want a recipe for fresh peach cookies?

it is peach week at summer fest and i couldn't be happier.  i love summer...and i adore stone fruit....peaches, apricots, plums, pluots, nectarines, cherries...all are wonderful, but i think peaches are my favorite.  i eat them almost every day when they are in season .  i mean, how delicious are beautiful, ripe peaches with cold milk on cereal? or baked in a pie, crisp or cobbler? blended with yogurt and almond butter in a smoothie? grilled on the barbecue and served with vanilla ice cream?  peach jam?  chopped with onions, tomatoes and jalapeño peppers for salsa? oven roasted with balsamic vinegar? i could list hundreds of recipes...or just suggest finding a perfectly ripe peach and eating out of hand. 

last summer i made the desserts for a good friend's wedding...she requested southern classics...and did not want a cake. so i made fresh peach pies with pecan/streusel topping and homemade vanilla ice cream....the perfect way to celebrate a very special day.

courtesy brooke cheshier

i love it when something that tastes as sweet and delicious as peaches is actually good for you...health food at its best. according to gayot.com :

"Though low in calories—one cup of sliced peaches has only 60 calories—and composed of 80 percent water, peaches are packed with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and carotenoids. The dose of fiber in peaches acts as a gentle laxative, aids digestion, and may also help combat cancer. The fruit is rich in cancer-fighting vitamin A in the form of beta carotene, as well as the immune-boosting vitamin C, which also protects against heart disease. Rich in iron and potassium, peaches help ensure proper functioning of cells, the balance of fluid and electrolytes in the body, and nerve signaling. Lutein and zeaxanthin—two carotenoids found in peaches—help guard against blindness caused by age-related macular degeneration."

oh...and one tip about peaches...eat the peel! much of the fiber and nutrients are contained in the peel. many recipes call for peeling...only do this if you are making something which requires a delicate texture...otherwise leave the peel on...grab all the nutrients you can.

it has been really hot this week so i planned a "non-party party".  i contacted a bunch of my friends and told them we would be home all day sunday hanging out by the pool.  i said..."stop by for a quick dip, or stay all afternoon...we will have plenty of food and drinks".  i made a bunch of easy to make, easy to serve dishes, ensured we were well stocked in beer, wine and sunscreen and bought a ton of ice. dessert? fresh peach cookies served with vanilla ice cream drizzled with dulce de leche.  how good does that sound?

the non-party was so much fun.  the first guests arrived around 1:00 pm...the last ones left a bit after 10:00...in between, lots of friends, food, swimming, eating, drinking, talking, laughing...does not get better than that....

the cookies are a delicious and different way to use fresh peaches and, happily, they are good for you, too.  equal parts fruit and cookie dough, they are made with spelt flour; a whole grain high in fiber.  the cookies are low in fat and only lightly sweetened with agave nectar.  let's see...a cookie full of fresh fruit, high fiber, low fat, low sugar and delicious?   how cool is that?

fresh peach cookies
(cookies are best eaten within a day or two of baking)
3 cups spelt flour (or white whole wheat flour or unbleached white flour, but you lose the whole grain high fiber benefit with the white flour choice)
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 large eggs
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup raw agave nectar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups finely diced fresh peaches
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

preheat oven to 325 degrees.  oil 2 baking sheets or line with silpat.  set aside.

add the dry ingredients (the first 8 items of the recipe) to a bowl and stir to combine.  in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs until frothy.  add the olive oil, agave nectar and vanilla and beat until well mixed.  add 1/2 the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl and beat until just combined.  add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until combined.  add the peaches and coconut and mix until incorporated into the dough.  drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets, about 1 1/2 inches apart. bake 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven until golden brown. let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes and then place on wire racks and allow to cool completely before serving.

now it is your turn to participate in summer fest. simply leave your fresh peach tip or recipe or favorite links in the comments below, and then go visit food network and do the same same.

the cross-blog event idea works best when you leave your recipe or favorite links (whether to your own blog or someone else’s) at all the participating blogs. yes, copy and paste them everywhere! that way, they are likely to be seen by the widest audience. everyone benefits, and some pretty great dialog starts simmering. have fun!

participating bloggers:
CIA Dropout: Peachy Keen Panna Cotta
What’s Gaby Cooking: Peach and Blueberry Cobbler
In Jennie’s Kitchen: Easy Peach Preserves
Daily Dishin: Fresh Peaches and Cream No-Bake Pie
Cooking With My Kid: Peach & Friends Cobbler Pie
White on Rice Couple: Peach Heirloom Tomato Salad
Cooking With Elise: Bruschetta with Grilled Peach Chutney
FN Dish: Summer Fest: Peach Recipes
Taste With The Eyes: Warm White Peach and Blackberry Cobbler
Recipe Girl: Fresh Peach Pie
A Way to Garden: Farm Fresh Peaches Frozen to Perfection
Sassy Radish: Peach, Apricot and Blueberry Cobbler with a Cornmeal Crust
Sweet Life Bake: Sweet Peach Ancho Chile Salsa
Indian Simmer: Indian Peach Gujiya
Pinch My Salt: Creamy Peach Smoothie
Dixie Chik Cooks: Peach Cobbler
Food2: 5 Killer Peach Flavored Cocktails
Healthy Eats: 8 Ways You Didn’t Know You Could Eat Peaches
Cooking Channel: Peaches on the Grill
Add a Pinch: My Grandmother’s Peach Cobbler
And Love It Too: Pan Seared Salmon with Fresh Peach Salsa
The Sensitive Epicure: A Summer Peach Tart, Gluten-Free
From My Corner of Saratoga: Double Caramel Peaches
She Wears Many Hats: Peach Wonton
I am Mommy: Peach Bread

best,
diane

diane padoven
founder/president
napa farmhouse 1885™
"live a green life of style™ "


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