Summer Peach and Blackberry Crumble

This crumble shows off the summer’s bounty. It is easy to make and beautiful when it comes out of the oven. This recipe comes from honorary Green Gypsy, Phyllis Palmer.

For the Filling:
½ cup unbleached, white, organic sugar
3 tablespoons unbleached ,white organic flour
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch sea salt
3 cups peeled, sliced fresh peaches
3 cups fresh blackberries
2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

For the Topping:
1 stick (8 tablespoons) cold organic butter, cut into small pieces
½ cup maple sugar, packed tight
1 cup unbleached, white organic flour

Procedure:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2) In a medium bowl, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt.
3) In another medium bowl combine peaches, blackberries and lemon juice. Using clean hands, mix to combine.
4) In an 8-inch baking dish spread half of the peach and blackberry mixture. Sprinkle half of the sugar mixture on top. Repeat with the remaining fruit and sugar mixture.
5) With a fork and knife, in the same bowl used for the sugar mixture, quickly combine all topping ingredients. Mix so that the butter is well distributed. Mixture should look crumbly.
6) Evenly sprinkle topping ingredients onto fruit. Place in the oven and cook for about 45 minutes or until the crumble is browned and juices are bubbling.
7) Serve warm in bowls topped with vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream. Enjoy!

Is eating well too expensive?

The other day we spoke to some friends who are convinced eating healthy, organic food is too expensive. As educators about what it means to be a Green Gourmet we talk about this idea often. Because, no matter where they are from, whether they are rich or poor, teenager or elder, everyone wonders “Does eating well cost too much money?” We believe eating for a sound body and sound mind is affordable for everyone.

We told our friends the first order of business when thinking about our meals and our money is getting folks to see the value of good-for-you food. It’s hard for people to see that what they eat affects how they feel, how they look and their level of energy. To get people to understand this connection we talk about cars. Most of us know that filling up our cars with cheap gas results in more trips to the mechanic and a lesser resale value and that using high quality fuel means our cars perform better. So we remind people gasoline is to our cars what food is to our bodies. If we fill our bodies with cheap food we can not work well, feel good or live long. But if we feed ourselves fresh, seasonal and organic food we make less trips to the doctor, we have more vitality and we can live into our golden years.

The second order of business is changing people’s priorities. Many of us need a reality check. A few years ago, a teenage boy told us healthy food costs too much then bragged about buying a $100 pair of sneakers. Another day, a woman in her mid to late thirties claimed eating well is too expensive then answered a cell phone that sells for close to $200. And, on many days, people take sips of a $5 cup of specialty coffee then tell us they don’t see the point of spending so much money on food. If we are willing to use our hard earned dollars to buy our clothes, electronics and daily caffeine fix, can we not use the same funds to feed our mind, body and soul?

When we finished making these points our friends told us we made a good argument. Then they said, “True, but isn’t it still cheaper to eat fast food?”

And so the work continues….

Elizabeth J.E Johnson