Peaches in various forms such as fresh, dried, canned, puree, jam, etc.

Peach Objectives Participant will: 1. Explain a health benefit provided by peaches. 2. Describe cost- and time-effective strategies for incorporating peaches into family meals. 3. Explain how to select peaches. 4. Describe preparation and storage techniques for peaches, including cleaning, trimming, cooking, and storing. 5. Prepare and taste food that includes peaches. Required Materials: Recipe ingredients and utensils for demonstrations. Lesson handouts (see pgs. 6-7). Required paperwork for program. Optional Supplemental Materials: Peaches in various forms such as fresh, dried, canned, puree, jam, etc. Preparation Required: Practice lesson material so you are comfortable giving lesson. Practice recipes for demonstrations and understand recipe instructions and techniques. Gather ingredients and utensils needed for lesson and demonstration. Pre chop fruits and vegetables needed for each demo. Make copies of handouts enough for all class participants. Make copies of paperwork required by program. Cook chicken for Peachy Chicken Salad (see recipe pg. 7 canned chicken may be also be used.) Roast pecans for Peach Nutty Spinach Salad (see recipe pg. 6) 15 minutes before class starts, assemble Fresh Peach Crisp and put in oven so it will be ready to sample at end of class. Set timer for 40 minutes (see recipe pg. 7). DC 6.2011 1

LESSON PLAN Introduction: Time: 2-3 minutes Welcome the class and thank them for making time to come. Briefly introduce yourself and the program. Ask the class: What do a 13-year-old boy and a peach have in common? o They both have fuzz on their skin! A peach, with its large seed right in the middle of all that good juiciness is considered a stone fruit. It originated in China where it has grown for over 2500 years. A peach tree in China is revered as the Tree of Life and a peach was once considered the symbol of longevity and immortality. The United States now produces ¼ of the world peach crop, with California the largest producer. Georgia, known as the Peach State, was once the largest peach producer and now peaches are grown in 30 states. Ask the class: What infamous city in Utah has an annual Peach Days celebration? o Brigham City usually held the first week of September. There are many varieties of peaches but only two broad categories cling and freestone. Ask the class: Can anyone describe the difference between a cling and freestone peach? o Cling peaches the stone (seed) clings to the fruit these are used mostly for commercial canning, freezing, and jam making. Freestone peaches are easier to cut up because the stone almost floats in the middle of the fruit. It is easily removed when the peach is cut. Freestone peaches are used mostly for fresh eating and home canning. Peaches and nectarines are closely related. In fact, you can interchange a peach and nectarine in recipes with excellent results. It is a myth that a nectarine is a hybrid of a peach and plum. This is not true. Objective 1: Explain a health benefit provided by peaches. Time: 2-3 minutes Ask the class: Peaches not only have that peach fuzz thing in commom with adolescent boys, but they also have something in common with a glass of milk. Anyone want to guess what that might be? o Unlike most fruits, peaches are high in calcium. They are also a good source of vitamins A and C. Calcium, a mineral, is an important component of strong bones and teeth. Vitamins A and C are anti-oxidants. They work to fight cancer causing agents in our bodies. Another cool thing about peaches is that even though they are about the same size as an apple or pear, they have fewer calories than apples or pears. Objective 2: Describe cost- and time-effective strategies for incorporating peaches into family meals. Time: 3-5 minutes Ask the class: Peaches have a delightfully sweet but slightly tart taste. How do you incorporate peaches into your family s diet? Do you have any favorite recipes that include peaches? o Examples of ways to use peaches: As an elegant appetizer sliced with cheese and crackers; as a topping for yogurt, ice cream, cereal, pancakes, waffles, salads; as a filling for pies, tarts, cobblers, strudels; to make peach ice cream, sorbet, fruit soup, or smoothies; juiced, dried, jammed, canned, frozen, jellied. If you have access to a peach tree, they can be canned, dried, frozen, pureed or juiced. DC 6.2011 2

Peaches (and nectarines) can be substituted for apricots, mangos, and papayas. Objective 3: Explain how to select peaches. Time: 2-3 minutes Ask the class: Does anyone have any tips on how to choose a good, fresh peach? Ideally, ripe, local, fresh-off-the-tree peaches taste the very best. There is only a small window when local peaches are ripe and ready so get them while you can and enjoy every sloppy, juice-down-your-chin bite that you can. Store bought peaches are better than no peaches but these are picked hard, dumped in huge bins, poured onto processing lines, then boxed, refrigerated, and shipped to the store. No wonder the fruit stand peaches taste the best! Buy organic when possible. Peaches are one of most treated fruits with pesticides and fungicides. Look for plump, fragrant fruit that gives a little with pressure and that has no bruises. Look at a peach s golden background color to help determine ripeness. The red blush on the skin has nothing to do with ripeness so you want to make sure the background color is golden and contains no green. Trust your nose! A ripe peach smells ripe. A peach will continue to ripen once it is picked unless it was picked when it was too immature. An immature peach will never ripen. It will get soft but it will just not taste like a peach. Objective 4: Describe preparation and storage techniques for peaches, including cleaning, trimming, cooking, and storing. Time: 5-10 minutes Fully ripe peaches are somewhat soft and juicy. Once they ripen, eat them as soon as possible or store them in the fridge for up to a week. Note that their flavor and aroma are best at room temperature. Under-ripe peaches should never go in the fridge. They will not ripen and the flesh turns mealy and dry. Hard, under-ripe peaches can be placed in a paper bag to help them ripen. Peaches are notorious for ripening all at the same time so don t buy more than you can eat unless you are planning to can or freeze them. A peach skin is thin, delicate and velvety. Don t wash them until just before eating or serving. Although you can eat a peach with the skin on, most people enjoy them better with the skin removed. If you are using the peach in a cooked dish, it is especially important to peel it first or the skin will slip off the fruit in the prepared dish, which won t be very tasty or attractive. To easily peel a peach, blanch it by dropping it in boiling water for 10-30 seconds. This will loosen the skin. Then plunge the peach in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. You only want it in the boiling water long enough to remove the skin without actually cooking it. Nectarines don t have to be peeled. Once you have peeled the peach, you can pit it by cutting it from pole to pole, then twisting each half. If the peach is a freestone, it will easily pull away into to two clean sections. Cut peaches as close to the time you will be serving them as possible. The peach flesh tends to turn brown when it is exposed to air. You can help prevent the browning by dunking the cut peach in a little water with lemon juice. Ask the class: Peaches have a pretty short season. What if you cannot find a good peach in the store or fruit stand? o Although there is nothing like a fresh, ripe peach, they are a very popular fruit to can. o Look for canned peaches in a light syrup rather than in a heavy one. That way, you are getting much less sugar with the peach. DC 6.2011 3

o Frozen peaches do really well in smoothies and sorbets. They are a great alternative when fresh is not an option. Objective 5: Prepare and taste food that includes peaches. Time: 20 minutes Today we are going to make and taste a variety of recipes using peaches. Peaches aren t just for dessert anymore! This Peach and Avocado Salsa recipe is perfect with your favorite tortilla chips! Demonstrate Peach and Avocado Salsa (see recipe pg. 6). Fruit salsas have become a must-have with the main dish of the meal. This one is sure to be a winner the next time you make beef, chicken, fish, or beans for dinner! Demonstrate Spicy Peach-Kiwi-Strawberry Salsa (see recipe pg. 6). Crisp spinach, juicy-ripe peaches and toasted pecans make a perfectly cool and delicious salad on a hot summer day. Demonstrate Peachy Nutty Spinach Salad (see recipe pg. 6). Rather than heating up the oven on a hot summer day, try this refreshing main course salad instead. Demonstrate Peachy Chicken Salad (see recipe pg. 7). Nothing says summer like a cool, thirst-quenching smoothie. This Peach and Mango Smoothie will hit the spot! Demonstrate Peach and Mango Smoothie (see recipe pg. 7). How could we have a lesson on peaches and not have a recipe for one of the things peaches are most famous for peach crisp! This one is every bit as good as any other but is made with whole wheat flour, a little less sugar, and a little less fat. The family will eat it up and not even realize they are getting the healthier version of a favorite treat! Show and review Fresh Peach Crisp that you started at beginning of class (see recipe pg. 7). Conclusion Time: 5 minutes Peaches are a tasty, healthy way to get fruit into your breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. They are packed not only with abundant flavor but are loaded with good nutrition, too. Ask the class: What did you learn today that you didn t know about peaches before taking this class? Ask the class: What will you do differently to make peaches a part of your families diet now that you have had this lesson? Ask the class: Are there any questions? Thank you for attending. Serve samples. DC 6.2011 4

References: Bittman M. How to Cook Everything Vegetarian. Hoboken, NJ. Double B Publishing, Inc. 2007. Parsons R. How to Pick a Peach. New York, NY. Houghton Miffin Company. 2007. Mayo Clinic, University of California, Dole Foods, Inc. Encyclopedia of Foods. A Guide to Healthy Nutrition. Academic Press. San Diego, CA. 2002. Wood R. The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia. New York, NY. Penguin Books. 2010. Ensminger AH, Robson JRK, Ensminger ME, Konlande JE. Foods and Nutrition Encyclopedia: Volumes 1 and 2. Boca Raton, FL. CRC Press; 1994. Labensky SR, Hause AM, Martel P. On Cooking: A Textbook of Culinary Fundamentals. NJ. Pearson Prentice Hall; 2007. This material was funded by USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program provides nutrition assistance to people with low income. It can help you buy nutritious foods for a better diet. To find out more, call 1-800-221-5689 or visit online at http://www.fns.usda.gov/fsp/outreach/coalition/map.htm. In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture's policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, political beliefs or disability. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer. DC 6.2011 5

The Peach! ~Symbol of Longevity and Imortality~ This fuzzy red and golden skinned fruit orginated in China over 2500 years ago. Now it is as much of an American summer as watermelon, corn on the cob, and lemonade. How many ways can you enjoy your peachy summer? Peach and Avocado Salsa 2-3 fresh peaches, peeled and diced 1 avocado, diced ½ cup diced jicama 2 tomatoes, diced 1-2 tablespoons minced red onion 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 1 teaspoon olive oil Pinch of salt Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Yield: 3 cups Unlike most fruit, peaches are full of calcium. What a tasty way to get this needed mineral! Spicy Peach-Kiwi-Strawberry Salsa 1 ripe peach, peeled and diced 1 kiwi, peeled and diced 4-5 strawberries, hulled and diced 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 green onion, chopped ¼ cup chopped cilantro Pinch of salt Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir gently to combine. Yield: 4 servings Peachy Nutty Spinach Salad ¾ cup pecans 2 ripe peaches, peeled and cubed 4-5 cups spinach, rinsed and dried ¼ to ½ cup light or low-fat poppy seed dressing Roast pecans in a 350º oven for 10 minutes. Let cool. Combine cubed peaches, spinach, and pecans in a large bowl. Toss lightly with poppy seed dressing. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings There are 2 categories of peaches cling and freestone. Cling peaches have a stone that clings to the flesh of the peach. Freestone peaches have a stone that easily pulls away from the fruit. Most peaches sold in the store or at a fruit stand are freestone. DC 6.2011 6

Peachy Chicken Salad 3 fresh peaches, peeled and cubed 2 cups cubed, cooked chicken 1 medium cucumber, seeded and diced 1 red bell pepper, diced ¼ cup diced red onion 1 small head romaine lettuce, washed, dried, and torn into bite sized pieces ¼ cup red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh mint Salt and pepper to taste In a large bowl, combine peaches, chicken, cucumber, bell pepper, onion and lettuce. Whisk remaining ingredients together and pour over salad mixture. Yield: 4 servings Peach and Mango Smoothie 1 peach, sliced 1 mango, peeled and diced ½ cup milk or vanilla soy milk ½ cup orange juice Combine all ingredients in a blender. Cover and blend on high speed until smooth. Yield: 2 servings. Fresh Peach Crisp 6-7 medium peaches, peeled and cut in bite sized pieces ½ cup oats ¼ cup brown sugar ¼ cup whole wheat flour 2 tablespoons canola oil 1 teaspoon cinnamon Preheat oven to 350º. Spray 9x9 pan with cooking spray and place peaches on bottom of pan. Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well and sprinkle evenly over peaches. Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes or until peaches are soft and tender and top is crisp. This material was funded by USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program provides nutrition assistance to people with low income. It can help you buy nutritious foods for a better diet. To find out more, call 1-800-221-5689 or visit online at http://www.fns.usda.gov/fsp/outreach/coalition/map.htm. This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer. ~How to pick a fresh peach~ Look for plump, fragrant fruit that gives a little with pressure and that has no bruises. Look at a peach s golden background color to help determine ripeness. The red blush on the skin has nothing to do with ripeness so you want to make sure the background color is golden and contains no green. Trust your nose! A ripe peach smells ripe. A peach will continue to ripen once it is picked unless it was picked when it was too immature. An immature peach will never ripen. It will get soft but it will just not taste like a peach. Place an unripe peach in a paper bag to get it ripen faster. Once ripe, it can be stored on the counter for a few days or in the fridge for about a week. DC 6.2011 7