HONEY GLAZED PEACH & THYME BRUSCHETTA

Serving size: 2

There's nothing more luscious than peaches and honey. While delicious raw, roasting them really brings out their sweetness and gives a richer, peach flavor. The heat concentrates their natural sugars for an even sweeter, deeper taste — as if they weren't already tasty enough.

You could actually prepare this recipe with any stone fruit of your choice (plums, nectarines, etc.) or a combination of several, but I love peaches because they're soft, sweet, smell divine and are loaded with antioxidants, polyphenols and carotenoids. They're also one of the best fruits of the summer so I love to use them when they're in season and I can.

BRUSCHETTA INGREDIENTS

• 4 slices bread of choice

• 1 clove garlic

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 cup lemon thyme spread* (recipe below)

• 2 yellow peaches

• 1/2 hot water

• 2 tablespoons honey (plus more for drizzling)

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 6 thyme sprigs (plus more for garnish)

• 2 tablespoons marcona almonds

I love to get my bread from Breadblok because they make the most delicious fresh, gluten-free breads, many of which are vegan. My favorite is their Buckwheat Sourdough which is packed with a ton of fiber from psyllium husk & flax and also made with gut-friendly fermented buckwheat sourdough. You can also find their bread at Erewhon Market.

LEMON THYME SPREAD INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup cashews (soaked)

• 1/2 cup macadamia nuts (soaked)

• 5 tablespoons water

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• 3 tablespoons lemon juice

• 2 garlic cloves

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 6 sprigs fresh thyme leaves

We all know garlic has incredible anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory properties but thyme also shares these same properties. The raw garlic and fresh thyme in this spread definitely pack an immune-boosting punch since you get the most benefits from them in their raw state.

LEMON THYME SPREAD DIRECTIONS

After soaking your cashews and macadamia nuts for at least a couple hours, strain them from the water and discard. Add both nuts to a food processor or high-powered blender (food processor will work better here) followed by the 5 tablespoons of fresh water, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, salt, thyme leaves, and puree until smooth.

BRUSCHETTA DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Slice the garlic clove in half and rub on your slices of bread. This might seem insignificant, but it does impart a flavor and the definition of classic bruschetta is slices of toasted bread rubbed with garlic and drizzled with olive oil. After rubbing with the garlic, lightly drizzle each slice with olive oil and set aside.

Cut your peaches into 1 inch slices and arrange them on the bottom of a casserole dish, then scatter your fresh thyme sprigs throughout the dish. In a small bowl, combine your 1/2 cup of hot water with the honey & vanilla extract and stir to dissolve in the hot water. Pour the mixture over the peaches and toss to coat. Add the dish to the oven and bake for approximately 15 minutes.

After the peaches have been roasting for 5 minutes, add your slices of bread to the oven on a baking sheet and place on the top rack. Toast for 5 minutes on one side, flip, then another 5 minutes on the other side. They should become golden brown and if timed right, they can come out of the oven at the same time as the peaches.

Allow the peaches and toasted bread to cool. Once cooled, assemble the bruschetta with a layer of the lemon-thyme spread followed by the peach slices. Top them with a light drizzle of honey, a sprinkle of crushed marcona almonds (I like the truffle variety sold in stores), and a scattering of thyme leaves.

I absolutely love any kind of bruschetta but this one is perfect for a summer afternoon with a sweet pick-me-up from the honey and caramelized peaches.