Thursday, July 21, 2011

Peaches

Peaches are in season! We ventured out to the State Farmers Market yesterday and came home loaded with Freestones and White Peaches.  There are so many wonderful ways to prepare peaches that I could list recipes and ideas like Bubba in Forest Gump listed ideas for shrimp.  Running around in this heatwave yesterday left us all with small appetites, so I just made a quick peach crisp in the microwave for dinner.  We can ignore the butter and sugar and focus on the oatmeal and peaches, right?  I plan to freeze skinned, chopped peaches for making jam (I'll put them in the freezer to make into jam when it's cooler!), freeze some for our Christmas fruit salad, and puree and freeze some for smoothies over the winter. I love Peach Smoothies because they are quick, easy, and make a good breakfast or lunch.  Hmm...  Lunch.  I think I just solved that dilemma...  :-)

Peach Smoothie

4 oz (1/2 cup) orange juice
4 oz (1/2 cup) plain, non-dairy, yogurt, low or non-fat
1/2 banana
1 peach, sliced (with skin, without pit)

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy!

Notes:
1.  Reduce juice to 1/4 cup and use 1/4 cup water, depending on sweetness of peach
2.  Add 1/4 tsp cinnamon, which can help lower blood glucose levels
3.  Add some ice cubes before blending to make it cool and slushy
4.  3 fruit servings