Peach, Nectarine, and Plum Pie

This is my favorite pie, and basically the only fruit pie I make. A crispy, flaky, super rich all butter crust with a sunset of colorful peaches, nectarines, and plums inside. A few summers ago, I made it for my parents, and my dad said it was the best pie he’d ever eaten. That’s a pretty big compliment, because the man loved desserts. I got his sweet tooth, and my mom’s taco tooth.  

Peach + Cilantro Sodas

Hey friends! Sorry for being MIA! I've been so busy! I had Ragnar*, then went backpacking, then flew to Sonoma for my bachelorette party(!), then got sick, then blah blah blah yadda yadda etcetera etcetera PEACH + CILANTRO SODA! 

Last weekend we saw Book of Mormon, the musical (so good), then went to dinner at Terra Plata afterward, where I had an amazing house-made peach cilantro soda (plus a million other delicious things).

Peach Pineapple Crisp with Coconut & Ginger Crumble

Ok so, it's in the 80s in Seattle… I know, it's crazy and wonderful. I also know that the last thing anyone in Seattle wants to do on an 80 degree day is turn on the oven. A lot of our apartments and houses don't have AC, so it can be pretty miserable indoors on beautiful Seattle days. And, I mean, who wants to be inside when it's so amazing outside? 

That being said, if you happen to find yourself in an AC equipped home, or you don't live in Seattle, or you just love amazing tropical tasting desserts…then you should make this crisp. 

Peaches and pineapple together is such a winning combo. It reminds me of a tropical drink. And then if you top that with a buttery crumbling oat topping that has gingersnaps and coconut in it… c'mon guys. Turn on the AC. Blast the fan. Do what you need to do. Just make this dessert happen. 


And then go outside and enjoy this amazing summer weather.

Peach Pineapple Crisp with Coconut & Ginger Crumble 

I wanted to keep this really light and fresh tasting, so I didn't add a thickening agent to the fruit. It comes out a little runny and less set up this way, but I happen to think that it works. If you do want a firmer filling, add a tablespoon of cornstarch to the fruit and sugar mixture. 

2.5 cups cubed fresh pineapple (about half a large pineapple)

3 large peaches, cubed (no need to peel)

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1.5 cups old-fashioned oats

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons melted butter (1 stick)

10 gingersnap cookies, crumbled

1/2 cup desiccated coconut 

1 tablespoon turbinado (course) sugar

Preheat oven to 425, with rack in middle. Stir together pineapple through vanilla. Place in a buttered 2.5-quart baking dish (or two 1-quart dishes). 

Stir together oats, flour, brown sugar ,and salt. Blend in butter with your fingers until mixture is thoroughly moistened. Stir in gingersnaps and coconut. Press over fruit and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. 

Bake until juices are bubbling and topping is golden brown, about 25 minutes. 

Cool slightly, and serve with ice cream.

Nutty Tropical Breakfast Quinoa

I'm not immune to kitchen failures. I rarely use recipes, so it’s a lot of trial and error. Like a few nights ago, when I decided to roast some rhubarb, and somehow ended up with crispy, charred, inedible little rhubarb cracklins. My five beautiful, giant stalks of ‘barb were reduced to a tiny handful of garbage.

Sometimes, though, I manage to throw together just the right flavors, and get a home run. Those are the ones I usually share here. Like this breakfast quinoa. I make fruity, breakfasty quinoa fairly often, but it’s usually nothing to write home about.

This breakfast quinoa—sort of tropical and nutty—this one is a winner, my friends. I used almond butter, because it’s what I had on hand, but I bet any nut butter would be delish… try cashew or macadamia! I used half a peach and half a mango, which leaves you with half a peach and half a mango for tomorrow’s quinoa, too! I would recommend just making a big batch of quinoa and keeping it in the fridge for this very purpose, but you can also toss it with salads, make burrito bowls with it, or even add it to cookie dough.

Nutty Tropical Breakfast Quinoa

1 tablespoon chunky unsalted almond butter

1 teaspoon honey

1 tablespoon almond milk

1/2 cup cooked quinoa, warm

pinch salt

1/2 peach, diced

1/2 mango, diced

1 T shredded coconut
Dash of cinnamon

Whisk together almond butter, honey, salt, and almond milk until smooth. Stir into warm quinoa. Mix in peach, mango, coconut, and cinnamon. Add a splash more almond milk if desired.