Night after night I read a poem, Rise The Moon (by Eileen Spinelli), to my sleepy three-year-old Joseph. The following stanza is accompanied by a lovely illustration (by Raul Colon) of an artist painting a gorgeous bowl of gold, white, and orange peaches--orbs resembling a twilight sun:
"...In a rooftop attic in the quiet hush of night, a moonlit artist takes his brush to paint a bowl of light."
We borrowed Spinelli's book during a recent trip to the San Clemente library, along with Round is a Pancake
, by Joan Sullivan Baranski. When it comes to art and eating, inspiration may spring from anywhere. The nightly ritual of reading these books inspired this recipe. What has inspired your cooking?3 fresh peaches, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons organic brown sugar, or agave
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter (I used Earth Balance Organic Vegan Buttery Spread. Wonderful taste, no trans fat, organic—it’s a beautiful product. But butter is yummy, too.)
¼ cup organic walnuts
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons walnut oil
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a griddle or heavy skillet. Set aside 1 chopped peach for later. Add 2 chopped peaches and 1 tablespoon sugar or agave and cinnamon. Stir occasionally, cooking until peaches are softened and caramelized.
In a 400-degree oven, place walnuts on a piece of aluminum foil and bake for 5-8 minutes.
In a mixing bowl, stir together flour, remaining sugar/agave, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center of dry mixture and set aside.
In another mixing bowl, beat egg slightly, stir in milk and oil. Add mixture all at once to the dry mixture, along with caramelized peaches* and any liquid from the skillet; Stir just until blended (batter will be lumpy).
Pour ¼ cup batter into hot, lightly greased griddle or heavy skillet. (For mini pancakes, pour 1 tablespoon batter) Cook over medium heat for two minutes on each side or until golden brown. Top pancakes with uncooked peaches that were set aside and roasted walnuts. Serve with warmed syrup, preserves or plain yogurt. Serves 8.
*I usually use the roasted walnuts as a topping, but if you prefer, you can also stir them in to the batter with the cooked peaches.
Food Fact! Whole wheat flour, with all of the nutritious bran and germ still intact is hailed as the "staff of life" for its historical importance to human survival, and an essential part of a healthy diet. All types of whole, unrefined, grains are good sources of complex carbohydrates, fiber, important nutrients including selenium, potassium and magnesium, and are naturally low in fat. Diets high in unrefined, high-fiber whole grains are recommended for insulin-dependent diabetics and for the prevention of cancer and heart disease.
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