Celebrate National Peach month by visiting one of our local peach farmers (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
August is National Peach Month and the perfect time to enjoy this flavorful fruit. Whether you like them best in cobbler or prefer them sliced fresh with whip cream, peaches provide a delicious alternative to other fall fruits and are packed with healthy goodness. A medium size peach has less than 50 calories and contains calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and important vitamins like C and K. Perfect fresh, grilled, chopped, diced, and in a variety of recipes, peaches can play a role in almost any meal. Considering all these benefits, it’s no wonder these fuzzy orange-yellow orbs were coveting by royalty and associated with longevity and happiness.
Here are some great ways to celebrate National Peach Month by incorporating them into your August menu.
Make Breakfast Better
Filled with healthy goodness including phytochemicals, peaches are a great way to start the day. Break out the blender for a Mango-Peach Smoothie made with heart healthy soy milk. Your family will flip for Peach Pancakes filled with surprise pieces of diced peach.
Liven Up Lunch
Let the unique flavor and juicy goodness of peaches liven up your lunch. Try Peach Chicken Salad for a twist on a family favorite everyone is sure to love. You don’t have to be going to the beach to love Beach Goer’s Wraps, they are just as perfect out by the pool. Cook up a batch of Chilled Peach Soup, just make sure you leave time for it to chill so it can fill you up and cool you off.
Deliver a Delicious Dinner
When it comes to peaches, most people think dessert not dinner, but with so many great dinner recipes featuring them, it would be a shame not to incorporate them into the biggest meal of the day. Try Baked Chicken with Peaches or Pork Chops with Peach Riesling Sauce for a new take on family favorites. Fire up the grill to make Grilled Balsamic Peaches, Grilled Fruit Kabobs and Grilled Shrimp and Rice Noodle Salad.
Give Your Party a Punch
Fill your punch bowl with Peach Pineapple Sangria and your party will be the talk of the neighborhood. Served ice cold, this refreshing adult beverage fits perfectly with any party and is also great to partake in when you are poolside. Serve up a sweet and spicy spin for dipping your chips with Fresh Peach Salsa or Strawberry Kiwi Peach Salsa and Fruity Guacamole.
Don’t Forget Dessert
There are so many great desserts made with peaches you could serve a different delicious dessert every night in August and still have recipes left to try. One of our favorites is Peach Paradise which is perfect when made with fresh locally grown peaches. For something totally different, try Summer Fruit Galettes and a scoop of ice cream. Cool off a steamy August evening with Frozen Peach Shortcake Squares, the perfect way to end any hot day.
We have many farmers in Arizona who grow delicious peaches. Check out our list below and visit one of these farmers near you to enjoy some of their delicious crop!
- Apple Annie’s Produce & Pumpkins
- Apple Annies
- Briggs & Eggers Orchards
- Brown’s Orchard
- Date Creek Ranch
- Fort Bowie Vineyards
- Mother Nature’s Farm
- RSI Growers
- Schnepf Farms
- Truman Ranch
Related articles
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- What’s in Season: June (fillyourplate.org)