Baked Pears for Breakfast (recipe)

Plus: Personal trainer Anthuan Maybank on superfoods, social media’s affect on our health and local health events.

Superfoods in the Morning

Do you remember what used to happen to Popeye after he swallowed a whole can of spinach? In case you don’t recall, his biceps immediately popped up from out of nowhere. I grew up believing that spinach had superpowers, even though I refused to eat it.

There is so much attention paid to so-called superfoods these days that I think Popeye was onto something. As an adult, I not only love spinach, but also notice that if I eat it in the morning, I feel the superfood effects throughout the day. I wondered what I could feed my son in the morning that would give him Popeye-like energy and strength throughout his school day.

I turned to my favorite local superhero, Anthuan Maybank, who is a personal trainer and consultant.  I asked Maybank how important is it to make sure superfoods are part of a child’s breakfast.

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“Having a meal in the morning which prepares for a day in the classroom is just as important as the meal we have before we walk out unto the court, field or track,” says Maybank. “Our nutrition fuels our minds, as well as our bodies, for that day’s agenda.  Our bodies and our minds are supercharged by the type of fuel we put into our bodies. Our meals need to have a purpose that satisfies the vigorous functions of that day, which means we need to eat our meals with a purpose.”

If we’re going to eat with a purpose, we may want to start with superfoods at breakfast. While it can be a challenge to sneak vegetables into a kid’s breakfast, Maybank shared a list of fall fruit superfoods that can be incorporated into the morning meal.

Anthuan’s Super List of Fall Super Fruits

Apples Full of antioxidants and fiber. I could just cut some up to top some steel-cut oatmeal.
Pears All that vitamin C and copper? How can you say no? Check out Maybank’s baked pear recipe in this newsletter.
Pomegranates Great for smoothies, or add to breakfast quinoa.
Pumpkin Pancakes with potassium—a superfood pancake before school.
Grapefruit This one may just be the easiest—and it can lower your cholesterol. Slice in half and add a spoon.

I know I will have an easier chance of getting my son to eat one of these instead of Popeye’s spinach, but I am still going to try. As Popeye said, “I am what I am.” I’m a mom who needs to make a healthy breakfast.
 

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Baked Pears:
​A Superfood Recipe

I asked Anthuan Maybank of Champion Body Strength Training in Wilmington to suggest a superfood that could serve as a great breakfast, but also as an afterschool snack. Pears are high in fiber, vitamin C, K and several of the all-important Bs. If you want to adjust for sugar levels, try using stevia and low sugar/no sugar apple juice. It’s not just a super food—it’s super-autumnal.

Ingredients

2 large Bosc pears
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup dried cranberries or dried mixed fruit
      (such as Sun-Maid Fruit Bits)
1/4 cup low-fat granola
1/4 cup apple juice

Preparation

1. Peel pears; cut in half lengthwise. Use a melon baller or grapefruit spoon to remove core and seeds, creating a hollow.
2. Place pear halves, with cut sides up, in a glass pie plate. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over pears.
3. Combine cranberries and granola; mound into hollows of the pear halves. Pour the apple juice in and around pear halves. Cover dish loosely with wax paper.
4. Cook in microwave on high 6-8 minutes or until the pears are tender when pierced with a knife. Let stand in the dish five minutes. Use a large slotted spoon to transfer the pears to serving plates.
5. Drizzle juices from pie plate over pears.
 

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Tech​ Check: The Cons of “Staying Connected”

Staying connected to friends, family and work is so simple thanks to social media, texting, emailing and devices that travel with us anywhere. Loved ones, coworkers and business associates are accessible when wanted and needed. And that, of course, makes us accessible to them. This accessibility comes at a price. The questions you should ask yourself are: Just how high of a price am I paying for that accessibility, and is it worth it to me? (more)
 

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Health Events

Thursday, Oct. 3

Christiana Care: Gluten Free Shopping Made Easy
Location  ShopRite of Brandywine Commons
                  1300 Rocky Run Parkway, Wilmington
Time  5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
More info.  661-3460

Sunday, Oct. 6

New Balance Brandywine & Christiana 31st  Delaware Distance Classic 15K & 5K
Location  Frawley Stadium, Wilmington Riverfront
Time  9 a.m.
More info.  PCVRC.com/ddc.php

Thursday, Oct. 10

Bayhealth’s Teen Explorers Program Open House
Location  Pavillion at Bayhealth Kent General
Time  6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
More info.  744-6724

To submit your health-related event, email shari@shortanswerconsulting.com

Our Sip, Sample & Savor event is October 23!

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