Peach Remedy for Summer SAD in Texas

My peach tree has had quite a productive year.  I am a busy little bee collecting peaches and peach leaves for use in various concoctions.  Thanks to Matthew Wood for opening me to the world of Peach Leaf as a remedy.  You can read more from him here http://www.woodherbs.com/Peach.html

This year, as I went through all the various ways to prepare peaches, I came up with a cordial that has a dual purpose.  A common preparation of peaches is canning Peaches in brandy.  I love using peach leaf........... so what I did to put a spin on this recipe was to create a brandy peach cordial(with honey)and then pack in peach leaf and mimosa blossoms.  Why Mimosa?

Mimosa Flower and bark is a remedy in Traditional Chinese Medicine, that a student of mine who was trained in TC Medicine brought to me in a tincture swap.  TCM uses the blossoms to nourish the "shen" or "spirit".  I found from my first drop of the blossom glycerite I was hooked.  Not only do the blossoms taste exquisite but they immediately lifted my spirits.  I felt lighter and more at peace.  I have to say that the only thing that taste nearly is good was............peach leaf!  The two tastes together are phenomenal, like a kind of honey floral, cherry taste.  After a month or so the peaches can be eaten out of the brandy and eventually the brandy strained off for use as a cooling remedy for our Summer heat which often causes a summer version of SAD.  Texas gets hot.  Not just a little hot but so hot that day after day of 100+ weather can create a fried and depressed kind of angst, especially around August in these parts.   I have found that a little bit of peach leaf and mimosa blossom can't gently ease the feeling of being "fried" and cool core temperature while the mimosa blossom subtly lifts the spirits.  The combination is a great little remedy for Texas Summer SAD(Seasonal Affective Disorder).

Peach Crisp

I woke up this morning and saw my peach tree almost doubled over. Its a small tree, in its 3rd year, covered in its first good crop of peaches. I tasted one and my eyes almost popped out of my head. The peaches are perfectly delicious so I quickly took care of my trees burden. I have decided to make a fresh peach crisp. I am about to slice all of them and will highlight the steps here I take

I sliced the peaches and removed the pits. I lined a baking dish and added in fresh berries I had on hand as well as sprinkling in some pecan pieces. I then mixed in fresh chopped lemon balm and mint, agave syrup, and organic wheat flour enough to coat the mixture.

I then added the topping with was about a cup of organic flour, and a cup of organic oats, about 1 cup of sucanat, and half a stick of butter, and equal amount of coconut oil. I mixed these until they were a crumbly consistancy(with my fingers) and topped the fruit mixture.

I then took the crisp and baked it in the oven at 350 degrees for about 1/2 an our until it browned......Yum! Its delicious,I think I could even back off more on the agave syrup and sugar and it would still be yummy goodness