Peaches and nectarines are some of summer's great pleasures, and we've been blessed to have a wonderful crop this year. This luscious pudding can be frozen for 2+ hours, so that an icy crust forms on the top for a real cool down on blistering hot days. Or, enjoy the pudding at room temperature for a delicious, tangy-sweet snack or dessert, made in minutes. Peaches and pineapple make a wonderful alternative.

Ingredients: Makes 3 cups
4 cups combined peaches and nectarines, sliced
Several slices of nectarine for garnish

Directions:
Rinse nectarines and peaches well under cold running water. Leave on skins.
Make a slice all around the middle of the fruits. After cutting, twist the fruit with one hand while holding with the other hand. Remove the pit.
(If this doesn't work, cut the flesh off of the pit.)
Slice, reserving a few pieces of nectarine for garnish.
Put fruit into Vitamix or blender, starting with lower speed. Then blend until velvety smooth on highest speed, about 30 seconds.
Pour into bowls, garnish, and serve immediately. Or put into the fridge (or freeze for a couple of hours) for later use.

Jinjee, who sends out The Daily Raw Inspiration, recently wrote about her perspective on cravings and addictions: "We are all comfortably used to being addicted; to having something we crave and then satisfying that craving. Cooked food is the mother of all addictions, and when you kick it all your other addictions fade away too." She continues: "But it can be a strangely disquieting feeling to not have any addictions when you have been hooked on something all your life! It is my belief that most of us are in fact addicted to addiction!"

Because of the move, we got away from an all raw food diet, which has resumed over the past month. Watching the process of going raw again, I agree with what Jinjee wrote. Once I got past the first few days of desiring to have something cooked (due in part to being exposed daily to many tantalizing aromas from cooked foods coming from local restaurants), those cravings left. Now, the marvelous feeling of lightness of being has re-emerged. For Rex and me, there's nothing like it, and we're always surprised at how good we feel once we get back to all raw foods after having gone through a phase of eating some cooked foods.

Each of us has a diet that will create a holistic state of balance, whether it's with some, a lot, or all raw foods. Finding that balance is key to achieving greater health and well being. This can only be known deep within one's being, and each and every one of us has unique nutritional needs. This is one reason that we don't like to make judgments about what someone eats, only to offer encouragement and ideas that may help a person to discover what works best for them. It's all so intensely personal!

When I hold the ideal of vibrant health in my heart and mind, the body soon follows along. It alone is the vehicle that can actually take the actions that will bring about my dreams. This in turn brings a natural flow of peace and harmony, coupled with a desire to outflow in the world in ways that are both loving and good.