Rooibos poached pears with yoghurt

Name: Rooibos poached pears with yoghurt
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 portions

Pears gently poached in rooibos with cinnamon and a little honey, served warm or cold with plain yoghurt. A light pudding that uses fruit rather than pastry, and no caffeine.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 25 min
Total: 35 min
Portions: 4

Easy
Pregnancy
Postnatal
Vegetarian
Fibre-rich
Lower in saturated fat

Make this recipe

Portions

Ingredient quantities update automatically. Cooking times may need a little adjustment when you change the batch size.

Swap an ingredient

Only swaps that keep this recipe pregnancy-safe are offered. Allergen information below updates when you choose one.

Dairy-free alternative: use fortified soya yoghurt instead of plain yoghurt
Ingredient unavailable: use firm apples instead of firm pears

Ingredients

For 4 portions. Tick items as you go — nothing is changed for anyone else.

This recipe contains foods that can contribute to a varied and balanced diet during pregnancy.

Method

Step 1. Brew the rooibos strongly and pour it into a wide pot with the cinnamon stick, orange zest and honey.
Step 2. Add the pear halves cut side down, cover and simmer very gently for 20–25 minutes until a knife slides in easily.
Step 3. Lift out the pears and boil the liquid for a few minutes to reduce it slightly.
Step 4. Serve the pears warm or chilled with a little of the syrup and a spoon of plain yoghurt.

Allergens for your selection

Contains: Milk

Ingredient brands and substitutions can change allergen content. Always check the labels on the products you buy.

Food safety

Use pasteurised milk, maas and dairy products in pregnancy, and avoid unpasteurised (raw) milk and soft mould-ripened cheeses.
Cook meat, chicken, fish and eggs right through — no pink meat, no runny yolks.
Wash all fruit, vegetables and leafy greens in clean water, and wash your hands, boards and knives between raw and cooked food.
Avoid liver and liver products such as liver pâté in pregnancy because of their high vitamin A content.
Cool, chill and reheat food once only. Where power supply is unreliable, cook smaller amounts more often rather than storing cooked food.
Speak to your doctor, midwife or a registered dietitian about supplements and about any food you are unsure of.
Wash the fruit well before peeling. Use pasteurised yoghurt and keep it refrigerated.
Combining protein, fibre and minimally processed starch makes a meal more filling and releases energy more gradually. No single food or recipe improves fertility or guarantees conception. Individual dietary advice should come from a registered dietitian or your doctor.

Allergens

Contains: Milk

Ingredient brands and substitutions can change allergen content. Always check the labels on the products you buy.

Sources

South African food-based dietary guidelines — National Department of Health, South Africa, reviewed 7 September 2026
Nutrition information for the public — Association for Dietetics in South Africa (ADSA), reviewed 7 September 2026
Five keys to safer food — World Health Organization, reviewed 7 September 2026
WHO recommendations on antenatal care for a positive pregnancy experience — World Health Organization, reviewed 7 September 2026