Serves 4

Pumpkin Seed Pesto

1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds, roasted

1 large clove of garlic

2 tsp capers

1/2 cup of fresh italian parsley

1/2 cup fresh basil

3-4 tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 325. Evenly distribute the pumpkin seeds on a baking sheet. Bake for 3-5 minutes or until slightly golden. Remove from the oven and let cool. Add all of the above to your food processor and mix until fully blended and smooth.

Pasta 

4 servings Pasta of choice, I used vegetable pasta

2 peaches, pitted and sliced

1 med zucchini, sliced in half moons

Feta, for topping

Cook 4 servings of desired pasta. While the pasta is cooking grill the peaches and zucchini. First take a ziplock bag and add the raw zucchini and peaches. Add 1 tbsp olive oil or safflower oil. Seal the bag and give a little shake making sure to coat everything. Place the zucchini and peaches on a grill over medium heat for about 3-5 min per side. You want them to be tender but not falling appart.

To serve: Toss the pasta with desired amount of pesto. Gently mix in the zucchini and peaches. Top with feta and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Enjoy!

*Note: Pesto can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

*adapted from Nigel Slater’s Tender volume 2- A Cake for Midsummer

This cake is so good. It is resilient and easy and tastes like heaven. I made it at the cottage where I was missing a few of the key ingredients and didn’t have a proper pan but it still ended up devine. This time I made it at home with the proper pan and swapped out the apricots for peaches and threw in a few blackberries to mix it up a bit. The bones of this cake are perfect to add on to. You can have fun with it. Next time I think I’ll try plums. I love this cake and so has everyone I have served it to. It will continue to be a regular at my table for years to come.

• 3/4 cup butter, softened to room temp
• 1 cup light brown sugar, no need to pack it when measuring
• 2 medium sized ripe peaches, peeled and chopped into bite size pieces
• 1 cup raspberries
• 1/2 cup blackberries
• 2 large eggs, room temp, slightly beaten
• 1 1/3 cup self-rising flour – you can make it or buy it
• 1 cup ground almonds
• 2 tbsp milk

Preheat oven to 350. Grease an 8 inch round baking pan ( springform if you have one ).

Cream together the butter and sugar using your stand mixer on med speed. You will know it is properly creamed when it has almost doubled in size and has turned a nice yellowish-white colour and little peaks start to form, 5-6 min. Add the lightly beaten eggs to the creamed butter and sugar a little at a time making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the mixer.

Mix together the flour and almonds, fold into the batter in three seperate batchs on low speed. Add the milk. Now fold in the fruit until evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Scrape mixture into prepared pan and bake at 350 for one hour and ten minutes or until a wooden skewer comes out for the most part clean. Let the cake sit for 10 minutes in the pan and then turn out onto a rack to finish cooling.

Sprinkle with icing sugar or serve as is. This cake is great as dessert or served with a cup of tea. Enjoy.