Apple and Pear compote
Apple and pear compote is so straightforward and tastes delicious. Very easy to digest too 🙂 Excellent enhancer of porridge & yoghurt.
Pureed apple and pear is a very easy way to add that something extra to your porridge or yoghurt. Yes it does look a little like baby food but believe me it’s lovely. So whether you’re after some fuel before training or a race, or just simply looking to enjoy a relaxing snack, this will satisfy. During recovery from Lyme Disease, I was amazed at the benefits of pureed foods such as rhubarb, apple, pear. You are breaking down the food to make it much easier to digest. With fruit this is the breaking down of the ripening enzymes; with vegetables it’s the breaking down of the cells – allowing the molecules to thicken. Most of all, pureeing food adds so much natural flavour 🙂
Ingredients:
Makes 1 large bowl
- 2x large Bramley cooking apples (any apples will do in practice)
- 4x Pears (particular type up to you – I love Bosc, Asian, Conifer)
- ¼ cup dark brown Muscovado sugar (lighter demerara or white caster sugar also work well)
- ½ cup orange juice – or water if you’ve run out
- 1x tsp cinnamon
* if you don’t have orange juice, use water. You can swap cinnamon for nutmeg. Can also add vanilla essence.
Method:
Prep 5 mins, Cooking time 12 mins max
- Peel and core the apples and pears, slicing them roughly.
- Add the sugar, orange juice, cinnamon into a medium sized pan. (Orange juice/water stops the apple and pear burning to the pan).
- Put on a medium heat for 5 mins. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for remaining time (up to 5 mins)
- Stir occasionally and soften up the apple and pear with a potato masher or using a wooden spoon against the pan sides.
- Take care not to overboil. Your compote should consist of syrupy liquid, with lots of soft chunks of apple. So a fluffy mush of tasty fruit 🙂
- If the taste is still a little tart, just add a little more sugar.
- Once softened, put in a large bowl to cool.
- Once cooled, seal or cover with cling film and keep in a fridge for up to 4 days.
Serve and enjoy – you can really #pimpyourporridge or #pimpyouryoghurt with this! Great for a running breakfast or snack.
Benefits:
Apple:
Low in calories and rich in vitamin C. Excellent for dietary fibre, antioxidants, antioxidants and cell repair.
When pureed, apple is much easier for your body to digest. Contains fibre in the form of pectin, a very healthy option, suggested to help with avoiding alzheimer’s, parkinson’s, cancers. Good for cholesterol and your immune system too. Even better is the flavour is enhanced, particularly when cooked as above and mixed with other healthy ingredients like orange, vanilla, cinnamon.
Pear:
Higher in pectin than apples, pears provide a very good source of fibre. They are also a very good source of vitamin B2, C, E, copper, and potassium.
Cinnamon:
Cinnamon is loaded with antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. Can help lower blood sugar levels and have anti-diabetic effects. Cinnamon is also thought to reduce the risk of heart disease, plus help fight bacterial and fungal infection.
Cinnamon has a sweet spice aroma which really compliments the taste of the apple. Your kitchen will be full of lovely woody sweet aroma.
Cheap and readily available in supermarkets and any decent food store. Ceylon is the best variety.
Hope you enjoy 🙂
Jeff