This Healthy Mixed Berry Compote is a delicious addition to elevate your breakfast or snack. The refined sugar-free dessert combines strawberries, raspberries and blueberries for a delicious and nourishing treat.
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Berries are my favourite Summer fruit. I always get excited when berry season rolls around. To get the most out of the delicious and nourishing fruits, I try to incorporate them into my meal plan.
My go-to breakfast during the week always involves some berries. Paired with yoghurt and my Morning Glory Granola, it is a creamy, crunchy and flavourful morning meal. To have a quick and nourishing treat ready every morning when I go to work, I prep the berries on Sundays as a compote. So whatever kind of fruit I have at home, I make a delicious but healthy compote.
It is delicious not only in Summer but also because you can swap out the fruit according to season. My version also skips refined sugar entirely and comes with heavenly spices making this a mouthwatering treat you can’t resist. The best part? When making this mixed berry compote, my house smells so good from the berries and spices.
Read on to find out what compote is and where it originates. Also, scroll down to get the easy recipe.
What is compote?
Compote is a dessert which consists of cooked fruit in water, sugar and spices. It originates from medieval Europe and is a method to preserve fruits and vegetables. Compote was perfect for storing in big jars in the cool cellar. This method was used and is still used to preserve fruits and vegetables harvested in Summer to eat in Winter.
Today, we still eat compote but rarely make it to store for long periods. I love to eat it warm right away or prepare it ahead to eat with yoghurt, oatmeal or other nourishing meals for breakfast.
Usually, compote is cooked with a lot of refined sugar because it is a method to preserve fruits for a long time. I tried myself on a healthy version of the traditional compote. It is equally as delicious, skips refined sugar, and is therefore perfect as a balanced breakfast or snack.
Ingredients
- Berries – I use strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries in this recipe.
- Vanilla bean – I use the scrape and the whole vanilla bean when cooking the compote. It makes for a heavenly pure vanilla flavour you only get when using the bean.
- Agave syrup – A little agave syrup goes a long way when cooking with berries. They are already rather sweet as they are.
- Cardamom – The potent spice adds a zesty citrus flavour to the compote.
Instructions
- Prepare the fruits: It depends on the fruit if you can use it just as is or prepare them a bit before you can cook them. Always wash the fruits under cold water first. Remove the stems and pit if necessary. If you use bigger fruits, cut them into bite-sized pieces.
- Cook on low heat: This part will make your house smell amazing! Add agave syrup, vanilla scrapes with the bean, and the berries to a small pot. Heat on medium heat until it starts to cook. Turn down heat to low and let cook for about five minutes until thickened.
- Serve warm or cold: You can eat the compote warm, right after cooking, or prepare it ahead and eat it cold. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Scroll down for a bunch of delicious and healthy serving ideas.
Recipe FAQs
This healthy and easy fruit compote is not only limited to berries. You can use any fruit to make this delicious and healthy compote.
Softer vs harder fruits - Berries are softer fruits, so it takes only a couple of minutes until the fruits are cooked through. If you use “harder” fruits like apples, pears or peaches, it is best to cut the fruit into bite-sized pieces and extend the cooking time accordingly.
Add water if needed - For this berry compote recipe cooking the berries with the spices and a bit of agave syrup is enough. The berries release water in the cooking process, creating the perfect saucy texture. If you use fruits that contain less water, you might have to add water to have enough liquid. Add the water tablespoon by tablespoon until the desired consistency is reached.
Increase sweetness if necessary - If using other fruits, you might need to add more sweetness depending on how much fruit sugar the used fruit already contains. Berries are already rather sweet, so one teaspoon of agave nectar was enough to make them perfectly indulgent. With other fruits, you might want to increase the amount of added sugar, depending on how sweet you want the fruit compote to be.
Keep any leftovers of this mixed berry compote in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to four days. You can also prepare this compote ahead and have it ready for breakfast or desserts when you need it.
Serving ideas
This fruit compote is so versatile. You can eat it just as is or serve it together with a balanced breakfast or snack. Also, eat it right away and still warm or prepare ahead and eat it cold. It is equally delicious and perfect for comforting or refreshing treats. Here are some serving ideas for this delicious mixed berry compote:
- my homemade healthy Morning Glory Granola
- oatmeal (I have a superfood version you gonna love)
- chia seed pudding (super easy, nourishing & quick)
- ice cream
- frozen yoghurt
- waffles and pancakes
More healthy berry recipes
📖 Recipe
Healthy Mixed Berry Compote
Equipment
- knife
- cutting board
- small pot
- cooking spoon
Ingredients
- 100 g strawberries ½ cup
- 100 g raspberries ¾ cup
- 100 g blueberries ½ cup
- 1 vanilla bean
- 1 tablespoon agave syrup
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
Instructions
- Wash the berries and scrape out the vanilla bean. Transfer vanilla scrape and the bean to a pot. Add agave syrup, cardamom and berries.
- Heat on medium heat until it starts to cook. Turn down heat to low and let cook for about 5 minutes until thickened.
- Serve warm or cold with yoghurt, granola, oatmeal, chia seed pudding, ice cream, frozen yoghurt and much more.
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