Summer = peaches
There is NOTHING like a fresh summer peach, right?! The crops were drastically reduced in some areas of the Mid-Atlantic this year due to a late spring freeze; those poor baby blossoms died right on the branches, leading to much smaller yields than normal. But the ones that did make it produced big, amazing peaches, and we are just seeing the end of the season. Last weekend, I cooked up a big meal for Gracy’s newest group of women, and we finished off a meal of ratatouille (I used this recipe; first roasting the eggplant to dehydrate it a bit, and served over spiralized zucchini noodles instead of including them in the stew!) with a coconut-peach crisp.
I’m not vegan myself, but when I cook for large groups I try to accommodate all eating patterns, so I swapped the butter normally found in a crisp for cold coconut oil and added some shredded coconut to really up the flavor!
Baking usually requires precision, but crisps are VERY forgiving. I eyeballed most of the recipe; you could try swapping out or adding ingredients (maybe some nuts? Chia seed? Raisins??) and still end up with a delicious outcome. This crisp is light and crumbly, others can be crunchy or doughier. Here are 5 more recipes to check out as you’re thinking about crisping:
Most fruits are very crisp-friendly…start experimenting! Oh, and if you want to enjoy my home-cooked food on a cozy retreat at a farm in Virginia…you’re in luck. This culinary retreat with a food-prep focus will be the perfect way to transition to cold-weather eating. Join me as you are, or with a significant other, friend, or family member in November!
Vegan coconut-peach crisp
Ingredients
Filling:
- 5 peaches, pit removed and chopped into large chunks (I never peel mine!)
- 1/4 c cornstarch
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- Dash salt
Crisp:
- 1 c rolled oats
- 1/2 c shredded dried coconut
- 1/4 c ground flax
- 1/2 c packed brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Dash ground ginger
- 1/3 c solid coconut oil
Directions
Toss the peaches in a bowl with the cornstarch and sugar; set aside. Preheat oven to 350F. Combine dry crisp ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir until evenly distributed. Add coconut oil; cut in with a fork or use fingers to rub into the dry ingredients, allowing some larger lumps to form. Spray or oil a baking pan (9×9 or 9×13) and add peaches, then pour crisp mix on top. Bake until bubbly on the sides and golden brown on top, ~45 minutes depending on size of the pan, peaches, and oven – check occasionally and cover with tinfoil if the top is getting too dark too fast. Serve warm; drizzle with cream or a thick almond or cashew milk with a bit of honey or agave!
