Vegan Baked Pears With Feta & Hot "Honey"
Author:These Vegan Baked Pears need to be on your table! Soft, sweet, roasted pears, stuffed with creamy, salty, tangy vegan feta, scattered with toasty walnuts, and drizzled with spicy, sweet, hot "honey". So simple and delicious it will blow you away!
Ingredients
- a drizzle of olive oil
- 2 pears
- 6 tablespoons vegan feta cheese , homemade or store-bought
- 4 pinches freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped raw walnuts
For the hot "honey"
- ⅓ cup (80 mls) maple syrup , or vegan bee-free honey or agave syrup
- 1 tablespoon red chili pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190 °C).
- Cut the pears in half lengthways. Use a teaspoon or a melon baller to scoop out the core from each half. We don't want to waste too much pear, but we also want to be able to fit in plenty of cheese so use your judgement ;O)
- Place the pear halves in a small casserole where they will fit quite snugly. Rub them with olive oil then sprinkle generously with black pepper.
- Crumble the feta cheese and pack lots into the scooped-out part of each pear half.
- Scatter over the chopped walnuts. I press some gently into the cheese to make them hold on.
- Drizzle with a little olive oil then bake uncovered in the oven for 40 minutes.
- Serve the pears fresh from the oven drizzled with lots of hot honey.
For the hot "honey"
- Make this while the pears are baking or it can be made ahead. Add the maple syrup, chili flakes, and thyme to a small saucepan and stir together.
- Place over medium low heat and bring to a simmer. Don't leave it unattended. It's a very small amount so hardly takes any time.
- As soon as it begins to simmer turn off the heat. Add the apple cider vinegar, stir, then leave in the pan to cool for 5 minutes or so before pouring into a jar.
NOTES
One pear half is enough when serving as an appetizer, but if making for lunch or dinner I recommend 2 halves per person.
Leftover hot "honey" will keep for months. If made with maple syrup you can store it in the fridge. If made with vegan honey I recommend storing it in the pantry so it stays drizzle-able.
NUTRITION
Serving: 1pear half | Calories: 224kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 95mg | Potassium: 245mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 622IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 1mg
