Just last week I packed up my things and relocated from my home state Michigan to the beautiful Virginia. After getting settled into our new home, one of the very first things we set out to do was to discover our new grocery store, and I couldn’t be happier with our find. This store has several aisles dedicated to ‘Natural and Organic’ selections, or in other words, real food. Still, the best part is the large produce department containing a considerable amount of local picks. The very first thing that stood out to me was the beautiful display of fresh peaches.

August is peach season, and I was worried that with the chaos of moving I would miss out. No need to worry though, because not only do have access to fresh peaches, but they may just be some of the sweetest ones I’ve ever tasted. Peaches come in many different varieties, such as Red Havens or White fleshed. One of the most important things to note is the difference between “freestone” and “clingstone.” When you slice into a freestone peach, like a Red Haven, you will cut clear down to the pit, and the peach will make a clean break. These kinds of peaches are perfect for canning since you get nice pretty slices. Clingstone peaches on the other hand will cling to the pit, and are great for biting right in, letting the juice run down your chin.

Also important to know, is that peaches have landed themselves as number two on the dirty dozen list of 2010.  This means that non-organic peaches contain quite a bit of pesticide residue. So if you can find organic peaches you will be doing your part for the environment and your body. That said, organic peaches can be hard to find, so I personally settle for only purchasing and eating local peaches when they are in season and washing then peeling off the fuzzy skin. In doing so I will reduce the amount of pesticides consumed and will avoid supporting the shipment of peaches across the country, all the while supporting my local agriculture and still enjoying a fresh juicy peach. If you really want to have peaches out of season, consider freezing them.

Nutritionally, a medium sized peach contains about 60 calories, 13 grams of natural sugars, 0.5 grams of fat, 2 grams of dietary fiber, 1 gram of protein. Peaches are a good source of Vitamin C and contain some Vitamin A and Iron. There are so many healthy ways to incorporate peaches into your diet. You can eat them alone of course, add them to smoothies or plain yogurt, grill them on kabobs, or make this easy salsa recipe. Peach salsa can be enjoyed as a snack with tortilla chips, or used as a topping on grilled chicken or fish.

Ingredients:

4 ripe local peaches, 5 if they are small
1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and minced
1/4 cup diced red onion
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger

Directions:

1. Peel and dice peaches into small pieces.

2. Mix all ingredient in a bowl and serve.

Feel free to play around with the recipe to your taste. Maybe you would prefer fresh cilantro instead of ginger. I think sweet red bell peppers might also be a great addition. Don’t forget to look for other organic and local ingredients. Enjoy!