I have a challenge for you this summer. Go to your closest farmers market and pick up a perfect, ripe peach. Then take it home, bite in and let the juice run down your chin. I promise you, it will make your day. Right now, across the country, local farmers markets are offering a bounty of ripe, delectable stone fruit, such as peaches, plums, cherries, apricots and nectarines. Since these fruits ripen in the summer, it’s time to take advantage of this special season and enjoy them every day while you can.
Stone fruit are all members of the Prunus genus; we call them stone fruit because of their large, hard seed, which is encased in ripe, sweet, juicy flesh. A veritable rainbow of stone fruit varieties awaits you, each with its own color, texture, flavor and aroma. Sure, you can find generic varieties in your supermarket, but your farmers market is where you can really open your eyes to a world of new stone fruit varieties, such as the lime-yellow colored Dolly Plums I found at my farmers market last week. From the palest blush of pink to the inkiest blue, stone fruit come in a vast array of colors, enriching the beauty — and nutrition — of your dining palette.
Stone fruit has some intriguing health benefits, with potential to promote cardiovascular and metabolic protection and even exercise recovery, according to emerging research. It may well be due to the colorful plant compounds known as phytochemicals, which paint the flesh of these fruits. Scientists have discovered concentrations of anthocyanins, procyanidins and flavonols in stone fruit — particularly in their peel — so don’t throw that peel away! These compounds have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action, which may help protect you from chronic disease.
So, go ahead and plunge into summer’s harvest of stone fruits with my favorite tips:
— Slice peaches or nectarines over your morning porridge.
— Dice apricots, peaches or cherries, and whiz them into a healthy smoothie.
— Toss plums, nectarines or cherries into a green or whole green salad.
— Add cherries, plums and peaches to savory dishes, such as pilaf or tofu curry.
— Make fruit-forward desserts — sans the sugar — like my wholesome Apricot Almond Tart.
Apricot Almond Tart
This 100 percent plant-based tart is simple and wholesome — the perfect way to celebrate a bounty of fresh apricots in the summer. The almonds in the crust and topping add a sweet, crunchy bite.
Crust:
1/2 cup white whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup almond meal
1/4 cup coconut palm sugar (or brown sugar)
1/3 cup dairy-free margarine
1 tablespoon chia seeds
3 tablespoons water
Filling:
10 apricots, pitted, quartered
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons agave nectar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Mix flours, almond meal and coconut palm sugar together.
3. Cut in dairy-free margarine until crumbly.
4. Mix chia seeds in water a few minutes to make a gel. Stir into pastry.
5. Pour pastry dough into a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Pat evenly into pan. Prick with fork. Bake for 8 minutes.
6. Remove tart crust from oven, and arrange apricots over tart shell with skins facing down. Mix lemon juice honey or agave nectar and vanilla in a small dish. Drizzle over the apricots, and return to oven. Bake at 375 F for 25 minutes.
7. Remove tart from oven and sprinkle with almonds. Bake at 375 F for an additional 20 minutes until golden and tender.
8. Remove, cool slightly and serve on a platter.
Makes 12 servings
Recipe courtesy Sharon Palmer, RDN, The Plant-Powered Dietitian, author of “Plant-Powered for Life.”
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Fall in Love With Stone Fruit Right Now originally appeared on usnews.com
