It’s always fun to eat small, especially in summer.  In the summertime, there’s something special about sitting on your patio, roof deck or on a picnic blanket relishing tasty food.

It was fun to create for this month’s RecipeRedux Theme: Small Plates For Sunny Days.

Small bites are perfect for trying many different tastes. Take tapas style eating outside for al fresco dining or a simple picnic. Or maybe you’re serving small bites at a bridal or baby shower or a graduation party. Show us your healthy take on small plates and finger foods. 

My favorite thing to do in summer is to grill veggies and fruits.  I love grilling fruit as it brings out its natural sweetness.  Today, I am grilling peaches.  They are so jammed packed with nutrients and low calorie with only 68 calories in a large peach; they are jammed with vitamin C, B-vitamins like niacin and folate, as well as potassium - which is a natural blood pressure regulator.  Peaches are also culinarily diverse as they are delicious in sweet desserts and savory dishes, too.

Ginger adds a great flavor and medicinal quality to this dish.  Ginger is great for digestion, nausea and upset stomach, plus it’s anti-inflammatory.  By pureeing the ginger and adding lime, a hint of shallots and tomato, and sautéing with grape seed oil, it makes a tasty sauce for shredded chicken, pork, tofu, and beans.

Let’s get cooking…this small dish is perfect for a party appetizer or meal with a side salad.

Serves 4 (3 bite-size rounds)

Ingredients

12 chicken breast tenderloins, baked and shredded

3 medium peaches, sliced into rounds

1/4 cup diced ginger

2 limes, peeled and juiced

1 tablespoon grape seed oil

1 small shallot, diced

1 small tomato, diced

Dash of salt and pepper

Directions

In a 350 degree oven, place chicken on a baking sheet and cook through from 20 minutes or until internal temperature is 165 degrees F. Set aside to cool.  Shred with two forks and place in a bowl.

On a heated grill, place peach slices and heat until grill marks appear on both sides.

In a small food processor, add ginger and lime juice and puree until well-blended.  On the stovetop, add oil to a small skillet with shallots and ginger.  Heat for a minute or two and add tomato and salt; stir together until combined and heated through.

Add shredded chicken to ginger mixture and toss.   Dollop a tablespoon of the seasoned chicken onto each grilled peach slice.  Place on a serving platter.  Serve immediately.

**Just as a side, my husband wanted his chicken more creamy and instead of tomatoes, he added 1/4 cup of half and half to ginger lime mixture.  It worked well by cutting the ginger a bit and adding a richness to the dish.  Mine is lighter, of course - but his is a great alternative.

Enjoy eating simply,

Vicki