Fresh Peach Salsa

"If nothing ever changed there would be no butterflies."
~anonymous

Sweet, juicy and delicious peaches are most commonly used in desserts - and don't get me wrong, I love a good peach dessert, but today I thought I would change things up and add peaches to something unexpected...salsa.

Now if you are a Seinfeld fan like me, you may remember George telling Jerry "Salsa is now the number one condiment in America." To which Jerry responded "...that's because people like to say salsa..."

I can't verify if salsa is the #1 condiment - although it definitely should be but I do agree that it is fun to say "salsa". Say it a few times with a smile ;-)

Why is salsa so great?

It contains healthy ingredients like lycopene rich tomatoes and organ cleansing cilantro and onion. The not so healthy part (which is my favourite part) - is the chips, so try to indulge in them moderately.

How can you enjoy salsa even healthier?

• Try it with a baked black bean or sweet potato chip instead of a fried corn or tortilla chip. 
• Dip cut up veggies in salsa - red peppers work great. 
• Cut a cucumber lengthwise, carve out the seeds to make a little "boat" and fill it with salsa. 
• Sauté zucchini noodles with a little olive oil and then top with salsa. 
• Make a taco salad with lettuce and veggies as the base and then top with salsa and a few crunched up chips.
• Top a baked potato with some avocado and salsa.

Whichever way you try it - you are going to love the sweetness that comes with the addition of fresh, summer peaches. 

Enjoy!

PS. speaking of change - there are a lot and I do mean A LOT of exciting changes going on with Picky Diet! Stay tuned in the next couple weeks for a big announcement...

Fresh Peach Salsa

Ingredients

3 medium tomatoes, diced

2 lightly ripe peaches*

1/4 of a red onion, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1/2 tsp cumin

juice from 1/2 a lime

fresh ground sea salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until well combined.

*try to use peaches that aren't too ripe as they will get mushy, especially if it lasts until day two!

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Summer Peach Blueberry Crumble - GF

"Life is a balance of holding on and letting go..."

There are some foods that are the poster children for summer.

For me they are sweet corn on the cob, strawberries, watermelon, cucumbers, blueberries and peaches.

They all scream SUMMER!

You may also notice they have a common theme - they are all light, hydrating foods which balance out your hot summer body temperature.

This is not a coincidence. Your body (and all of nature) is constantly trying to maintain balance. Cool, refreshing foods are in season in hot, dry summer and you most likely crave them much more than you would in the middle of January.

Today's recipe is a sweet, easy dessert (that sometimes turns into breakfast) that mixes two of my fav summer fruits - peaches and blueberries.

Aside from being delicious, peaches are a good source of fibre and potassium and blueberries have amazing antioxidants and help lower bad cholesterol...I love when dessert lowers cholesterol ;-)

The crumble is easy to make and contains heart healthy, protein rich oats and is sweetened with mineral filled natural maple syrup.

Its going to become your new summer staple!

Enjoy...

Summer Peach Blueberry Crumble

Ingredients

1 cup gluten free oats

1 cup all purpose gluten free flour

1/2 cup coconut sugar

2 Tbsp pure maple syrup

3/4 cup Earth Balance, softened (vegan butter)

8-10 medium peaches, peeled and sliced

2 cups fresh blueberries

1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 350.

Lightly grease a square baking dish (9x9 works well) with some Earth Balance. Add the peaches and the blueberries to the dish. 

In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, flour, sugar, maple syrup, Earth Balance and cinnamon. Mix well with a large fork to create a "crumble".

Spread the crumble evenly over the peaches and blueberries. 

Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes until the fruit is bubbly and soft and the crumble is golden brown. 

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Get Gorgeous Skin with One Drink!

"Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself"

~Coco Chanel

Who doesn't want gorgeous skin?

Oh right - everyone does...even you men out there!

Your face is the first thing people see and is a reflection of what is going on inside your body.

What's the one ingredient that makes my skin look its best?

Water.

So simple. So beautiful.

When I'm well hydrated my skin is clear and fresh. When I'm dehydrated it gets bumpy and lifeless.

Think of a plant that is dry and how it changes when you give it water...your body is the same. Your skin is your largest organ and therefore greatly affected by dehydration.

The human body is composed of 75% water. Your brain is 85% water. So yes, your body works best when it is well hydrated. It also helps with your natural elimination process keeping unwanted toxins and waste from hanging out in the body for too long and coming to your skin's surface.

How do I stay hydrated?

I like to spice up my water with lemon, cucumber or any fruit to give it a little flavour or make me feel like I'm at the spa ;-) Also decaffeinated herbal tea is equivalent to water so go for that if you want to switch things up from regular water. Some foods are also very hydrating - cucumbers, leafy greens, watermelon, bell peppers and broccoli - adding them in to your diet will help keep you hydrated.

So drink up - have an extra glass of water or two today and notice how gorgeous your skin can be.

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White Bean Bruschetta

"Its the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting"

~Paulo Coelho

Cheers to these gorgeous summer days!

Its amazing how sunshine and warm weather can lift your spirits.

It is the same with food...things that taste good to you release "feel good" hormones in our body making you crave them. Yes, comfort food is real.

The secret is to make your comfort food healthy food so that it becomes what you crave. Its amazing how when you begin to eat real food (not packaged or processed) how truly delicious it tastes. Right now local fresh tomatoes taste like candy and ripe cucumbers burst with a cool fresh flavour in your mouth!

Today's recipe celebrates what is fresh and growing right now - cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and basil. If you have your own garden these items are plentiful - if you don't, take a spin around your local farmers market to get the latest and greatest local veggies.

The cannellini beans in this recipe add a creamy texture and are loaded with clean protein and iron. The garlic, oregano and olive oil add awesome antioxidants and the tomatoes and cucumber add to your daily veggie intake and aid in hydration - which is so important on these warm days.

For a gluten free option go with gluten free bread or you can make it into a wrap (even a lettuce wrap)...the possibilities are endless...just like we wish summer was.

Enjoy!

White Bean Bruschetta

Ingredients
makes 6 pieces
1 can canellini beans, rinsed and drained
20 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 large cucumber, diced
10 basil leaves, thinly sliced
1/4 red onion, chopped small
1 Tbsp tahini
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
6 pieces of multigrain or gluten free bread
1 tsp dried oregano
fresh ground sea salt and pepper
large handful of arugula

Instructions
Pre heat the oven to 250. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly brush the 6 pieces of bread with olive oil on one side and place them oil side up on the parchment paper. Toast in the oven for about 10 minutes until they are a lightly golden and crispy but still soft.

In a mixing bowl, combine beans, tahini, garlic and salt and pepper. With a large fork mash the beans with the tahini and garlic until it is creamy but still has come texture.

In a separate mixing bowl combine the tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, basil. Dress with lemon juice, 1 Tbsp of olive oil, oregano and salt and pepper and stir until combined.

Spread the white bean mixture onto each piece of bread and mash it in a little bit. Top with the cucumber tomato mixture from the previous step and top with a sprinkle of arugula.

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