Cinnamon-Ginger Pears

3 ingredients, no added sugar, and the whole thing comes from fruit and spice. This proves that simple can still feel like a real treat, and that is worth having in your rotation.

The sweetness here is entirely the pear's own, which makes this a naturally low-sugar dessert. Pears are a gentle source of fiber, which feeds a healthier gut community, and the cinnamon and ginger add warming polyphenols of their own. It is also a low-histamine dessert, useful if you are watching that alongside everything else.

The smell of cinnamon and ginger baking into soft pears is half the pleasure, so let the kitchen fill with it. Serve them warm, on their own or spooned over a little coconut ice cream, and pause for the first bite. A humble fruit, a little care, and a moment of presence is a complete dessert.

Ingredients

• 4 pears, peeled and chopped
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Every ingredient is already elimination-friendly, with nothing to swap and no added sweetener. The source notes this works with under-ripe or over-ripe pears, and with apples in place of pears. It also doubles as a pie filling or an ice cream topping.

Method

• Heat the oven to 350F.
• Layer the chopped pears in a baking dish and toss them with the cinnamon and ginger.
• Bake about 30 minutes, until the pears are soft. Serve hot.

Instant Pot variation

To poach these instead of baking, add the chopped pears and spices to the Instant Pot with a small splash of water, around 1/4 cup, so it can come to pressure. Cook on high pressure for a short time, in the range of 2 to 4 minutes, then quick-release. Softer or riper pears want the low end of that range. This conversion is untested, so check the pears and adjust the time in your own kitchen.

*Adapted from acleanplate.com*

*Lower-sugar note: the sugar here is the pears, not added sweetener. For a lighter serving, use a smaller portion, or blend in a splash of water or coconut milk to stretch the batch so each serving carries less.*