Use firm pears for this recipe (Bosc and Asian Pears hold up well in cooking). Make ahead and chill before serving.

Ingredients

Fruit: 

• 1 1/2 c filtered water
• 1 1/2 c Apple Juice (no sugar added, organic is recommended)
• 2 Tbsp. Crystallized ginger cut into small bits
• 1 – 2 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
• 1/8 c honey, light Agave, Zero, or favorite sugar substitute
• 1 tsp. + 1 tsp. Grated lemon zest ( plus 1 Tsp. for topping when served)
• 6 firm pears, peeled, cored and cut length wise
• 1/8 – 1/4 tsp. Edible Green® ground green tea powder

For topping :

• Light whip cream or plain yogurt slightly sweetened (vanilla if not too strong)
• 1 tsp. Lemon zest
• Nutmeg in grinder preferred, but can sprinkle carefully

Directions

1. Mix fresh ginger with Honey, light Agave, Zero or favorite sugar substitute
2. Works best in 3 1/2 quart slow cooker but will be good on low burner for 30 min. to 1 hr.
3. Simmer water, apple juice, ginger, ginger/honey mixture, lemon peel, pears and green tea until pears are slightly tender and still hold together.
4. Cool slightly then gently ladle pears into a glass dish slightly covering the fruit with juice. (Reserve the rest of the juice to use in a Winter Pear Salad dressing below*)
5. To Serve: Drain Juice and keep as mentioned above.
6. Gently place pears on small desert plates or bowls, dollop with whip cream, a few sprigs of lemon zest and a slight dash of nutmeg. A thin wafer or oatmeal cookie complements this dish.

Yield: 6 servings