True confession: I’m a peach hoarder 

What can I say?

A ripe juicy red speckled peach brings out the glutton in me

When it comes to food that I love, like peaches, I don’t just want to gorge and satiate myself in the moment. Oh no! I want that moment to last and last. I want to project it into the future, to recreate it when the snow is falling and peach baskets are a distant memory.  That’s why I’m busy freezing bags of them for later and baking this peach crumble for now. It hits the spot like nobody’s business!   (If you don’t want to read further, skip to the bottom for the recipe)

I’ve never been a big fan of fruit pies, crisps, crumbles or cobblers, with one exception…

If it’s got a peach in it, hand me a fork!

Now, before I go any further, I don’t want to be a downer, but there’s a dark side to peaches. They’re on the Environmental Working Group’s EWG “Dirty Dozen” list  of produce you should be cautious about eating. Why? They are amongst the most heavily sprayed fruits containing high concentrations of pesticides.    What’s the solution? It’s simple: Buy organic.  This is the time of year that you can find them without breaking the bank.  So, stock up.  That’s what I do because I just can’t live without them after August.

To Freeze Peaches…

When I make peach crumble, I can’t be bothered to peel the skins -in fact, I think they add a nice texture.  But, when I freeze peach slices I do peel the skin.  It’s a pain, but your baked goods will turn out much better down the road when you are using frozen fruit minus the thick skin.   

Here’s what you do: Make sure the peaches you use are ripe.  Wash and lightly score the bottom of each peach, with an “X”. Then, place them in a pot of boiling water for 2 – 3 minutes.   Remove with a slotted spoon and place them in a bowl of ice water.

Once they’ve cooled down, the skins should slip off easily and if they don’t, use a paring knife to help peel them off.   Place the sliced peaches on a parchment lined cookie sheet and freeze.  Once frozen, transfer to a ziplock, suck the air out and store in your freezer for future baking or smoothies.

Okay, now onto the easy version of this dessert recipe

CHEATERS PEACH CRUMBLE

If you have any homemade granola lying around (or if you are ambitious and looking for one more thing to bake, check out my Yummy Granola recipe), the easiest, fastest way to whip up a cobbler is to pour one and half to two cups in a bowl and add 2 Tbsp of melted organic coconut oil, 2 Tbsp of almond flour and 2 -3 Tbsp of maple syrup (depending on how sweet the granola is in the first place) and fully mix it together.  Spread this evenly on top of the peach filling (see recipe below) and bake until the peaches are bubbling. 

If you don’t have granola lying around, here’s a recipe I love especially because this topping doesn’t have oats for a change.  It’s just nuts and seeds making it gluten, grain and dairy free. 

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