Ingredients

• 4–5 large pears for poaching

• ¾ cups New Roots Herbal’s Elderberry Fruit

• 3 cups of filtered water

• ¾ cups of honey

• 1 tbsp. fresh ginger

• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick

• ½ tsp. dried cloves or 3 whole cloves

• ½ vanilla bean, split in half

• ¼ tsp. star anise seeds or one pod

Instructions

Combine all ingredients, except for the pears, into a large saucepan. Stir mixture and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.

Prepare pears by peeling them, leaving the stem on.

Once the berry mixture has simmered for 10 minutes, add whole pears to the pot, laying on their side, and continue to simmer for 30 minutes. Move pears around every 10 minutes to allow syrup to reach all sides.

After 30 minutes, gently remove pears with a slotted spoon and set on dish to cool.

Strain berry mixture through mesh strainer into a new pot. Use spoon to press elderberries against mesh to extract as much liquid as possible.

Return liquid to heat and bring to a boil. Boil mixture for another 15 minutes. Adjust sweetness with more honey if you wish.

Serve pears with a side of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream, and a drizzle of elderberry syrup. Also pairs great with a cheese board.

Store syrup in an airtight container in fridge and use within 1–2 weeks.

Sick with a cold or a flu? Research indicates that the complex sugars in elderberries help support the immune system in combatting and relieve cold and flu symptoms. Elderberries naturally contain vitamins A, B, and C, and they stimulate the immune system.

Tammy-Lynn McNabb, RHNC

A registered holistic nutrition counselor and television host/producer of Health Wellness & Lifestyle TV, she believes that eating healthy shouldn’t be difficult and should never compromise taste.