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How do you make healthy recipes even healthier? Its easier than you think. Join Niki Boileau as she takes us on recipe re-adventures in her column Tweak & Eat.
Inspired by Molly Wizenberg's poached pears at Orangette.
Over-indulging in your sweet tooth can prove to be quite the crime on a healthy diet. To avoid the taxing results of too much sugar, we fully endorse poaching a pear or two for your Saturday dinner party dessert.
Not only do pears appeal to a wide range of palates, they are light and fresh and leave even the most diet-abiding calorie-counters feeling guilt-free. If only they could take care of our overdue parking tickets.
This recipe will feed 8 people a ½ pear each. Best to account for seconds though, so use 4 pears for 6 people or less.
Ingredients
Directions
1. Stir agave syrup, water, vanilla bean and lemon juice together into a pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn down the heat and leave it to simmer gently.
2. Meanwhile, peel your pears, cut them in half lengthwise, and remove the cores with a sharp knife and a teaspoon. We found it easiest to first cut around the core with your knife, and then slip the spoon into the slice and scoop out the core.
3. Carefully drop your peeled, cored pears into your pot of syrup. Cook the pears for about 15 to 30 minutes, until they are easily stabbed with a fork and turn slightly translucent and are a soft shade of yellow.
4. While the pears cook away, grate your ginger and nutmeg. Set them aside until you are ready to plate.
5. Remove any pears that seem to be getting over-cooked, while the others finish up. Once all the pears are adequately cooked, remove the pot from the heat and leave the pears to cool in the syrup.
6. When you are ready to serve, place one ½ pear in each dish, sprinkle a little ginger and nutmeg on each pear (to taste), followed by a dollop of crème fraiche (or your chosen alternative), and finish with a dusting of cinnamon. Drizzle a bit of the syrup into the dish around your pear, and if you are feeling particularly Martha Stewart-ish, add a sprig of mint for garnish.
7. Serve the remaining syrup alongside the poached pears, as your guests will likely want to add more as they go.
**If you’d rather steer clear of crème fraiche, opt for other toppings like coconut milk ice cream - an all-natural alternative to conventional ice cream, a dollop of Greek yogurt, or consider leaving your pear plain!
Follow the Orangette blog for great recipe ideas at http://orangette.blogspot.com/
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Niki Boileau is a Vancouver-based RHN who loves spending time outdoors and dreaming up as many healthy porridge recipes as possible. Get in touch with her to talk all things food and health.
