At my very first job, at a plant nursery, there were 3 old peach trees. They needed wooden poles to prop up the branches, especially as August rolled around. I always took a few peaches home after a hot day in the garden, and appreciated the sweetness of this seasonal fruit. Many of the recipes I’ve been teaching this summer can be created with fresh, juicy and raw, organic peaches. I’ve listed a couple of them here. Cooked peaches are especially ideal for people who have inflammation in the intestines, so if that’s you, keep the heat on.
Have you tried peach kernals yet? They look like almonds, but you’ll taste the subtle difference in flavor. You’ll be able to find these at some specialty food stores.
Grilled Peach Salad with Avocado and Goat Cheese
Adapted from a recipe at www.justbraise.com
2 ripe organic peaches (or nectarines) 
1 medium-sized head red leaf lettuce (or other lettuce)
1.5 cucumber 1 ripe Hass avocado
1.5 cups goat cheese, crumbled
1 cup mixed olives (Kalamata are recommended)
Juice of 1 lemon (optional)
3 tablespoons plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Prepare the gas or charcoal grill. You can also use a broiler if you do not have a grill. While grill is warming, prepare salad.
Slice peaches into 8 segments. Carefully pull apart each segment and brush all sides with the 2 tablespoons olive oil, then set aside.
Wash and drain the lettuce, then add it to the salad bowl. Slice the cucumber, avocado, crumble the cheese and add it to the lettuce. Top with olives, sprinkle lemon juice and remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil over salad. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Grill the two meat sides of the peaches until blackened, about 3 minutes each side. Careful when transporting peaches to the salad bowl as they will be juicy and can easily fall apart. The sugars will have caramelized adding a fabulous color and scent to the peaches.
Peach, Pepper and Sweet Onion Kabobs
Adapted from a recipe at She Knows Miso Vegan
2 tablespoons gluten-free tamari
Juice of 1 orange
1 tablespoon orange zest, grated
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
Pinch of cayenne
4 ripe, firm peaches, pitted, cut into half-inch slices
2 large bell peppers, seeded, cut into 1-inch squares
3 green onions*, cut into 1-inch pieces (or use a sweet onion, chopped into squares)
In a small bowl, whisk together tamari, orange juice, zest, vinegar, and cayenne. Thread peaches, peppers, and green onions onto skewers.
Preheat grill to medium heat and oil grill grate. Brush skewers with tamari mixture.
Grill kabobs for 8 to10 minutes, turning skewers and basting with sauce every couple of minutes. Serve hot.
© 2011 Ava Waits
