The first of the apricot crop is coming into our farmers’ markets…and you can bet they will be a primary staple in our house during their brief season.  In addition to being a wonderful dessert item, apricots are fun to play with in salsas and chutneys and rice dishes.  They are tastiest fresh, but also used dried in a variety of baked goods such as these scones for breakfast…

Apricot and Pistachio Scones (adapted from Sascha Weiss) – Makes 8-10

These scones are a great way to start the day on a healthy bent.  Buckwheat and brown rice are high in fiber and offer B vitamins to keep stress at bay; flax seed gives a shot of Omega 3s for the heart and the brain; grapeseed oil is high in antioxidants for the skin; apricots are vitamin A superstars; and pistachios are a great source of vegetable protein to give you lasting energy.

1 cup buckwheat flour (you can use whole wheat or spelt if gluten is not an issue)
1 cup brown rice flour
2 TB flax seed, ground
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 pinch sea salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
5 TB grapeseed oil
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup nut milk, unsweetened
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup dried apricots*, chopped small
1/2 cup raw pistachios, toasted and chopped

Preheat oven to 350.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a bowl, sift together dry ingredients.  (if you don’t have a sifter, just use a mesh strainer.)  Whisk to combine.
Put wet ingredients in another bowl and stir until blended. Add dry mix to wet with a rubber spatula, adding apricots and pistachios towards the end.
Divide dough into heaping 1 cup mounds and put onto baking sheet.  Bake 16-19 minutes or until toothpick comes clean from the middle.
Serve with fresh apricot jam or butter.

Gluten Free, Dairy Free

*Make sure you buy organic apricots, as dried fruits are one of the highest concentrated sources of pesticides.