A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of spending time with a few kids. They proudly bragged how they’re served exactly four servings of fruit and vegetables a day. Are meals supposed to a mathematical equation? These days the government is promoting their new food plate of recommended proportions, dieters shout caloric numbers, and grams of sugar consumed are monitored closely. With today’s cuisines being precise and instant, we’ve lost touch with joyful eating.

Striving to eat seasonal and local produce is a soulful and thoughtless process. In this recipe, the last of summer’s fruit, peaches, is used in a festive salsa lightly tossed with wheat pasta and topped with sweet Seared Scallops. Fresh salsa is actually a diced vegetable salad. When enjoying a large bowl of freshly made salsa with salted tortilla chips, most people aren’t thinking about government-required servings. They eat it, because they love it.

Eating isn’t about food proportions and counting calories, sugar and fat. As long as fresh food is part of a lifestyle, throw away the rules. Life is complicated enough. Just eat with a joyful heart.

Peach Salsa Spaghetti and Seared Scallops

Ingredients
2 peaches; diced
1/2 jalapeño; finely diced
1 small red onion; minced
1 garlic clove; minced
1 red bell pepper; diced
1-cup minced fresh cilantro
Dash red balsamic vinegar
1/8-cup olive oil; plus more as needed
Sea salt & fresh black pepper
A dash crushed red pepper; to taste
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. ground chili powder
1/2 tsp. honey (if peaches aren’t sweet)
The juice of 2 limes
12 oz. wheat spaghetti pasta; cooked al dente according to the manufacturer’s directions
1 lb. large scallops; cleaned with tough outer foot removed; seasoned with olive oil, sea salt, fresh black pepper and lime juice
1/8-cup white wine

Directions
1. Lightly toss peaches, jalapeño, red onion, garlic, red bell pepper, cilantro, balsamic, olive oil, salt, black pepper, red pepper, cilantro, cumin, paprika, ground chili, honey, and the juice of one lime. Set aside to marinate for at least one hour.

2. Cook pasta in heavily salted water al dente according to manufacturer’s directions. Rinse under cold water. Gently toss with half the peach salsa. Place pasta in individual bowls and set aside.

3. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When skillet is hot, add scallops and the wine. Be careful, because the skillet will sizzle. Cook each side for about 30 sec. or until golden brown.

4. Place seared scallops over each pasta bowl. Spoon more peach salsa on top of the scallops. Squeeze the juice of the last lime on top of the pasta, scallops and salsa. Garnish with fresh black pepper.

5. Enjoy.