
I’m joining in on Summer Fest again this year, but I can hardly believe it’s summer. In some ways, it seems like I just moved back to Fresno, but as the temperatures recently started up into the hundreds, I had flashbacks to last year and realized that this is my second summer here. I’ve been back here, in the place where I grew up, for more than a year. Well, it’s definitely starting to feel like home again and I’m happy to be here.
Although the summer heat can seem almost unbearable at times, there are plenty of reasons to put up with it. Living in the San Joaquin Valley definitely has its advantages and I think the amazing variety of local stone fruit is right up there on the top of the list. Unfortunately I missed the Organic Stone Fruit Jubilee this year, but I’ve been buying local organic peaches at my favorite farmer’s market and they’re really great this year.
Since I’ve changed the way I’m eating, I probably won’t be eating a whole lot of peach cobbler or nectarine muffins this year, but I’ve been enjoying our local peaches just the same. Since cutting out sugar four months ago, raw fruit tastes so much better to me than it ever has before. A bowl of fresh berries or sliced peaches drizzled with heavy cream satisfies me just as much or even more than heavy, sugar-laden desserts ever did.
Since fruit does contain lots of natural sugar, and I need to limit sugar in my diet to help control my reactive hypoglycemia, I still can’t go overboard on fresh fruit. For me, it’s become a special treat and I usually only eat a serving or two a day – either with breakfast or as a dessert after dinner. Lately I’ve really been enjoying a small smoothie made with fresh organic fruit and yogurt (or homemade kefir) first thing in the morning. I’ve found that I feel best if I eat something small as soon as I get out of bed and then eat a more substantial breakfast an hour or two later. My new favorite combination is fresh peach blended with Greek yogurt and ice. I know it’s simple, but the flavor is out of this world. Give it a try!


Creamy Peach Smoothie
1 ripe peach, peeled and cut into chunks (juices reserved)
1/2 cup whole milk Greek yogurt, such as FAGE Total
1 packet stevia powder (or sweetener of your choice, to taste)
2 or 3 ice cubes
Place peach chunks and juice, yogurt, stevia, and ice cubes into a high-powered blender. Cover and blend until completely smooth. Enjoy!
More Peach (and Nectarine) Recipes:
Peach Recipes from my Summer Fest Friends:
- CIA Dropout: Peachy Keen Panna Cotta
- What’s Gaby Cooking: Peach and Blueberry Cobbler
- In Jennie’s Kitchen: Easy Peach Preserves
- Daily Dishin: Fresh Peaches and Cream No-Bake Pie
- Cooking with Books: Peaches and Cream Cheesecake
- Cooking With My Kid: Peach & Friends Cobbler Pie
- White on Rice Couple: Peach Heirloom Tomato Salad
- Cooking With Elise: Bruschetta with Grilled Peach Chutney
- FN Dish: Summer Fest: Peach Recipes
- Taste With The Eyes: Warm White Peach and Blackberry Cobbler
- Recipe Girl: Fresh Peach Pie
- A Way to Garden: Farm Fresh Peaches Frozen to Perfection
- Napa Farmhouse 1885: Fresh Peach Cookies
- Sassy Radish: Peach, Apricot and Blueberry Cobbler with a Cornmeal Crust
- Sweet Life Bake: Sweet Peach Ancho Chile Salsa
- Indian Simmer: Indian Peach Gujiya
- Dixie Chik Cooks: Peach Cobbler
- Food2: 5 Killer Peach Flavored Cocktails
- Healthy Eats: 8 Ways You Didn’t Know You Could Eat Peaches
- Cooking Channel: Peaches on the Grill
- Add a Pinch: My Grandmother’s Peach Cobbler
- And Love It Too: Pan Seared Salmon with Fresh Peach Salsa
- The Sensitive Epicure: A Summer Peach Tart, Gluten-Free
- From My Corner of Saratoga: Double Caramel Peaches
- She Wears Many Hats: Peach Wontons
- I Am Mommy: Peach Bread
How You Can Join in Summer Fest
Have a recipe or tip that fits any of our weekly themes? You can contribute to our online recipe swap in various ways, big or small.
Contribute a whole post, or a comment—whatever you wish. It’s meant to be fun, viral, fluid. No pressure, just delicious. Simply leave your tip or recipe or favorite links in the comments below a Summer Fest post on my blog, and then go visit my collaborators and do the same.
Or think bigger: Publish entire posts of your own, if you wish, and grab the juicy Summer Fest tomato badge (illustrated by Matt of Matt Bites).
To join the Summer Fest conversation on twitter, use the hash tag #cookingwith.
Summer Fest 2011 Posting Schedule
June 22: Eggplant – missed this one!
July 6: Peaches
July 20: Cucumbers
August 3: Cherries
August 17: Corn
August 13: Tomatoes
September 14: Broccoli






Wonderful!! I love smoothies — and this one sounds properly sweet and creamy. I can’t wait to try it. For the last several years, I’ve been adding spinach to my smoothies, and find that the resulting drink resembles nothing more than the fruit part of the smoothie, which is great because you get the added boost of the spinach along with the fruit & yogurt. mmmmm.
9:59 am Jul 6th, 2011My husband is trying to cut carbs and up his protein, while I’m just trying to find foods that will provide better nutrition AND satiation. I eat a lot of Greek yogurt already, but this seems like the sort of thing I could blend up and take to work – and that would cut back on the creaminess of full-fat yogurt that can be quite overwhelming. I look forward to more low-sugar stuff from you!
10:15 am Jul 6th, 2011I have been wondering when you would come back to us! Sounds like you are doing really well on your new way of eating! I really hope that you start sharing more recipes of what you are actually eating these days. This smoothie sounds fabulous! We are up to our ears in peaches this time of year…and I can’t wait to try this out!
10:16 am Jul 6th, 2011I have a peach smoothie recipe with yogurt, too!
http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2011/05/peach-banana-colada-smoothie.html
Yours looks awesome and love seeing ALL These peach recipes. I ADORE peaches!!
10:52 am Jul 6th, 2011I love to drink smoothies of all kinds especially during the summer and this looks wonderful!
11:57 am Jul 6th, 2011Mmmm… I love a good, simple smoothie recipe! Will have to try this one. Thanks for sharing!!
12:46 pm Jul 6th, 2011Love the smoothie recipe. Greek yogurt is the best
2:05 pm Jul 6th, 2011I’m the same with breakfasts. I love starting the day with a tall glass of water, followed by a small smoothie 20 minutes later. Then I’ll have a larger breakfast 2-3 hours later. It’s so much better for me! I love a good smoothie recipe, thanks for sharing the idea!
2:29 pm Jul 6th, 2011I love smoothies, and especially with Greek yogurt too. Another bonus: make it with frozen peaches and you’ll have a yummy soft-serve frozen dessert. Thanks for the link love!
3:55 pm Jul 6th, 2011Simple can be amazing! I make a similar smoothie, but use coconut milk instead of yogurt. Delicious.
6:15 pm Jul 6th, 2011I am currently all gaga over Greek yogurt too. So I’m in. I so wish I had known about Summer fest before!
8:45 am Jul 7th, 2011This sounds wonderful and if you use frozen peaches that you have flash frozen you can omit the ice. You just get lots of flavor! I do this for a banana smoothie.
2:21 pm Jul 7th, 2011I just love fresh fruit smoothies! This sounds fantastic – and I can’t wait to start getting peaches in our CSA =)
6:15 am Jul 8th, 2011Oh yum. I have been in a fruit-and-yogurt smoothie mood myself lately. Something about the hot weather makes you just crave a juicy, fruity drink. My latest favorite uses plain nonfat yogurt, half a banana, ice, frozen pineapple chunks, and a T. or two of cream of coconut . Deeee-licious.
Thanks for sharing this.
9:48 pm Jul 8th, 2011Smoothies are a big hit in my house, both as breakfasts and as a mid-afternoon snack. Not only are they healthy, but I can sort of trick myself into thinking I had a milkshake!
4:18 pm Jul 10th, 2011Love this simple smoothie! Lots of protein in Greek yogurt! My fave!
1:08 pm Jul 11th, 2011Nothing says summer to me like fresh peaches and the farmer’s market. They remind me of my childhood, and I recently purchased some nectarines. Not the same, but close enough. And I am totally making this for myself tomorrow morning because it sounds like the perfect way to start off a morning. Thanks for sharing this!
3:09 pm Jul 11th, 2011Now we’re talkin! This is just perfect…. except my kids ate up all of our peaches and I’m craving one of these now.
8:01 pm Jul 13th, 2011This looks great and I am sure that it tastes great too! I love yellow cling peaches in any format. The recipe looks simple enough.
2:47 am Jul 16th, 2011Our first Colorado fresh peaches have just arrived and I have some Greek yogurt I need to use. I’ll be having this for lunch! It looks beautiful
7:24 am Jul 17th, 2011I don’t know about your peaches, but ours are as sweet as can be. Had some for breakfast this morning and they were perfect. Your smoothie looks wonderful!
11:21 am Jul 17th, 2011Smoothies are so good in the hot summer! I just did one with bananas and almond milk that was so tasty. I think a peach smoothie will be tomorrow’s breakfast of choice! Thanks for the inspiration!
6:33 pm Jul 25th, 2011Looks like they’re also ripping your recipes!
http://www.eva.vn/bep-eva/sinh-to-dao-ngot-mat-c162a73824.html
4:13 am Aug 28th, 2011Looks amazing! I’ll have to try making this for the kids.
2:07 am Sep 9th, 2011I love making smoothies at home with fresh ingredients, and herbs too. I make them for a quick healthy meal when I don’t feel like cooking. The possibilities are endless.
2:35 pm Sep 14th, 2011I want to try to do Creamy Peach and Greek Yogurt Smoothie, hopefully I will be successful, it seems easy to make. Thank recipes from http://pinchmysalt.com.
4:53 am Oct 5th, 2011