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.

The Art of the Antipasto Platter

Gone are the days of soggy spring rolls and hot-on-the-outside, cold-on-the-inside party pies when it comes to hosting a party.

That was so early 2000s.

Thanks to the resurgence of the coolness of Italian culture, the antipasto platter has now become the party food of the moment.

Antipasto means “before the meal” and is traditionally served as the first meal of a formal Italian meal.

Traditional antipasto platters include cold meats, olives, mushrooms, anchovies, artichoke hearts, various cheeses, pickled vegetables and some form of bread to serve with.

However, when antipasto platters are done well they can be the pièce de résistance of an entire party.

Ask any Italian and they will tell you that creating the perfect antipasto platter is an art form, certain foods work well together, certain flavors clash and it is all about high quality ingredients.

At Peaches, we have all of the ingredients necessary to create the perfect platter for your guests.

And tag us in any photos of any of your antipasto creations.

ANTIPASTO 3

antipasto 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

La Fondazione (The Foundation)

When you’re building a house, it is important to have a solid foundation to build the rest of the house upon.

The same is true for an antipasto platter.

Start with a great wooden serving board, or if you are looking to be really on trend, find a marble or colored serving board to serve as a base.

Once you have selected your base, you must then focus on the next most important level – the meats.

The cold meats will serve as a base for the whole platter.

Try some fresh prosciutto, mortadella and some Italian sausage – or if you want to get really fancy, find some beautiful bresaola (air-dried, salted beef) to complement these flavors.

 

Il Secondo Livello (The Second Level)

Once you have your meat, move on to the second level of your perfect antipasto board.

Add some beautiful cheeses in a variety of textures – pair your creamy Camembert with flavored cheddar.

If you are opting for something more traditional, stick with mozzarella or provolone.

When it comes to olives, go for a garlic flavor in a mix of brown and green.

Add in some pickled vegetables in a small bowl on the side – you don’t want these flavors mixing with the meats

Artichoke hearts are the next layer and should also be served in a small bowl because of the oil. The flavors of these artichokes are perfect when paired with the meats, so give it a try.

Another fantastic edition is eggplants and zucchini in oil. You can make these yourself with fresh vegetables, or you can buy them ready made.

 

Gli Ultimi Ritocchi (The Finishing Touches)

An antipasto platter is made in the final stages – these are the elements that pull all of the rest together.

Toast some beautiful Turkish bread covered in salt. This should be served warm so that your guests can pile on the cheese and cured meats.

An alternative to this is some fresh pita, cooked in the oven for about 10 minutes. It creates a great “cracker” style of bread.

For a sweeter touch, add in some fresh or dried figs. You could also add in a dip with some bread sticks.

The most important thing at this point is to look for the balance in your platter. And remember: people eat with their eyes, so presentation is everything.

Fresh Vegetables

Crunchy capsicums, appetising asparagus, leafy lettuces, tasty tomatoes….   That healthy addition to balance every meal should come from the Vegetable department of Peaches.  Our valued customers are spoilt all year round with choices from our flavoursome range of fresh vegetables. Surprise your dinner guests with not only your ability to cook, but also with a scrumptious cauliflower and broccoli salad or creamy mashed potatoes alongside that tender cut of meat or fresh fish, all purchased from Peaches.

Fresh Fruit

If it’s crisp new season apples, sweet juicy watermelon or just excellent quality fruit you seek, then look no further than the humidity controlled fruit fridges at Peaches. Our experienced buyers are dedicated to ensuring the quality of our produce is exactly as it was picked. Ordering and market pickups are carried out everyday to guarantee this freshness.

What’s New

You may have noticed a few changes at Peaches.  We have recently undergone re-branding and have renovated the store interior.  Staff members are proud to be wearing our smart, new uniforms with our new logo Peachy.  A change in colour and shop layout has enhanced the Peaches shopping environment so our customers can locate products more conveniently.

All our fruit and vegetables are kept in state of the art cooling fridges to ensure maximum freshness.  The recent installation of this new technology with intermittent water misting allows the vegetables to stay fresher for longer and the fruit to remain in a temperature similar to that of the crisper in your very own fridge at home.

Peaches is also embracing the future of sustainable living and would like to encourage your shopping choices to do the same.  We are researching cost effective ways of using Biodegradable packaging instore.  Keep your eyes open for further initiatives.