Baked Pears with Star Anise

Baked pears with star anise are the perfect wintertime tonic. Pears are anti-inflammatory, calming to the heart, and high in vitamin C and copper. The warming spices of star anise, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg aid digestion; and star anise is also good for heart health as a cardiac stimulant.

Baked Pears with Star Anise Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 pears - peeled, halved, and cored

• 1 teaspoon ground star anise

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon ground clove

• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1/4 cup water

• 2 tablespoon maple syrup

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 1 tsp. melted coconut oil or ghee (clarified butter) - if you're dairy-free, don't use ghee

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees

• Place pears in a baking dish, cavity-side down

• Add water to bottom of dish

• Mix together melted ghee or coconut oil, lemon juice and maple syrup and pour over the pears

• Mix spices together and sprinkle over the pears

• Bake until pears are tender, approximately 50-60 mins.

• Serve warm, and pour the juice from the pan over the pears

Oatmeal with leftover cut up baked pears

Leftover baked pears are great the next morning in your oatmeal or other hot cereal.

Resources:

https://www.joyfulbelly.com/Ayurveda/ingredient/Pears-Pyrus-spp/261

https://www.joyfulbelly.com/Ayurveda/ingredient/Star-Anise-Illicium-verum/29