Quick and Healthy Dishes: Grilled Peaches with Yacon Syrup

Summer is a great time of year for enjoying fresh peaches.  Peaches are absolutely delicious on their own, and they can make great additions to salads.

Grilling peaches is another fun way we like to enjoy this tasty fruit.

Ingredients:

• fresh peaches
• Yacon Syrup
• sour cream (optional)

Directions:

For this Quick and Healthy Recipe, we started out with a couple of peaches that were farmer's-market-fresh.

Then, we washed and cut them into slices.  For this recipe, you could also cut the peaches into larger slices or even halves.

Fresh peaches cut into slices

Then, we placed the slices on an indoor, countertop grill that was already preheated.  Some of the peaches grilled up faster than others, so it is best to stay close to the grill and keep an eye on the peach slices. Once dark brown grill marks appear on the slices, take them off the grill and transfer them to your serving dish.

Delicious grilled peaches

The grilled peach slices are juicy and delicious!  They make a tasty dessert or a special side dish.

To garnish the peach slices, we used our Country Life Nutrition Yacon Syrup.  A simple, but beautiful garnish just involves drizzling the Yacon Syrup right over the grilled peaches.

Grilled peaches drizzled with Yacon Syrup

For a slightly different garnish, you can add a spoonful of Yacon Syrup to a dollop of low-fat sour cream for a richer, creamier garnish.

Yacon Syrup and sour cream

Grilled peaches garnished with Yacon Syrup and sour cream

Enjoy!

Your journey is our journey.

~Country Life Nutrition

Always consult with a physician before making any changes to your health regime including diet, exercise, and supplements. 

Quick and Healthy Dishes: Two Beans and Stewed Tomatoes

It is possible to prepare food at home that is quick and healthy...and tasty, too.  Preparing your own food at home is a good way to monitor the nutrients and calories that you consume.

Beans are known to be a heart healthy food, can reduce the risk of certain cancers, can help maintain blood sugar levels, and assist in weight management ("Beans for a Healthy Heart").  Beans are not a low-calorie food, but they are low in fat, and they are high in protein and fiber.  Combined with other ingredients, beans make an excellent main or side dish.

You may already be aware that beans come dried and in cans.  When time is of the essence, using canned beans is a quicker option.  This recipe calls for two types of canned beans and can be prepared in under 5 minutes.

Two Beans and Stewed Tomatoes 

Ingredients:

• 1 can of black beans (or 1 cup of soaked dry beans)
• 1 can of black eyed peas (or 1 cup of soaked dry beans)
• 1 can of stewed tomatoes (or 4 large tomatoes, chopped)
• garlic powder - as desired

Directions:
Combine the drained beans into a medium sauce pan.  Add the tomatoes, making sure to add all of the liquid from the tomatoes.  Stir ingredients together.  Sprinkle garlic powder as desired and continue to stir ingredients.  Let simmer over medium heat until beans and tomatoes are warmed all the way through.  Serve warm.  

Two Beans and Stewed Tomatoes -- prepared in less than 5 minutes.  

Your journey is our journey.

~Country Life Nutrition 

Always consult your physician before making any changes to your health regime including diet, exercise, and supplements.

Sources:
"Beans for a Healthy Heart." US Dry Bean Council. US Dry Bean Council, n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2014. <http://www.usdrybeans.com/nutrition/health-benefits-of-beans/>.

Skerrett, Patrick J. "Recipe for Health: Cheap, Nutritious Beans." Harvard Health Blog. Harvard Medical School, 30 Nov. 2012. Web. 25 Mar. 2014. <http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/recipe-for-health-cheap-nutritious-beans-201211305612>.