Why is it...

…that we always want what we can’t have?  I went to culinary school with the expectation of becoming the greatest pastry chef in the world.  Ok, well maybe not that, but I did have ambitions of owning my own bakery one day.  The reality of the restaurant business shifted that ambition rather quickly.  However, I still LOVE to bake.  I know I know, this is supposed to be a blog about eating healthy foods that are going to give you nourishment, vitamins, minerals and energy.

Well, if I’m not mistaken, most nutrition experts will say that you cannot…I repeat, CANNOT…always deprive yourself.  The saying goes, “diets don’t work!”  They don’t.  I don’t care what kind of product you try to sell me I’m not going to use it.  I will continue to eat a healthy, balanced diet filled with fruits, veggies, and plenty of protein and whole grains.  However, that certainly does not mean that indulgence is out of the question every now and again.

All this being said, I felt the need to make one of my old favorites.  Crumble bars!!!  The great thing about this recipe is that you can make the crust and topping the same for any filling.  In the fall, I use apples with plenty of cinnamon and raisins.  In the summer, though, it is time to cook down the peaches and berries!

My friend, Kathleen, and I are obsessed with Greek yogurt…seriously, we have a problem I think.  She travels a lot for her job, and sent me a picture text the other day of a container of Greek yogurt made in Atlanta!  She was in a hospital cafeteria in Atlanta, so this was exciting news.  Not only was it super fresh, but it was PEACH & GINGER!  How can you beat that flavor combo?  I really don’t know if you can, but I tried!

I decided to create Peach and Blueberry Crumble Bars scented with ginger…mmmmm…..Fortunately, for me, the concoction was delicious!  I did manage to sneak in a bit of whole grain goodness.  Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

                ½ c. AP flour

                1 c. whole wheat flour

                1 ½ c. brown sugar

                ¾ c. quick cooking oats

                ½ c. Grape Nuts (or a generic cereal like that)

                1 TBSP ground cinnamon

                1 TBSP ground ginger

                1 tsp. nutmeg

                1 tsp. kosher salt

                1 ½ tsp. baking soda

                2 ½ sticks unsalted butter, melted

Mix together all dry ingredients.  Add melted butter, and mix until completely incorporated.  Grease a glass Pyrex dish (or a ¼ sheet pan, if you have one).  Press just a little more than ½ the mixture into the pan, and bake at 350’F for approximately 8-10 minutes, or until just slightly golden.  Save the remaining mixture for the top of the fruit mixture.

Filling:

                -3 c. blueberries

                -6 peaches, peeled and diced

                - ¾ c. sugar

                -1 TBSP ground ginger

                -2 tsp. ground cinnamon

                -2 tsp. ground nutmeg

                - ¼ c. corn starch

Bring mixture to a boil, and allow to thicken slightly.  Once peaches are slightly cooked, cool slightly.  Pour over the crust, and sprinkle topping on top of fruit.  Bake at 325’F for approximately 20 minutes or until mixture bubbles slightly at edges.  Allow to cool completely before removing from pan and cutting into desired size servings.  HOME RUN!

Little trick of the trade, it your peaches aren't super ripe, you can cut them in half and roast them at 425'F for about 10 minutes.  Throw on the broiler for about 3 minutes.  This shrinks the skin so you can easily pull it off, and also softens the peaches slightly and helps bring out their sweetness.

How pretty does that peach look?

Peach and blueberry goodness...mmm...

These are best served at room temperature.  If you really want to indulge, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.

On a side note…we’ve decided that every Wednesday is “Taco Night”.  We chop up lots of veggies, sauté and season ground turkey, and use whole grain taco shells.  Yes, even tacos can be healthy.  I like to crumble my taco shell, put it in a bowl, and build a taco salad on top.  Here is what I ended up with…

Yes, it really did taste as good as it looks.

Until next time...