WHB: Tropical Fruit Compote with Stevia

With the magical days of summer slowly drawing to a close, it seems only right that we celebrate the warmth and joy that it has brought us over the months. Here in Toronto at least, that's meant droughts and brown grass, but still, I'm not complaining!!! So for this weeks WHB roundup, this time being hosted by Zorra at Kochtopf, I'm playing with what the heat's given us. Here's to a healthy sweet treat featuring something I do grow in my own little garden, Stevia.

From SteviaCanada.com:
Stevia is used in recipes around the world, reports indicate that stevia has been used as a natural sweetener in Japan since the 1970's, and American stevia products are on Canadian health food store shelves, promoted as a sweetener. But following the guidelines of the Canadian government, we do not promote stevia as a sweetener, only as a dietary or food supplement that happens to be 300 times sweeter than sugar and has been safely used as such for centuries.


Tropical Fruit Compote
(Adapted From http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/other/sp_recip.pdf)
Makes 8 1-cup servings
3/4 cup water
2 leaves stevia, minced
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 piece lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon rum or vanilla extract (optional)
1 pineapple, cored and peeled, cut into 8 slices
2 mangos, peeled and pitted, cut into 8 pieces
3 bananas peeled, cut into 8 diagonal pieces

1. In a saucepan combine 3/4 cup of water with the stevia, sugar, lemon juice, lemon peel and vanilla extract.
2. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and add the fruit.
3. Cook at a very low heat for 5 minutes.
4. Pour the syrup in a cup. Remove the lemon rind and cool the cooked fruit for 2 hours.
5. To serve the compote, arrange the fruit in a serving dish and pour a few teaspoons of syrup over the fruit.

Need more recipes for this herb? There's even a Stevia cookbook!


The benefits of this herb are long and varied, including:

• It has been reported that it can help minimize hunger sensations
• Minimizes cravings for sweets or fatty foods
• Aides in digestion
• Decreases hypertension without effecting normal blood pressure
• Stabilizes blood glucose levels
• Shortens recovery time from cold and flu
• Aides in overcoming addictions to tobacco and alcohol.
• When used in toothpaste or mouthwash, cavities and gum disease is reduced due to its antibacterial properties.

Cool, eh? Who says life without sugar is sour?