I incorporate seasonal fruits and vegetables into most of my cooking, but lately I've hit a breakfast fruit rut. Our breakfast rotation is pretty straightforward. It's usually banana (and/or berries when in season), granola and yogurt, grapefruit and toast, oatmeal, eggs, or the occasional pancake/waffle/French toast weekend brunch. So I've been thinking about new ways to bring fruit we already enjoy into our morning routine and loved the idea of poached pears.

Pears are so great!  They remind me of cozy fall and winter days, and the thought of poaching them in a syrupy blend of spices and dried fruits instantly made them the winner for our new breakfast treat. I also love how I can mull and infuse different flavors with each new batch of poached pears. 

The night before, I soak a pot of oatmeal in water and naturally sweeten it with dried mulberries, dried figs, and goji berries. Soaking the oatmeal overnight hastens the cooking time the next morning and I'm all about making my life easier. After selecting my mulling spices for the poaching liquid, I peel, core, and quarter my pears. I use organic coconut nectar as my sweetener and let my pears simmer away until they are tender, or about 25 minutes. I recommend using sturdy pears, such as Bosc, which can withstand the 20-30 minute simmer.

Finally, after removing all of the pears, I add some dried sour cherries and fresh cranberries and turn the heat up to a low boil and reduce the liquid to half the amount. Then, I top my oatmeal with a dollop of yogurt, poached pears, and the yummy syrup and dig in. Oh, and the best part, the girls love it, too! 

Whether on its own, over a bowl of oatmeal, or beside a scoop of vanilla ice cream, poached pears are delicious and will give you all the wintery goodness your heart desires. Enjoy!

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POACHED PEAR RECIPE

Ingredients:

• 4 Bosc pears, peeled, cored, and quartered
• 1 quart of water
• 1 1/3 cup of coconut sugar, maple syrup, honey, or any other sweeter you prefer
• 1 vanilla bean, split
• Spices (I used 1 cinnamon stick and 6 cardamom pods, but cloves, all spice, and or ginger would be wonderful too)
• Dried fruit (I use dried sour cherries and fresh cranberries, but raisins, currants, or any other fruits would be great)

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, heat water and sweetner until warm and dissolved. Add vanilla and spices.
2. Slide in pears and be sure they are fully submerged in liquid.
3. Keep the liquid at a simmer until the pears are cooked through, about 20-30 minutes.
4. Remove pears and add dried fruit
5. To make the syrup, bring the liquid to a low boil and reduce to half. Use the syrup for drizzling.