Fellow food blogger, Amelia Crook of Simple Provisions got me to thinking recently.  Her M.O. is:

Food does not need to be fancy to be celebrated.

To that I say, “Speak the word, sister, speak the word!”

Fussy does not mean good, and yummy does not necessary have to be complicated.  Sometimes the most satisfying eats don’t even involve cranking up the stove or whipping yourself into a cooking frenzy.

Sometimes they involve a simple, perfectly ripe peach.

Years ago, when I was a poor, struggling actress in New York City, summer would inevitably always come to that bad apple like a hot, perspiring bath towel to the back of one’s already hot, perspiring neck.

Everyday I would take the train to Brooklyn and make my even-hotter-and-drenched way up another five flights of stairs to my apartment.

My kitchen was just as small as it is these days, and the thought of firing anything up to cook, made me — simply put — want to cry.  But since crying would probably make me even hotter, I decided to go cool and easy.

And need I say, dear friends, that made all the difference.

Today’s SKC recipe is my gift to hot and wonderful you, and perfect for those times when:

a.)  the thought of cooking anything makes you seriously contemplate chucking your range out the kitchen window,

b.)  you’re in the mood for something cool, simple, easy, and super-summery-satisfying but don’t want to feel like a gluttonous bovine afterward, or,

c.)  you’re in desperate need of some healthy, cooling comfort — a hug in a bowl, so to speak — and nothing else will do, do, do.

It all starts with one perfect peach, some velvety yogurt, and (wait for it…) candied ginger.  ‘Cause this ain’t no boring parfait here!

That luscious peach gets sliced, tossed in, and then comes a sprinkle of spice — ’cause life is all about it…

Some lovely lime zest and then, fold all those buddies in…

A generous drizzle of maple syrup, and you’ve got a creamy, cool, fruity, spicy, hug in a bowl.  Now, how easy was that?

Spiced Yogurt with Peaches and Candied Ginger

Recipe by Christina Lazarakis of Small Kitchen Chronicles

Makes 1 generous serving

Large dollop of organic plain low-fat yogurt (approximately 1 cup)
1 piece of uncrystalized candied ginger, diced
1 fresh, ripe peach, sliced
sprinkle of cinnamon, to taste
scant sprinkle of nutmeg, to taste
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon of fresh lime zest, to taste
drizzle of organic maple syrup, to taste

Dollop yogurt into a serving bowl and sprinkle with candied ginger.  Add peaches, and sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg, to taste.

Top with lime zest — to taste, of course — and with a large serving spoon, gently fold entire mixture until just combined.

Finish with a generous drizzle of maple syrup…to taste.

Enjoy!