This warm and elegant dessert is soothing, restorative, and perfect for your holiday table. Pears are popular this time of year not just for their sweetness and versatility, but according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), they are considered a major healing food for the Autumn season. When the air is cold and dry this time of year, pears help by improving our lung health and adding moisture back into our bodies. Pair them with honey and ginger, and you have a winning combination to fight off cold and flu symptoms.
Along with its myriad of health benefits, the best thing about this poached pear recipe is its simplicity. It comes together in about 30 minutes, and can be prepared in batches, making it great for an after dinner dessert, warm addition to breakfast, or even a midday snack.
For this recipe, Zoey made it completely plant-based by creating a smooth vegan tofu cream to pour on top of the pear, and spiced it up with Elix Ginger Aide for added immunity boosting benefits.
TCM Benefits:
- Pear and silken tofu are known to nourish lung Yin to help with respiratory problems such as coughing and dry throat.
- Ginger and cinnamon warm the body for winter.
- Honey moistens the lungs and large Intestines to relieve dryness.
Ingredients (1 serving):
- 1 medium bosc pear
- 5 pieces of ginger
- 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1 stick of cinnamon
- 4 tbsp honey or brown sugar
- ½ cup silken tofu
- 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
- 5 drops Elix Ginger Aide Tincture
Method:
- Carefully peel the bosc pear.
- In a pot, add the pear, fresh ginger, thyme, cinnamon stick, and sweetner. Add enough water to cover the pear.
- Bring the pot to a boil and then simmer with lid closed for 20 minutes, or until the pear is soft to your liking.
- In a blender, blend silken tofu, sweetener, and Elix Ginger Aide Tincture until smooth.
- Serve the poached pear warm with tofu cream.
This article was reviewed by Zoey Gong.
Zoey Gong is a Traditional Chinese Medicine nutritionist, food therapist, and chef. Her recipes have been featured in various publications, including the cover of Food & Wine magazine in the February 2023 issue. She’s the author of The Five Elements Cookbook: A Guide to Traditional Chinese Medicine with Recipes for Everyday Healing, where she guides readers in the basics of TCM through encyclopedic entries on common ingredients and 50 nourishing recipes.
