Tag Archives: peaches

How to peel peaches

Posted in Breakfast/Brunch, Cooking Tips by

To use fresh peaches for a recipe, whether fruit salad or a dessert like peach cobbler, you’ll probably want to remove the skin first. You could use a vegetable peeler, but this is just as easy and gives you perfect results!

  • Score an X on the bottom of each peach. (This will help you slide off the skin later.)
  • Drop them into boiling water and cook for 30 seconds.
  • Remove with slotted spoon and put in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.
  • Peel off the skin.

It’s best to do them individually so you can cook each one for exactly 30 seconds.

Peachy Keen Lentil Salad

Posted in Leftover Ideas, Salads & Dressings by

I know — this is yet another salad recipe, but it’s the summer and I just want cool, simple dinners these days. I got this recipe from the back of an artsy greeting card with a huge peach on the front in Atlanta about 10 years ago. I put it in my recipe book and never got around to making it until last night. The result was so delicious that it was another case of, “Why on earth did I wait so long?”

Everything works together really well here — the peaches freshen up the lentils, the balsamic brings out the flavor of the fruit, the basil works well with the feta. This is a great salad to serve for lunch, maybe with crispy crackers. On its own, it makes a wonderful meal for vegetarians and those on low-GI and Weight Watchers plans — especially if you can find fat-free feta.

One more thing — this is a great way to use up leftover feta you may have in the fridge. Just adjust the proportions as needed.

Serves 4

1 cup green or Puy lentils*
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup crumbled feta (fat-free if possible)
2 peaches, cubed
2 basil sprigs, chopped
Dash of lemon juice
Salt and pepper

Boil a pot of water and add the lentils. Cook about 10 minutes or until the lentils are al dente. Drain and set aside.

When the lentils have cooled, combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl. And add the lentils and mix gently to combine.

*French Puy lentils and green lentils retain their shape when cooked, so they’re good to use in recipes like this one. Click here for a list of different kinds of lentils.