Vegetarians in Paradise
Ask Aunt Nettie

We're delighted to share our Aunt Nettie with you. She's agreed to answer any questions you might ask about food, its preparation, and even clean-up tips. But we have to prepare you. She just might want to come right over to your house and help you fix dinner.

To send any questions to Ask Aunt Nettie an/or get her cooking advice, .


Editor's Note: Instead of Aunt Nettie answering individual questions, she has decided to address a number of requests from people who want to save money on the food budget and still enjoy healthy dining. This is one of a series of money-saving tips and recipes designed to stretch those slim dollars.

As an example of Aunt Nettie's impressive, penny-pinching ability to save, she still has some depression glass dishes and bowls in the cupboard--they're the real thing and she still treasures them.

In future issues of Vegetarians in Paradise, Aunt Nettie and her niece Zel will offer more money-saving recipes for the most extreme skinflints along with suggestions to help bargain-hunter foodies seek out cheap fare that still brings good cheer to the table.



RECESSION GRUB:
SUMMER FLUFFERY WITH GLAZED PEACHES

Fifty-eighth in a series of articles

BY AUNT NETTIE

Howdy there Darlin's,

Since we been acquainted fer some time now, y'all probly know summer's one o' my favrite times o' the year. Yes siree, I jes love watchin' all them veggies grow in the garden an' think it's purty speshul ta be able ta go outside an' pick my very own kale an' lettuce salad tossed with them shiny l'il ole cherry tomaters hangin' so purty on the vine.

An' when it comes ta dessert, why ain't nothin' better'n pluckin' nice ripe peaches off'n the tree an' puttin' 'em together with a tad o' this, a pinch o' that, a smidge of somethin' sweet, an' before ya knows it, why somethin' mighty delicious is a-waitin' fer ya when yer ready fer yer sweet treat after supper.

You ever notice that when yer growin' a heap o' yer own fruits an' veggies, why you kin save a bundle o' that green stuff. An' by now, y'all probly know some o' my ole tricks fer savin' money and makin' it go a long way.

Now, if'n y'all never tried growin' a few veggies o' yer own an' y'all don't have a nice big yard fer plantin', all's ya need fer startin' some lettuce is a 6-inch pot --or 2 or 3 o' them. Make shure them pots has holes in the bottom. Git some pottin' soil, and a package o' seeds. That's all besides a regalar waterin' ta keep that soil nice an' moist 'til them seeds start a-sproutin'. Oh, I almost fergot. Y'all need ever'day sunshine. Veggies loves sunshine.

Y'all kin plant radishes, or kale, or scallions the very same way, but fer tomaters, y'all need a bigger pot fer to give them roots some room.

Now y'all write back an' tell me how y'all liked my speshul fluffery dessert with them fresh peaches. An' write me 'bout yer summer garden, too. An' if'n y'all take pictures, why I jes love ta see them nice plants growin'.

Yer ever lovin' Aunt Nettie



This easy summer dessert is a welcome treat throughout the warm season when ripe peaches are so available. But you don't have to limit this dessert to peaches only. You can use nectarines, plums, or apricots in their place or even combine them for a delicious mixed stone-fruit dessert. Make the fluffery a day ahead for convenience and top it with the glazed fruits and mint just before serving.

Summer Fluffery with Glazed Peaches

SUMMER FLUFFERY WITH GLAZED PEACHES

Yield: 5 to 6 servings

    Fluffery
    2 cups (480 ml) cooked short grain brown rice
    1 1/2 cups (360 ml) chopped fresh peaches
    3/4 cup (180 ml) vanilla soy milk or almond milk
    1/2 cup (120 ml) coconut sugar or organic sugar
    1 tablespoon lime juice
    Zest of 1 lime
    1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

    1 recipe Glazed Peaches (recipe below)
    Fresh mint sprigs

  1. To make the fluffery, combine the brown rice, chopped peaches, sugar, soy milk, lime juice, lime zest, cinnamon and vanilla extract in a blender. Process until all the ingredients are incorporated and the mixture is smooth and creamy.
  2. Spoon the fluffery into dessert dishes and top with the glazed peaches and mint sprigs.

    Glazed Peaches
    3 firm peaches, cut in half and peeled
    1/2 cup (120 ml) dark brown sugar
    1/2 cup (120 ml) organic sugar
    1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice
    2 tablespoons rosewater
    2 tablespoons water
    1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
    1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

  1. To make the glazed peaches, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. and have ready a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm) baking dish. Arrange the peaches in the baking dish, cut side up and set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine both sugars, lemon juice, rosewater, water, ginger, cinnamon, and vanilla extract and mix well to form a syrup-like consistency.
  3. Spoon the syrup over the peaches and roast for 30 minutes. Turn the peaches over, baste with the syrup, and roast another 30 minutes. The peaches should be fork tender and the syrup thickened. If the peaches are not tender, baste, and roast another 10 minutes. Set the pan aside to let the peaches cool completely.



If You Haven't Met Aunt Nettie. . .


Our Aunt Nettie has a head like a hard disk. It's filled with gigabytes of information about food and cooking. And she's just itchin' to share her learnin' with city folk who live in mortal fear of the stovetop.

Aunt Nettie grew up on the farm. She did not eat out of a can or reach into the freezer. There was no microwave to pop her food into. Everything she made was from scratch. All the food she ate was natural, without pesticides. It was grown right there on the family farm, and she had to cook to survive. At eighty-three years young she still leaps and bounds around the kitchen and can shake, rattle, and roll those pots and pans with the best of them.

Nowadays, Aunt Nettie just shakes her head and complains, "Nobody cooks anymore. They have no idea about puttin' a meal together." She's on a mission. She wants to help those younguns eat better so they can grow up healthy like her own eight kids.



Click here for past Ask Aunt Nettie Columns


Vegetarians in Paradise