Lunch: Pear-Cranberry Hand Pies

These flaky little pies may be the ultimate grab-and-go dessert.

This recipe includes fertility superfoods such as:

Cinnamon, Cranberries

Health and fertility benefits of Pear-Cranberry Hand Pies

Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060). Researchers believe that cranberries contain substances that prevent infection-causing bacteria from sticking to the urinary tract walls. However, store-bought cranberry juice is typically all sugar - so make sure to stick with straight cranberries.

Ingredients

2 Bosc pears
1/3 c. sugar
1 1/2 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. fresh or frozen cranberries
1 pinch ground cloves
1 pinch cinnamon
1 pinch salt
1 package cold all-butter puff pastry
1 egg
Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

Instructions

In a medium bowl, toss diced pears with 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon flour, cranberries, ground cloves, cinnamon, and salt.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the puff pastry to a 14 1/2-inch square, about 1/8-inch thick. Using a sharp knife, cut the pastry into 8 squares. Spoon the pear filling onto a corner of each square, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Fold the pastry over the filling to make a triangle and firmly press the edges to seal. Crimp the edges with a fork. Prick the top of each triangle once with the fork to allow steam to escape during baking. Transfer the hand pies to a baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, until chilled.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Brush the chilled hand pies with the beaten egg and sprinkle them with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar. Bake the pies for about 30 minutes, until they are golden brown. Let the hand pies cool for at least 5 minutes. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

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