Lunch: Stewed Winter Fruits in Spiced Wine Syrup

This recipe includes superfoods such as:

Cinnamon

Health benefits of Stewed Winter Fruits in Spiced Wine Syrup

Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060).

Ingredients

2 cups dry red wine
1 cup ruby port
1 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
20 black peppercorns tied in cheesecloth
1 cinnamon stick
3 quince—peeled, cored and cut into eighths
4 slices of candied orange or 1/4 cup candied orange rind
8 plump dried pear halves (6 ounces)
10 plump dried Black Mission figs, stemmed
1/2 cup plump dried apricots (3 ounces)
1/2 cup plump pitted prunes (3 ounces)

Instructions

In a large saucepan, combine the wine and port and bring to a boil. Add the water, sugar, vanilla bean, peppercorns and cinnamon stick and bring to a boil again. Add the quince and candied orange and simmer over moderately low heat until the quince are just tender, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large microwave-safe bowl, cover the pears and figs with 1 inch of water. Microwave in 5-minute increments at high power until the fruit is plump but not mushy, about 15 minutes; drain. Add the pears, figs, apricots and prunes to the wine syrup and simmer until all of the fruit is plump and very tender and the liquid is thick and syrupy, about 15 minutes. Discard the cinnamon stick, vanilla bean and peppercorns and let cool. Serve the stewed fruit warm or chilled.

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