Easy Pear & Cranberry Cobbler

At this time of year when sweets are abundant, arriving in gift boxes every day and threatening my food plan, I try to have something on hand that I can enjoy without guilt. This fruit cobbler is an easy dessert that is delicious and good for me! It utilizes the wonderful Comice pears available in the stores right now (they are the sweetest and juiciest of the pear varieties), plus the warm spices give it a holiday twist. Apples can be substituted and are just as delicious. I used Quaker Oatmeal Pancake mix, but you can use any whole grain mix you may already have in your pantry. This cobbler is quick, very simple to prepare and just as tempting as anything my friends and relatives have given us this holiday season. Like me, you may find it a lot easier to leave the high-carb, sugary treats to others if you have an alternative to satisfy your sweet tooth. Best wishes for a happy, healthy holiday!

Easy Pear & Cranberry Cobbler
Makes 8 servings

½ cup whole grain or oatmeal pancake mix
½ cup almond flour
1½ teaspoons cinnamon, divided
¾ teaspoon ground ginger, divided
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
3 tablespoons Splenda granular
1 egg
½ cup skim or almond milk
1 tablespoon canola oil
4 pears, cored, peeled and cut into 1" chunks (apples can be substituted)
½ tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons dried cranberries
1 tablespoon flour

1. Preheat oven to 375-degrees. Spray an 8" square baking dish with non-stick cooking spray; set aside. In a small mixing bowl, mix together the pancake mix, almond flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ginger, nutmeg, cloves and Splenda. Mix together with a fork to break up any lumps. Set aside dry ingredients and prepare pears.

2. Core and peel each pear, then cut into large chunks. Place the pears into a medium mixing bowl, add lemon juice and toss to coat. Add the dried cranberries, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ginger and 1 tablespoon flour; stir to combine. Spoon pears into the prepared baking dish; set aside.

3. To the dry ingredients, add the egg, milk and canola oil. Stir vigorously with a fork until batter is well combined. Pour over pears and spread to cover fruit. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 15 minutes before serving. Also, it can be served at room temperature.

Nutritional Information per serving: 162.5 calories, 25.4 g carbohydrate, 6.4 g total fat, 0.6 g saturated fat, 91.8 mg sodium, 4.6 g fiber, 3.7 g protein.

Original recipe by Kathy Sheehan, copyright 2010

How does this recipe compare to traditional cobbler? This recipe is much lower is calories, carbs and fat, plus it has 4x the fiber and double the protein! For comparison, a ½ cup serving of traditional fruit cobbler is 360 calories, 67 g carbohydrate, 10 g total fat, 3 g saturated fat, 1 g fiber, 2 g protein.