Most of us have had applesauce, but other fruits make yummy sauces too! Pears can make a great sauce. Often when I purchase pears, they all get ripe at the same time; once they are ripe, they need to be used or they will become brown and mushy. Making ripe pears into a sauce is a great way to us them. Making a pear sauce is similar to making an applesauce. The sauce can be eaten plain, with yogurt, or as a pancake topping instead of syrup. I often use homemade fruit sauces instead of syrup on my pancakes.
Pear sauce will have a bit more grainy texture than applesauce. Using fully ripe pears is best as they will be sweet and no extra sugar will be necessary. I do add a bit of raw honey for the health promoting attributes, but as you will see it is just a little.
I am all about food as medicine and believe our bodies know what to do with real food. Let’s look at some of the benefits of a few of the ingredients in this recipe.
Pears are a high fiber food, it has a 50/50 blend of soluble and insoluble fiber. The soluble fiber in pears is called pectin. Pectin may lower cholesterol levels. The insoluble fiber, lignin, helps bulk up stools and makes passage through the intestine faster, possibly reducing the risk of colon cancer. Almost all the phytochemicals (healthy plant compounds) are in the skin, I would encourage you not to peel the skins, especially if using organic. You don’t want to miss out on all the extra nutrients found in the skin. Pears are a good source of vitamin C (if eaten raw), copper, vitamins B2 and E, and potassium.
Coconut oil has been shown to benefit weight maintenance, reduce belly fat, may boost brain function and improve heart health. It is a natural source of medium-chain triglyceride. It can also reduce hunger (healthy fat sources can do that). For me, I like to add a little bit of healthy fats to most my food.
Cinnamon is a spice that has been used for centuries and has a long history of use in both Eastern and Western cultures as a medicine. This spice has antioxidant activity which is helpful for preventing fatty acid oxidation. Cinnamon has been used as a sedative for smooth muscles, circulating stimulant, carminative, digestant, anticonvulsant, diaphoretic, diuretic, antibiotic and anti-ulcerative. There can be some safety concerns with cinnamon if you have a history of oxalate-containing kidney stones as it contains a moderate amount of oxalate. Over consumption should be avoided if this is something you have dealt with in the past.
Cardamom uses are similar to cinnamon; a carminative (relieves flatulence), digestant, and stimulant. You can check out more about cardamom in a recent post that I did.
Pear Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 ripe pears, organic is best
- 1/3 cup filtered water
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon sea or Himalayan salt
- 1/2 teaspoon raw honey
- 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
Instructions
- Quarter the pears, remove the core, cut each piece in half and place in a medium saucepan.
- Add water, lemon juice, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt.
- Bring the mixture to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
- If you like a chunkier sauce, mash with a potato masher. If you like a smoother sauce, place the mixture in a blender and puree. BE CAREFUL if the sauce is still hot and you may want to only puree half the mixture at a time.
- Add the honey and coconut oil to the warm mixture and mix.
- Enjoy topped with nuts, yogurt, oatmeal, or as a topping for pancakes.
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