Raw Peach Chia Jam

What to do when you get 15 peaches from your farm share and your husband HATES peaches? You make peach chia jam, of course!

I have to say, this came out surprisingly good! Regular jam is loaded with sugar and typically has gelatin. This jam has just 2 simple ingredients- peaches and chia seeds. It's pure, healthy and delicious. 

If you like your jam sweet you could probably add a touch of honey or maple syrup. I prefer a little tartness to my jam so this was perfect for me.

Try spreading this on toast, crackers, mixing it in yogurt or in oatmeal. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how delicious it is! 

Peaches are packed with antioxidants which are known to prevent against many types of cancer. Peaches contain Vitamin A which is known to promote eye and skin health, and Vitamin C which can help ward off illness and strengthen the immune system. Eating a peach may also aid with weight loss as it's a very low calorie fruit and contains a good amount of fiber to keep you feeling full and satisfied.

Ingredients:

3 peaches- sliced

1/8 cup chia seeds

Directions:

1) Add peach slices and chia seeds to a food processor and blend until smooth.

2) Add mixture to a container and allow it to set in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, but preferably overnight.

*Recipe makes a decent amount of jam that will probably only last for a couple of days in the fridge. I would recommend freezing some if and defrosting whenever you want a healthy and sweet treat. :)

Shrimp Piccata with "Zoodles"

I am completely obsessed with my new spiralizer. You can make use it to spiralize SO many things: zucchini, squash, cucumber, beets, carrots, apples, sweet potatoes... to name a few. 

At first I was skeptical when I kept seeing recipes with "zoodles." I absolutely LOVE pasta and the thought of a zucchini acting like a noodle just seemed outrageous. Even though the zucchini does not taste at all like pasta, it really it delicious when spiralized. What makes it such a great vegetable to use is that it really holds its shape well. The sauce also clings to each "zoodle" perfectly. 

I found these beautiful shrimp at the grocery store and knew I had to make shrimp piccata. It's such an easy dish to prepare and only requires a handful of ingredients. The best part about this dish is the easy lemon caper sauce that gets drizzled over the entire thing. Yum yum.

Zucchini provides high doses of Vitamin C which help to protect the immune system and ward off illness. Zucchini contains potassium which promotes good heart health and helps keep blood pressure stable. Lastly, zucchini is very low in calories but high in fiber which can help aid with weight loss.

Ingredients:

2 zucchinis- spiralized

8 large shrimp- peeled and deveined

1 cup cherry tomatoes- sliced

2 cloves garlic- minced

2 tbsp. butter

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 lemon- juiced & zested

2 tbsp. capers

1/4 cup grated parmesan

1 tbsp. chopped basil

salt/pepper to taste

Directions:

1) Add butter and olive oil to a large pan over medium high heat.

2) When butter is melted and the pan is hot, add the garlic.

3) Cook 1-2 minutes or until fragrant

4) Add shrimp to the pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook 1-2 minutes then flip to the other side.

5) Sprinkle the other side with salt and pepper and cook another minute.

6) Remove shrimp from pan and add the tomatoes.

7) Cook for about 2-3 minutes or until warm. 

8) Add the zucchini and cook for another 1-2 minutes.

9) Remove from heat.

10) Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and capers to a small bowl and whisk to combine. Add salt/pepper if desired.

11) Add shrimp back to the pan and pour caper/lemon mixture over the zoodles and shrimp. Toss evenly.

12) Plate the dish and sprinkle each plate with parm and basil. 

ENJOY!!

*This makes 2-3 servings