It's so simple, but so good: toast, peaches, ricotta, balsamic vinegar

It always seems to happen this way. Everything takes place on the same weekend. Hence, I was off racing a mud run and a triathlon at the same time as the local peach festival. But luckily for me, my grocery store of choice this week still had local peaches. With cool fall temperatures and the end of the summer fruit harvest arriving, it may have been my last opportunity for local peaches. So I grabbed a handful, prepared to use them for healthy snacks. Ah, but my friend who is The Foodie for the website BelowTheFalls.com, gave me a better idea. She posted her breakfast one day — fresh, local peaches topped with ricotta cheese and drizzled with balsamic vinegar. That sounded fantastic, so I created my own variation for breakfast, replacing my usual hearty oatmeal with a fruit, cheese and bread combo. I found it perfect after one of my recovery workouts which was both short and light in intensity. This also makes a fantastic mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack on heavier training days. And the best thing is the principle of the recipe. I can easily see substituting plain Greek yogurt or using different fruit. Go ahead. Experiment! That’s what makes my time in the kitchen fun and, as corny as it may sound, makes me excited to eat healthy food, no matter how simple the directions are!

Peaches and Ricotta

Toast one slice of whole grain bread. Slice peaches and arrange on top of toast. Top with 1/4 cup lowfat ricotta cheese. Drizzle with a tablespoon of peach balsamic vinegar.