Peaches and Gratitude

In an effort to embrace gratitude as an attitude and focus on the good things in life, including the beauty in the details of every day living, I’ll be making a list of 30 things I’m grateful for every day for the next 30 days.

“Gratitudes” – September 1^st, 2013

1.       Lazy Sunday afternoons

2.       Cat cuddles

3.       The ability to walk

4.       Indoor plumbing

5.       Access to fresh produce

6.       The internet

7.       Clean socks

8.       My body that carries me

9.       Food in the fridge

10.   Clean drinking water

11.   Indoor plumbing

12.   New music

13.   Being able to walk to the grocery store

14.   Running into old friends

15.   Actually stopping to smell the roses

16.   Homemade veggie broth

17.   Leftovers

18.   Hearing cicadas sing the song of summer

19.   Air conditioning

20.   A new book to read

21.   Holding hands with my love

22.   Movie nights

23.   Nature trails

24.   Olive oil on sale!

25.   Having a long distance plan

26.   Pajamas

27.   Tea light candles

28.   My favourite incense

29.   Finding a peacock feather outside (how did that happen?)

30.    Fresh peaches

I love the late summer; the energy of new beginnings, the bounty of fresh produce, the warm days and cool nights and the desire to cook with the oven again. Peaches were on sale at our local grocery store this week and I have a giant basil plant living on the kitchen window sill that I seem to be using in everything lately. I’ve tried these two ingredients together before in a green smoothie with tasty results and so was curious how they would taste together in a crisp-like dish. It’s the lazy Sunday evening of a long weekend and it felt like the right time to make something sweet, warm and comforting.

Peach and Basil Crisp

Serves 4

5 peaches, cut into bite sized pieces

Small handful of fresh basil, plus a few pieces for garnish

1 cup granola (I used homemade granola but feel free to use rolled oats or other flaked grain)

3/4 cup brown rice flour

¼ agave or sweetener of choice

¼ oil (I used olive because that’s what I had on hand)

Pinch of sea salt

In a small baking dish mix peaches and basil together.

Combine all other ingredients in small bowl and then spread/dollop on top of the peach/basil mixture.

Bake at 350 for 45min