YOGAJOURNAL.COM / 22 / FEBRUARY 2018
hibiscus-raspberry poached pears
SERVES 8
Bright red, slightly sweet hibiscus tea comes from the tuba-
shaped flowers of the hibiscus plant, which get their red color
from a compound called anthocyanin—a heart protector that
may have antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.
Pairing hibiscus tea with juicy, fiber-rich pears can help steady
blood sugar.
4 pears, halved and cored, stems intact
2 cups raspberries or cranberries, frozen or fresh
2 hibiscus tea bags, tags and strings removed
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp ground cardamom (or 6 green cardamom pods)
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp stevia
2 cups plain Greek yogurt
Place pears skin down in the slow cooker. Add raspberries, tea
bags, 2 cups water, vanilla, cardamom, cinnamon, and stevia.
Cover the slow cooker and cook on high until pears are tender
and berries form a sauce, 3 hours. Discard tea bags.
Using a large spoon, place each pear-half on a plate with a few
tbsp berry sauce and ¼ cup yogurt. Serve immediately.
NUTRITIONAL INFO 150 calories per serving, 5 g protein, 6 g fat (5 g saturated fat),
21 g carbs, 5 g fiber, 33 mg sodium
branzino with olive, goji berry,
and mint salad
SERVES 4
It may seem unusual to cook seafood in a slow cooker, but the
gentle heat is ideal for delicate fish fillets like branzino (a sustain-
able fish in the sea bass family), which people tend to overcook
on the stovetop. Dried goji berries pair well with this fish and are
rich in disease-fighting antioxidants; they function as a potential
digestive aid, according to research.8 skin-on branzino fillets, 4 oz each
6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
4 tbsp pitted black olives
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
or balsamic vinegar
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
10 oz watercress or baby kale
1 cup packed, fresh mint leaves
¼ cup dried goji berries or ¼ cup dried cherries
Place 4 branzino fillets in the bottom of the slow cooker. Drizzle
with 1 tbsp oil and sprinkle with 2 tbsp olives and oregano. Top
with remaining fillets and drizzle with 1 tbsp oil and the remaining
2 tbsp olives. Cover slow cooker and cook on low until fish
flakes when pressed with a fork, 1–1½ hours.
While the branzino cooks, prepare the salad. In a bowl, whisk
together remaining 4 tbsp olive oil, vinegar, salt, and black pep-
per. Add watercress, mint, and goji berries, and toss until greens
are evenly coated. Divide salad between four plates and top
each with 2 branzino fillets. Serve immediately.
NUTRITIONAL INFO 249 calories per serving, 25 g protein, 14 g fat (2 g saturated
fat), 5 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 245 mg sodium