Nectarine + Peach + Nectaplum Crumble (Gluten-Free, Nut-Free & Refined Sugar-Free)

Seasonal Crumbles are one of my favorite treats during the summer.  Fresh, juicy, mouth-watering fruit baked with a delicious, sweet, crumbly topping ... yum!

Use whatever stone fruit is in season - white or yellow nectarines and peaches, plums, pluots, apricots, etc.  Nectaplums are one of my favorite summertime fruits, but they're not available everywhere.  I'm sure some fresh berries would be wonderful added in too.    

Nectarine + Peach + Nectaplum Crumble (Gluten-Free, Nut-Free & Refined Sugar-Free)

Equipment: Cutting Board, Paring Knife, Medium-Size Baking Dish (I use my 2 1/2 qt. Corningware Baking Dish), Medium-Size Bowl

• 5 white nectarines, peeled, pitted and sliced
• 3 white peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced
• 2 nectaplums, peeled, pitted and sliced
• 1 1/2 cups sprouted brown rice flour or brown rice flour (See Resources)
• 3/4 cup coconut palm sugar (I use Big Tree Farms SweetTree) 
• 6 tablespoons pasture butter, cut into tablespoons (See Resources)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Lightly grease baking dish.  

2. Prep fruit - wash, cut in half, peel, remove pit, and cut into thirds (or large slices).  Add fruit slices to baking dish.  Mix around with clean hands so fruit is evenly distrubted.  

3. In medium-size bowl, add brown rice flour, coconut palm sugar and chunks of butter.  Using clean hands, mix ingredients together until combined and somewhat crumbly.  

4. Add crumble topping on top of the fruit, making sure to evenly coat the surface. 

5. Bake for about 30-45 minutes, or until top is golden brown and fruit juices are bubbling around the edges.   

6. Enjoy warm or refrigerate and eat cold later.  

Yield: About 6 servings

Serving Suggestions: This is delicious served with vanilla ice cream (dairy or coconut milk).  

Brandied Peach Cream Cheese Shortcake

Brandied Peach Cream Cheese Shortcake

Maybe it comes from a long-held love of a traditional sherry trifle but I have always been personally partial to boozy desserts. Aromatic liquors or sweet intensely flavored liqueurs add a new dimension to many desserts and a real sense of celebration to any occasion. Combined with my love of sweet summer peaches, this made a terrific take-along contribution to a recent get together with friends that everyone raved about. 

Using cake flour along with the addition of cream cheese to the shortcake batter makes for a light, texturally perfect base to this simple but scrumptious dessert.

This is still a great simple summer dessert for tee-totalers if you want to leave out the brandy, especially if you have fresh, perfectly ripe, sweet juicy peaches.

Brandied Peach Cream Cheese Shortcake

 Brandied Peaches

• 10 large fully ripe peaches, peeled and sliced
• 4 ounces of brandy (rum or bourbon are also good)

Toss the peach slices in the brandy, cover and let sit for an hour or two before putting together the shortcake. Toss the peaches a couple of times during this time.

Cream Cheese Shortcake Base

 

For the shortcake bottom, cream together well:

• 3/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup cream cheese
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1  tsp vanilla

Add, one at a time:

• 2 eggs

Sift together:

• 1 cup cake flour 
• 1 tsp baking powder

Gently fold dry ingredients into the creamed mixture.

Bake in greased and parchment lined 10 or 11 inch tart pan or spring form pan at 325 degrees F for about 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.

Vanilla Whipped Cream

Beat together to firm peaks:

• 2 cups whipping cream
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 rounded tbsp icing sugar

To construct the cake, place the cooled cake layer on a cake plate, drain the brandy off the peaches and sprinkle it over the surface of the cake. Arrange the peach slices in a circular pattern over the cake and top with the vanilla whipped cream.

Summer Muesli w/ Soaked Oats & Chia Seeds

Summer Muesli, one of my favorite things to eat.  It’s so delicious and easy to make.  We make big batches of it and enjoy it all day long.  It makes a wonderful breakfast, snack or lunch. 

Skip the processed packaged cereal and try a bowl of this instead. 

Summer Muesli w/ Soaked Oats & Chia Seeds

Scrumptious cold cereal you can feel good about eating.

***Note: 24 hours Advance Preparation Required***

Equipment: Large Mason Jar (1 qt.) or Glass Bowl w/ Lid, Large Colander, Large Bowl

·      2 cups gluten free rolled oats (I use Bob’s Red Mill GF Rolled Oats)

·      2 tablespoons chia seeds

·      2 ½ cups warm filtered water, just enough to cover oats

·      2 tablespoons fresh organic lemon juice, unfiltered organic apple cider vinegar, whey, or kefir (my preference is lemon juice)

·      1 organic peach, peeled (optional), diced

·      1 organic nectarine, diced

·      1 cup berries (optional)

24 hours Before Making Summer Muesli:

1.     Place oats and chia seeds in a large Mason jar or large bowl w/ lid.  Cover with 2 ½ cups warm filtered water (warmer than room temperature) and lemon juice/apple cider vinegar/whey/kefir.  Cover with lid or clear wrap if you do not have a lid.  Leave out on counter for 24 hours. 

Oats and Chia Seeds soaking in a large CorningWare dish

Making Summer Muesli:

1.     Strain soaked oats and chia seed mixture through large colander.

2.    Place oats and chia seed mixture in large bowl.

3.    Prep fruit – wash and dice.

4.    Add fruit to the oats and chia seed mixture.  Gently stir to combine.

5.     Serve immediately or store covered in the refrigerator for later. 

6.    Optional, serve with suggested toppings (see below).

Summer Muesli topped w/ Raw Milk & Raw Clover Honey

Yield: About 6 servings.

Optional Toppings

·      ½ cup soaked sunflower seeds or soaked nuts/“crispy nuts”

·      Raw milk, raw cream or non-dairy milk

·      Raw honey or organic maple syrup grade B

·      Dried fruit

Notes: Use seasonal fruit that you enjoy, or use what you have on hand.

Storage: Store in the refrigerator, keeps for several days.

Nursing Mom or Pregnant? This makes a great meal/snack for you, it's simple to prepare and requires no cooking.  It's full of protein and readily available nutrients (due to soaking the oats and chia seeds) and helps boost milk supply.  


This post is part of Fat Tuesday @ Real Food Forager, Traditional Tuesdays Blog Hop @ Real Food Whole Health Blog Carnival Hop, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday @ Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free, Domestically Divine Tuesday: Homemaking Linkup @ Far Above Rubies, Real Food Wednesday @ Kelly the Kitchen Kop, What's Cooking Wednesday @ The King's Court IV, Foodie Wednesday @ Daily Organized Chaos, Pennywise Platter Thursday @ The Nourishing Gourmet, Wellness Weekend @ Diet, Dessert and Dogs, Living Well Blog Hop @ Jo's Health Corner, Whole Health Weekend link-up @ Nourishing Treasures, and Seasonal Sunday @ Real Sustenance.

Summer Sangria

Enjoy a glass of this Summer Sangria at the end of a hot summer day.  It’s so refreshing and full of summer fruit. 

Summer Sangria

Fresh, sweet and delicious.

Equipment: Large Pitcher or Large Measuring Cup (8 cup), Small Saucepan, Fine Mesh Strainer, Juicer (optional) or Blender

• 1 bottle organic white wine, chilled


• 1 ½ cups fresh organic watermelon juice*


• 1 cup sparkling water, filtered water or mineral water


• ½ cup lemon verbena simple syrup, recipe follows


• 1 organic lemon, thinly sliced


• 1 organic peach, peeled, thinly sliced


• 1 organic nectarine, thinly sliced


• 1 cup organic green grapes


• 15 lemon verbena leaves


• Crushed ice

1.     In a large pitcher or large measuring cup, combine organic white wine, watermelon juice, sparkling water and lemon verbena simple syrup. 

2.    Add sliced lemons, sliced peaches, sliced nectarines, grapes and lemon verbena leaves.  Gently stir to combine.

3.    Fill glasses with crushed ice and pour the sangria over the top.  Serve immediately. 

Yield:  Makes about 9 cups. 

Lemon Verbena Simple Syrup

• 1 cup honey or unrefined sweetener


• 1 cup filtered water


• 2 tablespoons lemon verbena leaves

1.     In a small saucepan, combine honey, water and lemon verbena.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer for 10 minutes. 

2.    Remove pan from heat.  Cool for about 20 minutes.

3.     Strain through fine mesh strainer. 

Yield: Makes about ½ cup Simple Syrup. 

Note: Use whatever fruit is in season.  Berries, plums and cherries would be lovely in this as well.  *If you don’t have a juicer to make the fresh watermelon juice, a blender will work just as well (it breaks down easily because of the high water content).  You can also remove the Sparkling Water and substitute with more fresh watermelon juice.  
Non-Alcoholic Version: Remove the White Wine and substitute with Sparkling Water. 

Tip: This is fabulous the next day too.  Make a batch up the day before if you'd like, the flavors really come together, it's even sweeter the next day.  

Please drink responsibly and do NOT drink and drive.  

This post is part of Mangia Mondays @ Delightfully Dowling, Melt in Your Mouth Monday @ Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms, Recipe Sharing Monday @ Jam Hands, Made By You Monday @ Skip To My Lou, Tuesdays At The Table @ All the Small Stuff, Tasty Tuesday @ Nap Time Creations, Good & Tasty Tuesday @ Stay At Home Babe, Turning the Table Thursday @ Around My Family Table, and Seasonal Sunday @ Real Sustenance.

Rum Marinated Grilled Peaches

4 firm ripe peaches

4 ounces amber rum
4 tbsp cinnamon sugar
1 tbsp brown sugar

Cut peaches in half and remove the pits. Place in a glass baking dish, cut side up and pour the rum over the peaches, taking particular care to ensure that the pit holes are filled with the rum. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap to seal the dish tightly and place in the fridge for a couple of hours or even overnight.

Remove the peaches from the baking dish, reserving the rum marinade.
Sprinkle the cut sides of the peaches with the cinnamon sugar and grill over medium heat for a couple of minutes per side. Serve with ice cream or cake and whipped cream, drizzed with the reserved rum marinade.