Simple Apricot, Cherry and Ricotta Toast

Sometimes in the middle of the afternoon, after I’ve had lunch, but not close enough to dinner, I get RAVENOUS, especially if I had a good workout that morning. That’s when I walk over to fridge and scan the contents for a tasty snack that’s nutritious, easy and delicious. Today that snack happened to be Apricot, Cherry and Ricotta Toast.

Eating healthy isn’t hard, especially when there is fresh produce everywhere. Summer brings with it the juiciest, plumpest, most delicious cherries. If you’re fortunate enough to live in a state that produces these delightful little gems, be sure to pick some up soon. And if cherries are ripe and ready where you live, so are the apricots. Combine these two fruits in the same little snack and your mouth will pay you endless compliments.

This isn’t a recipe, really, it’s just a simple snack idea, but one I’d never thought of until I took a gander in my fridge and had a lightbulb moment of the kind that says, “you brilliant, sneaky little pixie!” (Fun fact about me: I’m only five feet tall, and my dear friend Michelle calls me pixie. I admit, I quite like it).

First, of course, you’ll want to seek out some fresh summer apricots and cherries. If these grow in your backyard, I envy you (except not the “there’s so much fruit on my trees I can’t eat if fast enough and it’s fermenting in my backyard” part). Incidentally, here in Salt Lake there’s an amazing  organization called The Green Urban Lunch Box. Volunteers from this organization will come harvest your fruit trees through their FruitShare program. The homeowner and volunteers get to keep some of the produce, and then hey then donate the rest of the fruit to a hunger relief organization in the area. How awesome is that? If this is something that interests you, do a web search for a similar program in your area, or maybe gather a few friends and start one in your community! I just signed up to volunteer with The Green Urban Lunch Box. Can’t wait to get started.

But, I digress. Back to our tasty snack. Next you’ll need a nice, crusty loaf of some quality sourdough bread. I love the sourdough loaf from the bakery at Harmon’s in Salt Lake City, my favorite local grocery store. If you don’t like sourdough, another nice, crusty loaf will work. Finally, you’ll want to get your hands on some whole milk ricotta. Yes, WHOLE MILK – it’s so much better than skim milk ricotta. I’m generally not a fan of fat-free or low-fat dairy products. Aside from tasting better, full-fat dairy is simply better for you. I won’t get into the details because I’m not a nutritionist, but if you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of whole-milk products vs. low-fat, here’s an article from U.S. News titled 5 Reasons to Start Eating Full-Fat Dairy, According to Science. 

I hope this post inspires you to seek out fresh local produce in your area and to get creative with the ingredients you gather. I know I’m really looking forward to visiting some backyard orchards soon not only to get my hands on some fresh produce, but also to connect with other food loving people in my community.

Take a quick peek in your fridge and see what inspires you, and if you’ve the ingredients for this delicious Apricot, Cherry and Ricotta Toast, you might consider doing a happy dance.