Did you know August is National Peach Month? Peaches are one of my favorite fruits to enjoy during the summer time. Not only are they sweet and delicious, but they pack some great health benefits! Peaches are good sources of vitamins A, B and C and a medium sized one only contains about 37 calories.
Peaches are also considered in season this month! Fruit usually tastes better when you buy it locally and seasonally, and is also more economical. You can easily find local farmers selling them at markets or even go pick them out yourself at an orchard.
To ensure you bite into a ripe and juicy peach when you get home, look for ones that have even coloring and a slight give to the touch. The easiest way to find a ripe peach is to smell it. It should smell sweet, just the way you hope it will taste.
Peaches should be stored on the counter at room temperature until they are ripe. Once they are ripe they can be stored in the crisper bin of your refrigerator where they can keep for up to five more days.
One of my favorite things to do in the summer is grill, and I love any excuse I can find to fire it up. Peaches are no exception, grilling them is such a simple way to bring out their natural juiciness and intensify their summer sweetness.
How to Grill a Peach
- Choose peaches that are slightly firm, but give a little when squeezed.
- Cut peaches in half and pit them. It’s not necessary, but you can peel the skin if desired.
- Brush the cut side of the peaches with canola oil.
- Cook the peaches over medium fire until grill marks show and the peaches are tender. If you don’t have an actual grill, you can achieve similar results using a grill pan.
Preparing peaches this way is so versatile. You can enjoy them plain or use them as a salad topping. Grilled peaches can also be transformed into a tasty dessert by combining them with Greek vanilla yogurt, whipped cream, or even indulging with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Check out this website for more facts about peaches and additional recipe ideas: www.gapeaches.org.
For more on summer produce check out this post!
by
Carla Graves
Drexel University Graduate Student, MS in Human Nutrition