are from another a recipe They repeat what is written earlier.The ingredients mentioned have already been used and they mention stuff(apples) which isn’t in the recipe.
Carla says
Thank you for pointing that out! I have no idea what happened. Fixed now.