Protect your Heart

Everyone here at Peaches wants you to be the happiest and healthiest version of yourself. We love fresh food that’s good for you and your family and delicious all at the same time. Which is why this month we’re having a look at good food for the heart. Sure, we’re also about those food trends like acai or coconut water in a can and we can never say no to an antipasto platter, but it’s also really important to make sure you’re looking after your health and putting the good stuff into your body to ensure a healthy future.

One of the best ways to do this is to add antioxidants to your diet. Antioxidants neutralise naturally produced free radicals, which have been linked to heart disease and certain cancers. So just to confirm, we love antioxidants! We’ve compiled a list of some of the best foods that will keep that precious heart of yours ticking.

Oranges

Oranges are awesome! These spherical, juicy wonders are jam packed with Vitamin-C, which is amazing at neutralising free radicals, and they also contain flavonoid hesperidin, which aids in keeping blood pressure at bay. Try cutting up a few orange wedges for the kids’ lunchboxes to make sure they’re upping their intake.

Blueberries

There is so much right with blueberries. They’re low in calories but jam packed with nutrients and have the highest antioxidant capacity out of all the fruit and veg that we commonly eat. No joke, blueberries are the bomb. So go and get yourselves some blueberries to add to your morning yoghurt and granola or in your morning smoothie.

Almonds

A great snack for those of us on the go, studies show that almonds help prevent heart disease and heart attacks. The monounsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants that are found in almonds help to reduce inflammation and aid in artery health. And the really great thing is almonds can go in/on anything PLUS there’s always almond milk to switch to for your morning coffee!

Broccoli

It’s always hard to get the kids to eat their greens, but these ones are worth the hassle. Broccoli contains anti-inflammatory properties that prevent blood vessel linings being damaged. It’s also a powerful antioxidant and contains an incredibly concentrated amount of beta-carotine, another important antioxidant. So jazz up those little trees and get them on your plate!

Green Tea

Surely by now we’ve all heard about the endless benefits of drinking green tea as well as it’s remarkable caffeine levels so if you’re looking to kick the coffee, this drink is the perfect health supplement. But what’s often overlooked is that the humble cup of green tea is great for the heart. It contains our favourite, flavonoids, a powerful antioxidant so you can say goodbye to those free radicles. So if you’re needing a midday pick me up, look no further than a freshly brewed cut of green tea.

Avocado

And we’ve saved the best until last. Everyone’s favourite breakfast side, the avocado is full of monounsaturated fatty acid, which has been linked to reducing inflammation and has been linked to reducing your risk of heart disease. So the next time you’re out to breakfast and you see a side of avo for an extortionate price, give yourself the all clear to drop that cash and just tell your bank account that you’re doing it for your heart. Or just head down to Peaches and pick them up cheap and completely guilt free!

That’s a wrap on our favourite heart healthy foods, all of which can be found fresh and ready to go at Peaches Fresh Food. Pop in and ask any of our knowledgeable and friendly staff about even more products that are jam-packed with antioxidants that are good for the heart and start looking after yourself today!

 

Grazing Table

We don’t know about you, but these days we’re not heading to the parties for the drinks. We drag ourselves out of the house after a long day of work to be social butterflies for one very important reason: the food.

 But there’s one thing specifically that makes our hearts aflutter when we walk through the door at a social event. They make our hearts race, our knees weak and our mouth salivate. What is it? It’s grazing tables, of course!

 Those cold cuts presented with loving care, those wheels of cheese that we all fantasize about eating all by ourselves, that fresh fruit that makes us feel better about all the cheese and cold cuts that we’ve just put away. A good grazing table is one of life’s greatest joys. And that, dear friends, is why we’ve decided that grazing tables are our product of the month this month here at Peaches Fresh Food.

 SO how do you create a grazing masterpiece for your next party or event? With a focus on fresh, quality and local produce, you can ensure your guests will walk away dreaming about that soft, creamy Margaret River Brie on a crisp water cracker, praying they get invited to the next one. Here are our top tips to create the perfect grazing table.

 Fresh is Best

No one likes a soggy grape or a stale cracker. The great thing about grazing tables is that your cheeses and meats will be fine to pick up a few days in advance, but make sure your breads, fruits and veg are as fresh as can be. Don’t skimp on quality either! There’s some incredible local produce coming out of Western Australia, like Blue Cow cheese, Swan Valley Honeycomb and Table Top Grapes that will really make your table memorable, and also aid in telling a story about our beautiful state and all that it has to offer.

 Keep it Balanced

We realise that the first thing anyone will go for on a grazing plate are the cheeses or the meats, but it’s important to include fresh elements to balance out the indulgent, heavier foods. Try including fresh fruit like grapes, cherries, figs and cherry tomatoes or vegetable sticks like carrot, capsicum and cucumber. Your veggies will also double as a vehicle for inhaling a selection of dips like hummus, tzatziki or baba ganoush. Carbs are a must, and will go quick with all the goodies you’ve got on your board, so don’t skimp on the crackers, crostini or fresh bread. You could even liven it up with some fresh meats like chicken and haloumi skewers or smoked salmon! Don’t forget your antipasto, including olives, artichokes and sun dried tomatoes. And don’t forget your dried fruit like apricots and raisins, and while you’re at it, throw in some good quality chocolate or honeycomb for good measure.

 Create Dimension

But enough about what goes on the table (or board, or plate), let’s have a look at how you want your final product to look. Grazing tables are very ‘on trend’ at the moment so you’ll find thousands of examples on Pinterest and Instagram of how to set one out. If you’re looking to create an Instagram worthy grazing table, try adding dimension with different levels depending on your table. Against a wall, try creating a higher level at the back so everything is in full view and easy access, or with a circular table, make sure the height is in the centre and tiers out toward the edge. There’s also no need to have your table looking perfectly put together. So tear, rather than cut, or scatter things around at a few different places over the table so everyone can easily reach. Fill in any gaps with a little bunch of grapes or some extra crackers and you’ll be sure to have a grazing table that dreams are made of.

For a one stop shop for everything you’ll need putting a grazing table together, head down to Peaches Fresh Food where we have loads of fresh, local produce that will ensure you have the tastiest and prettiest table on the block.

And the Winners Are…

After six fun-packed weeks, our Time is Ripe campaign has finally come to a close! We’ve had a great time running this campaign and exploring different products. Our favourite part though has definitely been showing that organics isn’t just purely about fresh fruit and vegetables; there are so many more organic products around for you to enjoy including pasta, sauces, oils and butter!

We would like to thank every single person that’s entered and congratulate the all of lucky competition winners!

Let’s start off by giving a massive congratulations to all our weekly winners who have scored themselves a $100 store voucher! This sure will come in handy next time you’re purchasing these newly discovered organic products! Our weekly winners are:

  • Nikki Ashton
  • Carmelle Pietsch
  • Gina Giancaspro Flocco
  • Lucy Wain
  • Doug Bowie

Great job everyone and congratulations again!

And now for the big one! Congratulations to our main winner of an incredible $500 hamper filled with all your favourite organic products! Josie Black – We hope you enjoy your prize, you certainly deserve it after all your effort!

Thanks again to everyone who entered, we hope you enjoyed this competition as much we’ve enjoyed running it for you all. Make sure to keep an eye out for any future competitions. Maybe our next competition will be the ripe one for you! And don’t forget to buy your organics from the Perth store with the largest range!

‘Berry’ delicious fruits that are now in season

It’s very important to know what fruit and vegetables are in season when heading to the grocery store. By choosing to purchase fruit and veggies that are in season you are making less of an impact on our precious environment and providing yourself and your loved ones with the best possible produce available.

At Peaches Fresh all our fruit is locally grown and organic to ensure you have the freshest and tastiest fruit.

Lately we have been receiving daily deliveries of the best in season fruits and we decided it’s time to share some knowledge on what’s so good about our organic and local November fruit!

Mangoes: The Aussie mango season is upon us! Australia has the most delicious mango varieties in the world, with Kensington Pride being the most popular to grow in WA. Mangoes are one of the most versatile fruits, they are quick and easy to prepare and can be a healthy snack on their own or a perfect addition to a meal. Australian mangoes are high in energy, low in fat, and are a good source of vitamins and calcium vital for great health.

Strawberries: Western Australia is the leading exporter of delicious strawberries. One serving of 8 medium sized strawberries has more vitamin C than an orange! Strawberries are also a great source of folic acid and a moderate source of iron. If you thought that was amazing strawberries also contain anti-oxidants, which offset the effects of oxygen-free radicals. This is why Peaches loves to get in strawberries as often as we can.

Blueberries:  Blueberries provide great health benefits for you are your family.  They contain high levels of antioxidants and Vitamin A and C. They also have an extremely low glycaemic index. This simply means that this unique fruit is berry good for you! With their amazing health benefits and delicious, succulent flavour, it is no wonder that blueberries that Australia’s consumption of blueberries have grown dramatically over the past few years. Blueberries are best served fresh, blended in  smoothie or added to you favourite salads and desserts. To store this tasty snack, leave it in tight container in the fridge to avoid them for spoiling or getting squashed.

 Peaches: Grown in the south-west of Western Australia, this deliciously sweet stone fruit is a great source of Vitamin C , Vitamin A, dietary fibre, potassium,  and magnesium. Isn’t that just peachy! A fun fact about peaches is that their juices are fantastic for moisturising, nourishing and healing the skin! Peaches can be used in a wide variety of ways including fruit salads, fruit cocktails and desserts such as pies, tarts and jellies. With their succulent flavour and freshness, we are certainly proud to share our name with such a remarkable fruit!

Nectarines:  Closely related to peaches, nectarines are a juicy and plump fruit with a refreshing flavour. They are extremely healthy as they are low in calories, sodium and cholesterol and provide you with Vitamin C. To store this wonderful snack, keep them in a plastic bag in the coldest part of your fridge. They make the perfect ingredient for your muffins, savoury tarts and jams!

Plums: There are over two hundred different types of plums grow in Australia! Depending on the variation, most types are in season during the summer months. When selecting plums, it is best to choose ones which are smooth and firm with a consistent dark colour.  Plums make the perfect addition to any summer time meals by being an excellent ingredient in pies, tarts and salads! Not only are plums a great way to satisfy those stomach grumblings, they also provide great health benefits by protecting your heart, improving your bone health, helping regulation and improving your memory.

Custard Apples:  While the skin and seeds of custard apples are inedible, the flesh is a source of delicious sweet and creamy flavour. This divine fruit is great for making ice-cream and drinks, perfect for cooling down on those hot summer days! Unripe, dark green custard apples are best to be stored at room temperature.  While ripe custard apples which are pale green and will yield slightly to pressure, are best to be kept in the fridge.  Custard apples are also an excellent source of Vitamin C, calcium, potassium and magnesium.

Grapes: Seventy-two million tonnes of grapes are produced in the world each year! So it’s also a good thing that it’s also one of the world’s most popular fruits! This is because of their tasty, sweet and tart flavour and smooth texture. Grapes are also very kind to your health through various was such as protecting your heart, fighting against the effects of diabetes, protecting you from skin cancer and improving brain power.  Grapes can also be difficult to clean, thankfully there’s a very simple solution to this! Try covering them with a mixture of salt and baking soda and then rising them under cold water for a shiny, clean result! They simply look grape!

By taking advantage of this delicious and fresh seasonal produce available, you can ensure that your summer will be extremely fruitful and filled with great flavour.

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Fruit-tastic Christmas ideas

With Christmas just one month away, it’s time to sit down and think about gifts to give to your loved ones to show just how much you are care about them. Homemade gifts are the perfect way to do this! Nothing says caring quite like a gift that comes from the heart and made with your own two hands. We’ve come up with the top five homemade gifts ideas which are both simple and cost-effective but more importantly, they’re sweet enough to make anyone feel special on this joyous holiday.

 

1. Stuck in a jam? Well not anymore!

Nothing gets you into the Christmas spirit quite like making your own jam! Jam is simple to make and takes advantage of those lovely fresh seasonal fruits such as strawberries, blueberries and raspberries for a great tasting and vibrant spread. Placing your homemade jam into a sweet jar decorated with a personalised name label and ribbons will add the perfect touch to your thoughtful gift.

We’ve found the perfect recipe for a simple raspberry jam to get you started here. Don’t forget to stop at Peaches for your raspberries! We’re one of the few stores in Perth, which supply beautiful fresh raspberries daily

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2. This gift makes scents! Who doesn’t love the smell of Christmas and the happy memories associated with these delicious scents? Keep these feelings lingering all year round by creating your own potpourri to give to your friends and family. This creative idea will bring joy to your friend’s homes and stand out from the clutter of other standard holiday gifts.

One of our favourites is definitely a delicious cranberry and cinnamon mix which will put anyone in a good mood.

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3. Get your dancing shoes on, it’s time to Salsa! To break away from the dessert trend of Christmas, try a vibrant and tasty salsa to win over everyone at dinner. By using the freshest ingredients available and a whole lot of heart, you can create a delicious salsa which professional restaurants can be jealous of!

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4. Scrub-a-dub-dub Christmas can sure be a stressful time of the year! Take the opportunity to pamper your loved ones and help them relax by creating your own sugar scrub. This Peppermint Candy Cane Sugar Scrub will be the perfect way to help your family and friends wind down after a long day and keep in touch with their Christmas spirit. It will also help keep skin looking smooth and moisturised.

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5. Smart cookie!Baking is one of the most simple and sweetest Christmas traditions around. Cookies will appeal to your friend’s sweet tooth and will ensure happiness throughout this holiday season. Even if you’re not an expert baker, we’ve found some simple recipes which will help your talents shine in the kitchen. These rich and tasty shortbread biscuits are a standard Christmas favourites which your loved ones will absolutely adore!

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With these five wonderful homemade Christmas ideas, you will show your loved ones just how much you appreciate them and create happy memories for years to come.