Baked Pears

I'm one of the weirdos out there that doesn't crave sweets very often, but the other day I got inspired to make an amazing topping for oatmeal and decided to use some organic and ripe Bartlett pears! These could be eaten as is for breakfast or as a dessert and are actually really healthy. Share with a friend bake one half of a pear for each member of your family. Toppings that I used include cacao nibs, raw shredded coconut, hemp seeds, black maroo raisins and raw chopped walnuts, bringing this meal a lot of nutritive factors like antioxidants, plant-proteins, B vitamins and omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. I chose coconut nectar as a sweetener rather than maple syrup or brown sugar because it has a lower glycemic index and is free of refined sugars. If using this recipe to top oatmeal, keep in mind that oatmeal provides us with unrefined carbohydrate stores and loads of plant fiber. 

ingredients:

• 3 ripe and organic pears (or try using apples)

• 1-2 tablespoons cold-pressed coconut oil

• 1 tablespoon raw shredded coconut

• 2 tablespoon raw walnuts, chopped

• 1 tablespoon hemp seeds

• 1 tablespoon raw cacao nibs

• 1 serving organic raisins (or try using chopped dates)

• 1 tablespoon organic coconut nectar (or try using coconut sugar)

• 1 pinch cinnamon

• 1 pinch sea salt

prep:

• preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit

• slice pears length-wise and scoop out the seeds using a spoon. Use coconut oil to cover the pears and the base of the baking sheet. Sprinkle cinnamon and sea salt over the pears (cut side facing up) and then drizzle coconut nectar on top.

• bake for 20 minutes

• meanwhile, combine coconut, chopped walnuts, hemp seeds, cacao nibs and raisins in a small bowl and stir to combine

• the pears are finished once they are soft and browned. Add the toppings and enjoy!