the pollen count

I have been canning, baking, blending, freezing, dehydrating and eating peaches and nectarines all week in an attempt to use up the amazing bounty of just a few trees!  Today I made a very easy and gluten free nectarine clafoutis for the first time.  I’ve never made a clafoutis before but will certainly make more.  Healthy, yummy and you can use whatever fruit you have.  I experimented with much less sugar and also used almond and oat flours to make it gluten-free and it was delicious.  Just ask my husband who has a big sweet tooth and said it was fantastic as he reached for a second piece 🙂

Here is the Nectarine Clafoutis recipe:

INGREDIENTS:  (this makes one 9 ” pie plate, about 5 or 6 servings)

• 3 cups sliced (but not peeled nectarines)
• 2 cups milk ( I used almond milk, you can use any kind of milk)
• 3 large eggs
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 tsp each almond & vanilla extract (I also used a 1 “ piece of vanilla bean)
• 1/3 cup + 2 TBSP flour (regular, almond or oat or a mixture is fine)
• Pinch of salt & pinch of nutmeg or cinnamon
• 2 TBSP finely chopped almonds for the top

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 and oil a 9 “ pie plate or baking dish.
2. Cut up the nectarines into thin slices (no need to peel J )
3. Combine milk, vanilla & almond extracts, sugar, & pinch of salt & spices in saucepan. Bring to just below a simmer and immediately turn off heat.  Let cool while you prepare rest of ingredients. (If using vanilla bean, remove it now & scrape pulp into milk mixture).
4. In a medium bowl whisk 1 of the eggs with the flour until smooth. Then add the other 2 eggs & whisk until there are no lumps.
5. Very slowly, pour the warm milk mixture into the egg/flour mixture whisking constantly.
6. Pour the batter over the nectarines in the pie plate and gently mix to make sure nectarines are evenly distributed.
7. Bake about 40 minutes until the center custard is completely cooked and it is beginning to brown around the edges.
8. Remove from oven sprinkle the chopped almonds over the top and put under the broiler for just a minute or so until the almonds get toasted but NOT burned! Not the time to try to clean up the dishes…
9. Cool for about 20 minutes before serving. It is also fabulous chilled and is really great for breakfast.  Here’s your eggs and fruit and even you non-breakfast eaters might go for a slice of this 🙂

DRIED NECTARINES

If you have a food dehydrator I highly recommend drying some nectarines.  They turned out fabulous so I will be making another batch tomorrow   I simply sliced them and put them on the trays.  They took about 4 – 5 hours on the high setting. I am envisioning these in  my lunch in the middle of the winter and know I will be grateful I took the time to dry them now.

PEACH PRESERVES

“Peach Preserves … summertime in a jar”

I am feeling like a squirrel this weekend with all my food saving techniques.  I also canned peaches (used the recipe from my post “Summer in A Jar Peach Preserves” October 4, 2015) and made peach and nectarine smoothies, so I am in stone fruit heaven right now.

NECTARINE – PEACH GREEN SMOOTHIE

Just blend 2 peel nectarines and 1 peeled peach + 1/2 cup coconut water + 1/2 cup baby kale &/or spinach + 1 inch piece of peeled ginger + 1/2 frozen banana + 2 tBSP plain yogurt. Other options: blueberries, Super Food, rice or almond milk and top with some coconut and chia seeds.  Great way to start the day 🙂

I have eaten so many nectarines and peaches lately that I should be tired of them but it hasn’t happened yet.  Just like those squirrels, I’m eating and saving for those long winter days with not a fresh peach or nectarine in sight!