Baked Pears with Nuts & Seeds

We have used coconut sugar for a little sweetness in the coconut cream which is available in the sugar aisle with the regular sugars.  We used organic and unrefined coconut sugar.  This has a lovely butterscotch and caramel flavour.  Use this instead of other sugars when cooking.

This recipe is low carb, low sodium, suitable for vegans and vegetarians.

Ingredients

• 2 small pears, nearly ripe
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• ½ tsp. five/all spice mix
• ½ tsp. cinnamon
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 1 tsp. sunflower seeds
• 1 tsp. pumpkin seeds
• 2 tsp. (20g) pecan nuts

Coconut Cream:

• 2 tbsp. coconut cream
• ½ tsp. (pinch) coconut sugar
• Drizzle of vanilla (optional)

Method

1. Preheat oven 180C.
2. Peel your pears. Using a corer carefully take out centre with stem. If you don’t have a corer then you can leave in. For decoration if you remove the core and stem also place this in with the pear to slot back in when serving.
3. Drizzle olive oil over pears, sprinkle spice and cinnamon mix over pears and squeeze the lemon juice over. In an oven proof dish place baking paper on the base then the pears and bake about 30 minutes, depending on the ripeness of the pear, more time might be needed if it is a firm pear.
4. Whilst this is baking, place your nuts and seeds into a grinder and mix until just a crumble. If you don’t have a coffee bean grinder or the like just chop finely on a board with a sharp knife to the consistency you like. Sprinkle over base of your serving dish or dishes.
5. For the coconut cream take your can out of fridge, don’t shake it as the thick cream is on top…remove/open top of can. Spoon out 2 tbsp. of the thick cream on the top into a bowl and mix the coconut cream, sugar and vanilla.
6. Remove pears out of oven and place on top of your seed mixture then spoon the coconut cream on the side and enjoy. You can place the core back into the pear for decoration.