We can get most fruits and vegetables any time of year, shipped in from all around the world, but it’s hard to beat local and seasonal for nutritional quality and flavour. Peaches are especially juicy, refreshing and bursting with flavour this time of year and they are so good on their own that they don’t need much else. It’s best to use ones at their peak of ripeness- tender, lush, fragrant and dripping when you bite in. Leaving them out on the counter at room temperature in a paper bag will speed up the ripening process if they are not quite there yet. Nutritionally they are a good source of potassium, vitamins A and C, fiber and antioxidants.
The mineral potassium, an electrolyte, helps many functions in our bodies and is important to help balance sodium. Many nutrients partner up and balance each other out- potassium and sodium is one such pair and maintaining a good ratio between them is important to maintaining hydration, healthy blood pressure levels and a strong cardiovascular system. Many studies have discovered that increasing potassium intake can be as effective, if not more so, as lowering sodium intake. It can be found in good quantities in many yellow, orange and white fruits and vegetables beyond peaches including squash, yams, bananas, mushrooms, apricots and potatoes, plus some green ones like leafy greens and avocados.
A raw baking treat like this can be a great way to let peaches shine while making them into a cold and refreshing dessert. The base is mainly dates and pecans, topped with a double layer of thinly sliced peaches and finished off with a thick peach mousse made mainly from peaches and cashews. Orange juice and/or coconut water add in extra layers of flavour and smooth out the texture while hemp hearts and shredded coconut help to bulk up the base layer and chia seeds thicken up the top layer. Honey or maple syrup adds a touch of sweetness and cinnamon adds a bit of spice. Using whole food ingredients like this ensures that even dessert is full of nutrients, making it a healthy way to indulge. The protein and healthy fats in the nuts and seeds, along with the fiber that they and the peaches offer, helps keep blood sugar levels stable so they do not spike and plummet at intensely as with desserts based on refined flours and sugars. Raw baking doesn’t require any baking, of course, but it is best when the nuts are soaked for a few hours before using to make them break down easier and then comes together with another few hours in the freezer. From there it is best to store in in the freezer and let the pieces thaw out for around ten minutes before consuming.
- Base layer
- 1 cup pecans, soaked for 3-8 hours and rinsed well
- 1 cup dates, pitted
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- ¼ cup hemp hearts
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice (from 1 orange) or coconut water
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Middle layer
- 4 peaches, peeled and sliced thinly (slices don't have to be uniform, it's easier to arrange if they not too perfect)
- Top layer
- 1 packed cup cashews, chopped and soaked for 3-8 hours and rinsed well
- 1½ packed cups peaches, peeled and diced finely
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 2 tablespoons raw honey or maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons coconut water (or fresh orange juice)
- Time permitting it is best to soak the nuts for 3-8 hours in advance to assembling the bars. It makes them easier to break down, improving the texture, and it also helps make them easier for our bodies to digest. Rinse them thoroughly in a sieve and shake them a couple times to get rid of excess water (don’t worry about drying them).
- Place the base layer ingredients in a food processor and pulse until blended and a dough is formed. If you don’t have a food processor it will take a bit longer- mince the nuts and dates and mash them together with the hemp seeds, coconut and orange juice using a potato masher or kneading motion with your hands. Set up a baking dish (around 9x9") with a plastic wrap or parchment paper lining. Place the base layer in and pat down until it is evenly dispersed.
- Place the peaches over the base layer in two thin layers, arranging the peaches so that they are touching without any space in between. Press down lightly all over the top, ensuring that they are compact.
- Blend the top layer ingredients in a food processor or blender until very smooth. Pour the mixture over the peaches and use a spatula to gently level it out.
- Freeze the dish for 3 hours so that it hardens up, then remove, cut and lift the squares out and store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a few months.
