Hving a weekly delivery of organic produce really keeps me on my toes. When we happen on the times where a certain food is repeated after a week or two, I really find myself getting creative. I pull out my Flavor Bible (if you don’t have this book on hand, you really, really must get it) and I study up on various flavor profile pairings that I maybe hadn’t think of. I’ll also grab random foods I have on hand, toss then together into my mouth and see what comes of it. Much like one of those cooking game shows where you have to make do with the random ingredients you are given, this is how many of my most favorite recipes are born. There are plenty of fails, of course, but most of the time I discover a new combination I never would have tried.

After a few weeks of apricots in a row, which I was mostly just eating like candy, from the fridge, I was inspired to come up with a quick snack with some of my favorite flavors. As with most of my recipes, there are many variations you can take on this recipe (I feel like there should just be a disclaimer about this at the bottom of my website).

For those that are 100% dairy-free, whether because you are allergic/can’t tolerate, vegan, paleo, on AIP, etc – simply leave off the feta cheese. You can also opt for goat’s cheese, if you prefer. I can tolerate a very small amount of sheep’s and goat’s milk on occasion, so I added a very small amount. The same goes for the coconut oil, this would be delicious with butter or ghee, if you prefer. If you don’t do honey, try maple syrup or another liquid sweetener of your choice, you could also try coconut sugar, for a deeper, richer taste.

These Honey Balsamic Roasted Apricots are the perfect combination of sweet meets savory with just the right amount of tart from the balsamic. The creaminess with a hint of salty from the feta cheese is to die for and such a beautiful compliment to the sweet, caramelized flavor and of course, as always, mint comes in at the end as a bright, refreshing pop.

[print_this]Honey Balsamic Roasted Apricots with Mint and Feta
serves 4-6

• 12-15 firm but ripe apricots, halved and pitted
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil (or butter)
• 1/4 cup sheep’s milk feta (optional)
• Fresh mint, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 375ºF.
Arrange the apricots, cut side up, in a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Add a small dollop of solid coconut oil (about 1/2 teaspoon) to each apricot half’s cavity. Drizzle the balsamic vinegar and honey evenly over the apricots.

Place into the oven and roast for 25-30 minutes until they are soft, juicy and have caramelized a bit. The time will vary based on how ripe the apricots are and if you want them to fully hold their shape, or not.

Eat these roasted apricots as they are, serve on top of your favorite toast or crostini, over ice cream or yogurt, top with granola, etc. [/print_this]