Baked Pear with Zesty Lemon Cream & Sprouted Granola

I love this dish for a breakfast because it's kind of like having dessert. 

Pears are great to find locally in the pacific northwest at the farmer's market, and they are so much more juicy and delicious. Look for them more in the fall months, and if you want a seasonal fruit to put with this dish now, apples are a great substitute.

The buckwheat in the granola is sprouted, and one of the most inexpensive and nutrient dense vegetable protein sources available. It's light and crispy, which pairs well with the rich cream, tangy lemon and sweet pear. 

 
 

The balance of proteins, fat and inclusion of only whole food sweeteners make this a well rounded breakfast that will give you sustained energy and the clarity to flow through the rest of your day.

dairy free, gluten-free, soy free, refined sugar free and vegan.

This is a great dish if:

  • you've gone vegan and are looking for alternatives for breakfast besides smoothies and oatmeal
  • you're hosting a brunch and want something that is healthy and has a wow factor
  • you want to cut back on your dairy and not give up the creamy rich texture in breakfasts
 
 

INGREDIENTS & DIRECTIONS

 

ZESTY LEMON CASHEW CREAM & Pears

  • 2 pears (any variety)
  • 1 cup cashews, soaked
  • 4 tbsp water
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1/8 tsp fresh lemon zest (1/4 of a medium sized lemon)
  • dash of cinnamon


GRANOLA

  • 2 cups dry Buckwheat, sprouted 
  • 3 medium granny smith apples, pureed
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 cups pecans, soaked
  • 1/4 cup of chia seeds, soaked
  • 1 cup of water
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
 

Pears

  1. Preheat oven to 350F.
  2. Cut the pears in half and scoop out the seeds, then place face-down in a baking dish and add 1/4 inch of water - just enough to create a small layer in the bottom of the pan.
  3. Bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until soft and slightly browning on the skin.

Zesty Lemon Cashew Cream

  1. Soak the cashews for approximately 4 hours prior to using. Soaking them makes the nutrients more bioavailable, but it also softens them up so you can get a creamier consistency.
  2. Drain and rinse the cashews, then add them to your blender with the remaining ingredients and blend. If it's too thick, add a tablespoon more water at a time. Blend until smooth.

Any extra cashew cream can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a week.

Granola

The pre-planning in this recipe makes it look complicated, but it really only takes about 30min of your active time. The soaking and sprouting the buckwheat, and soaking the pecans and chia seeds must be coordinated and started 3 days ahead of actually making the recipe. Sprouting is really easy, so don’t be turned off by this step – trust me, the outcome is worth it!

Sprouting buckwheat (6-8hrs soaking + 1-2 days sprouting)

When you purchase the buckwheat, make sure it hasn’t been roasted. You can find buckwheat in the bulk food section of Whole Foods and some other grocery stores carry it as well. This protein packed seed is actually inexpensive – $0.89/lb at Whole Foods.

  1. Rinse the buckwheat in the colander then put it in a large bowl covered with water and leave for 6-8 hours overnight.
  2. Drain the bowl and rinse the buckwheat in the colander in the morning. I then put the colander over a bowl, and let it sprout that way for 2 days.
  3. Rinse the buckwheat 2-3 times daily (once in the morning, once in the eve, and it’s easy because it’s already in your colander). You will notice there is a thick film that will be rinsed off the first few times. You’ll know the buckwheat is done when you see small sprouts growing from it.

Soaking pecans (approximately 6 hours)

  1. When you’re on your second day of sprouting the buckwheat, soak the pecans in a small bowl covered in water.
  2. Drain and rinse after 6 hours. If the timing doesn’t work perfectly for when the buckwheat is ready, don’t worry, just cover them and put them in the fridge for a few hours.

Soaking chia (approximately 10 minutes)

  1. When you’re ready to begin assembling the granola, put the chia seeds in a jar and add about 1-1.25 cups of water and stir. You’ll notice the mix become thicker, and if you need to add a bit more water that’s fine. We’ll be mixing this in with the apples as the binder for the granola so if it looks like it could soak up more water, add a bit more.

Apples (approximately 5 minutes)

  1. Cut the apples up into small pieces and blend with the cinnamon and maple syrup. I have a Vitamix so it gets the apples to apple sauce really well, but if you have a blender that’s not as powerful it might be harder to do this step. Alternatively, use a food processor, or substitute 3 cups unsweetened applesauce.

Now you’re ready to combine! There should be about equal parts wet and dry mixture.

  1. Put the sprouted buckwheat, applesauce mixture, chia seeds and pecans in a bowl and combine. The mixture consistency should have enough sauce to be gelatinous but also thick and stick together (the buckwheat should completely mix in with the other ingredients).
  2. Spread the sprouted buckwheat apple cinnamon granola onto your dehydrator ParraFlex sheets or parchment paper, and dehydrate on 115F for 1 day, or until crunchy.
  3. Alternatively, you can bake it on low setting in the oven.
 

Enjoy!

Kristin PriceBreakfastComment