A delicious, healthy breakfast will power you through day

Don’t save the best ‘til last — have it first, for breakfast! Why consider a knockout combo of pears, cranberries and hazelnuts just for dessert, when the same delicious trio can rev up your day with a healthy head start?

•Nutrient-dense fresh pears are a great addition to breakfast because of their fiber/vitamin C/potassium content. They’re low-calorie, plus they have no sodium, cholesterol or saturated fat.

•Dried, fresh or frozen – or in juice form – cranberries are a true nutritional powerhouse to get your engine running. Cranberries provide antioxidants as well as a bacteria-blocking property that helps prevent urinary tract infections, some stomach ulcers and even gum disease.

•Hazelnuts are a high quality source of protein, providing the energy needed to tackle a busy day, and there’s more — they’re a heart-healthy source of monounsaturated fat, vitamin E, magnesium and many other nutrients.

The More, the Merrier

Pears, cranberries and hazelnuts can be “extras” as well as stars on the breakfast stage:

•Layer yogurt with cranberries and hazelnuts.

•Sprinkle dried cranberries or sliced pears on your breakfast cereal.

•Top your oatmeal with toasted hazelnuts and sliced pears.

•Blend cranberry juice and peeled, chopped pears into a smoothie.

•Bake fresh cranberries, pears and hazelnuts into muffins and quick breads.

For more ideas and recipes, visit www.hazelnutcouncil.org, www.usapears.org and www.uscranberries.com.

Cranberry Glazed Cinnamon Rolls

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened, divided

1 1/2 cups hazelnuts, toasted, skin removed, chopped, divided

1 1/4 cups sugar, divided

1/2 cup cranberry juice cocktail

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided

1 loaf frozen bread dough, thawed

2 pears, peeled, cored, diced

1 cup sweetened dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Heat 1/4 cup butter or margarine in 13- x 9- x 2-inch pan in oven until melted. Remove from oven. Stir in 1 cup hazelnuts, 1 cup sugar, cranberry juice and 1 teaspoon cinnamon until blended; set aside.

Mix remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in small bowl; set aside.

Roll bread dough into 12- x 10-inch rectangle on lightly floured surface. Spread remaining 2 tablespoons butter or margarine over dough, leaving 1/2 -inch edge. Arrange pears and cranberries on buttered dough. Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture and remaining 1/2 cup hazelnuts over fruit.

Start at long edge of dough and roll into 12-inch long cylinder; pinch dough to seal. Cut into 12, 1-inch slices and place on mixture in pan. Cover with damp cloth and proof in warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown and roll sounds hollow when tapped. Immediately invert onto heat-proof plate.

•Makes 12 cinnamon rolls

Nutritional Analysis per Serving: Calories 380 (37% Calories from Fat), 6g Protein, 57g Carbohydrate, 4g Fiber, 16g Fat, 4g Sat. Fat, 15mg Cholesterol, 270mg Sodium

Tangy Lemon Breakfast Fruit Strata

1 1/3 cups 1-percent milk

3eggs

2/3 cup low-fat sour cream

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 slices white bread, crust removed, torn into small pieces, divided

3/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries

1 pear, peeled, cored, cut into 1/4 -inch-thin slices

3/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted, skin removed, chopped

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk first 9 ingredients in medium bowl until smooth; set aside.

Place 3/4 of bread pieces in greased 8-inch square pan. Layer cranberries, remaining bread pieces and pears in pan. Pour milk-mixture over pears.

Mix hazelnuts, sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. Sprinkle over mixture in pan.

Bake 45 to 55 minutes until golden and knife inserted into center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

•Makes 16 (2-inch) squares

Nutritional Analysis per Serving: Calories 120 (42% Calories from Fat), 3g Protein, 14g Carbohydrate, 1g Fiber, 6g Fat, 1.5g Sat. Fat, 40mg Cholesterol, 115mg Sodium

Hazelnut Harvest Waffle With Cranberry Pear Sauce

2 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen

1 cup orange juice

2/3 cup sugar

2 pears, peeled, cored, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 teaspoon bourbon or vanilla

1 cup low fat whipped topping

3/4 cup canned, solid-pack pumpkin

3/4 cup whole milk

2eggs

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 2/3 cups pancake mix

1 cup hazelnuts, toasted, skin removed, chopped (plus additional to garnish, if desired)

1 1/4 teaspoons ground allspice ground cinnamon, to garnish (if desired)

Bring cranberries, orange juice and sugar to slow boil over medium-high heat in medium saucepan. Cook 7 minutes. Add pears and continue to slow boil 6 to 8 minutes until berries burst, pears are softened and mixture is reduced to 2 cups. Remove from heat.

Stir bourbon or vanilla into whipped topping until blended; cover and refrigerate.

Whisk pumpkin, milk, eggs and oil in small bowl until blended. Stir in pancake mix, hazelnuts and allspice until blended. If mixture is too thick, add additional milk.

Spread 1 1/3 cups batter over preheated waffle iron. Cook as directed on mix package. Place 1/4 cup cranberry-pear sauce and dollop whipped topping over each waffle square. Garnish with ground cinnamon and chopped hazelnuts, if desired. Serve immediately.

•Makes 4 (2-waffle squares each) servings

Nutritional Analysis Per Serving: Calories 750 (35% Calories from Fat), 16g Protein, 111g Carbohydrate, 11g Fiber, 30g Fat, 4.5g Sat. Fat, 120mg Cholesterol, 710mg Sodium