Lemon & Ginger Pears Poached in Green Tea & Apple Juice

Use firm pears for this recipe (Bosc and Asian Pears hold up well in cooking).
Make ahead and chill for serving.
Works best in 3 ½ quart slow cooker but will be good on low burner for 30 min. to 1 hr.
Serves 6

Fruit:
1 ½ cups filtered water
1 ½ cups Apple Juice (no sugar added, organic is recommended)
2 T Crystallized Ginger cut into small bits
1-2 T grated fresh ginger with 1/8 cup honey or light agave
Zero or favorite sugar substitute.
1 t grated lemon zest (plus 1 teaspoon for topping when served)
6 firm pears, peeled, cored and cut lengthwise
1/8 to ¼ t Edible Green® ground green tea powder

For Topping: Light whip cream or plain yogurt slightly sweetened (vanilla if not too strong)
1 t lemon zest
Nutmeg in grinder preferred, but can sprinkle carefully

Simmer water, apple juice, ginger, lemon peel , pears and green tea until pears are slightly tender and still hold together. Cool slightly then gently ladle pears into a glass dish slightly covering the fruit with juice. (Reserve the rest of juice to use in a salad dressing below*.)

To Serve: Drain juice and keep as mentioned above. 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.

Winter Pear Salad & Dressing*

Equal amounts of pear juice, cold pressed sunflower, canola or safflower oil, white wine vinegar or Japanese Vinegar and 1-2 t maple syrup. Serve over spinach or romaine lettuce, with chopped pears or apples sprinkled with crumbled goat or feta cheese. Optional: small cranberry bits and slivered toasted almonds.

*Adapted from the Diabetes Comfort Food Cookbook, Burkard & Finlayson, Rodale Press

*Historic Hood River Hotel, Cornerstone Cuisine Grill & Fine Dining, Hood River, Oregon