Pears is a summer fruit and I enjoy it most when it’s juicy, and ripe.

This weekend I thought pairs after lunch would be a lovely treat for my mum and I instead of our usual piece of chocolate. My mother and I both have a very sweet tooth and sometimes tea and chocolate just doesn’t cut it.

I didn’t want to add more sugar to the already tart pears, but I decided to add maple syrup and a little bit of fresh blueberries to the dish for a sweet-sour taste.

I decided too that we would both skip tea time snacks, so I added a protein which was sufficient to balance this dish and make it tart, sweet, sour and crunchy. The crunch element was sprinkles of granola and coconut.

Did you know: Pears are home to a soluble fiber called pectin. Pectin nourishes gut health and can make you feel full. According to studies pears is very good at reducing the risk of cardiovascular issues. You can pickle, poach, bake, cook, and fry pears. Homemade pear puree is also rich in vitamin C and a winner with babies. Babies particularly love the sugar in pairs. One pear has roughly 15 g of sugar in it and hardly no calories.

Ingredients

2 pears, halved

1 vanilla bean stalk/1 tsp vanilla

2 tbsp maple syrup

cinnamon

granola for garnish

coconut shavings for garnish

mint for garnish

blueberries

plain greek yoghurt (I use Gero fat free)

Method

1. Scoop seeds out of the pears - dig into the pear with a teaspoon at it’s base and scoop out seeds in a circular motion.

2. Place pears on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

3. Mix vanilla with your maple syrup and drizzle 1/2 tbs over each pear half.

4. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon powder

5. Bake for 25-30 minutes in a hot oven.

6. Let the pears cool slightly before dropping a spoonful of yogurt over each pear.

7. Sprinkle with granola, berries and coconut.

8. Add 1 mint leaf to each pear and serve semi-warm.