How can something as sweet as a peach have so few calories?
One medium ripe, juicy peach has just 50 calories. However, it’s bursting with enough summer flavor to not just calm sweet cravings, but also be crave-able all by itself. That little fuzzy, fiber-rich jewel can be a powerful tool in your summer stay-full toolbox, helping you fill up and feel like you’re treating yourself—and doing it all guilt-free.
Peaches do all kinds of other great things for your health, too: They may lower your risk of heart disease, bind up bile acids—which can help lower your cholesterol—and may even improve your skin. In studies, compounds from peaches may improve your skin’s texture and fullness by helping it retain moisture.
The best reason to enjoy fresh peach recipes right now (and all summer)? They’re in season! Fill your fruit basket with low-calorie peaches to eat fresh—and try one or more of these 13 fresh peach recipes to make this the peachiest summer ever.
Make a bright salad the surprising star of your barbecue cookout with this colorful, sweet-and-savory recipe. With creamy feta cheese, juicy tri-colored cherry tomatoes, pieces of sweet peach, protein from chickpeas and bite from arugula and red onion, this salad has everything—even a simple, homemade balsamic-and-honey dressing that ties it all together. It’s a cool, flavorful bowl that’s perfect for sharing—or whipping up quickly just for yourself for a lunch that feels super special. Click here for the full recipe! >
There’s one thing that’s better than a fresh peach: A grilled one. Putting that fuzzy fruit over fire enhances the sweetness as it softens. Some simple toppings, though, turn that grilled peach into a decadent dessert—honey, a bit of mascarpone cheese and a simple-to-make homemade raspberry jam creates a peach melba that will have you and your family swooning … and amazed that it’s only 95 calories per serving! Click here for the full recipe! >
The beauty of Nutrisystem is that you can lose weight while still eating the foods you love. That goes for our entrees like pasta and pizza, breakfasts that feel like desserts—like the Double Chocolate Muffin—and even Flex meals. Case in point: A slice of this fresh peach pie counts as one SmartCarb and two Extras on Nutrisystem. That means you can eat a piece of real peach pie and still progress towards your weight loss goals. Click here for the full recipe! >
Air fryers are the greatest kitchen invention of the decade, giving food all the crispy, crunchy taste of frying with super-heated air instead of oil. If you don’t have one yet, check out this article to find out why they’re a dieter’s dream … and order one! Because they don’t just make guilt-free fries and fried chicken—air fryers can also make delectable desserts and healthy peach recipes. Take these stuffed peaches for example: With some oats, light butter, cinnamon and brown sugar, the little kitchen gadget turns half of a peach into a sort-of miniature, one-serving pie … and it’s just 97 calories! Click here for the full recipe! >
A peach topped with cottage cheese is a diet cliché—but for cottage cheese lovers, it’s still a go-to because it’s packed with protein and delivers on that peachy goodness. If you’re not a cottage convert, though, try this snack instead: It ditches the cottage cheese texture for creamy ricotta, then kicks up the flavor with some honey and almond extract. It also has some added sweetness by simply grilling the peach. It’s got eight grams of filling protein and is a sweet, summery treat that’s perfect for a filling breakfast—or extra-special snack. Click here for the full recipe! >
These fruity cakes are ready in about 25 minutes—and they might be gone just as quickly! But don’t worry: Two of these upside-down cupcakes counts as one serving of just 153 calories … so it’s a Flex snack you can feel great about while getting the sweet flavors you crave. Stevia in place of sugar helps keep the calories so low, and blackberries give you an antioxidant and fiber boost—while pairing perfectly with six slices of sweet, ripe peach inside. Click here for the full recipe! >
Looking for an easy (and peachy) way to get some of your daily servings of non-starchy vegetables? Try some peach smoothie recipes! With this one, you get bonus weight loss benefits from ginger. The spicy root has been shown in studies to significantly reduce weight and the waist-to-hip ratio of overweight and obese individuals. Blended in with spinach, banana, peach and almond milk, ginger gives this smoothie a delicious kick—you won’t believe it’s helping you lose weight! Click here for the full recipe! >
If there’s another fruit flavor that screams summer almost as much as peaches, it’s got to be blueberries. This salad combines these sweet summer staples into a single bowl of amazing—and then adds the creaminess of feta cheese, the surprising, fun crunch of pine nuts, and the delicate mouthfeel of butter lettuce. The best part? This recipe was created by a reader of The Leaf, Carol, who submitted it as a perfect way to enjoy the summer harvest. Try her masterpiece—and then submit your own healthy peach recipes to The Leaf. Click here for the full recipe! >
Another air fryer miracle: Grilled peaches without the grill! If you don’t have a grill of your own—or if it’s a rainy day—you can still get that sweet cookout flavor to enjoy by itself, or as part of the grilled peach melba or Peachy Honey Whipped Ricotta described above. All you need is your air fryer, some peaches, and … well, actually, there is no “and”! The magic of the air fryer means these peaches are cooked perfectly without the addition of anything but super-heated air. We think it’s one of the best grilled peach recipes. Click here for the full recipe! >
If you thought it would be impossible to improve on pie, think again: A mad scientist/genius/recipe wizard has blessed us with a new kind of pie crust—one that’s got the flavor and crunch of pretzels and is oh-so-easy to make. And it’s got an extra blessing for those fresh, juicy peaches you’ve got this summer: While the crust is baked, the filling of this pie is creamy and no-bake, keeping those juicy slices of golden fruit fresh (but refrigerated) for cool, in-season taste that’s perfect for your next cookout. Click here for the full recipe! >
Skinny on calories, but not on flavor: This peach cobbler has all the ingredients that make the classic a classic—peaches, of course, but also butter, sweetener, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. The difference? The sweetener is zero-calorie stevia, the butter is light and the flour is whole wheat, giving this treat fewer calories and some whole grains, but never skimping on being delicious. Plus, you don’t have to toil in the kitchen all day: After some simple mixing and pouring, it’s ready in just over a half-hour. Click here for the full recipe! >
With just three extra ingredients, this sandwich turns the beloved Nutrisystem Honey Wheat bagel from a regular breakfast into a gourmet treat: Just top your toasted bagel with a half-cup of one-percent cottage cheese, some thinly sliced peaches and a teaspoon of honey for a souped-up slice of heaven to start your day. Click here for the full recipe! >
We’ve already shown you that the flavors of peach melba—with its mix of peaches and raspberries—can still be part of your weight loss journey. This recipe offers another guilt-free way to enjoy the sweetness of peach with the tart tang of raspberry—this time, with the addition of sugar-free gelatin. Nonfat yogurt adds a creaminess that, along with fresh raspberries, turns regular sugar-free raspberry gelatin into a rare treat—that’s made even rarer when topped with ripe, juicy peach slices. Your guests will never guess this indulgent-seeming dessert is guilt-free. Click here for the full recipe! >
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