What to make with blueberries
Blueberry banana smoothie. TNS
Gretchen McKay
It’s pretty easy to find blueberries year-round at the grocery store, although they might not always be competitively priced. Fresh or frozen, juicy and sweet, blueberries pack a nutritious punch. One cup provides 25 per cent of your daily Vitamin C requirement and 3.6g of fibre — at just 80 calories. Even better, they have one of the highest antioxidant levels of all common fruits and veggies because they’re so rich in polyphenols, a compound that’s thought to protect against various diseases and keep us healthy.
When buying blueberries, colour is a better sign of maturity than size. Those green or barely purple berries don’t ripen once they’re picked, so look for fruit that is deep-purple or purple-black. Definitely avoid berries that have shrivelled up or look mushy or soft. While they need to go in the fridge once you get home (they’ll stay fresh for up to a week, and yes, it’s OK to keep them in their original container), don’t wash them until right before you eat or cook with them. The added moisture will decrease their shelf life.
Because they’re so delicate, blueberries should be dipped into a bowl of water to clean instead of rinsed under the faucet. If you decide to freeze them, make sure they’re completely dry before putting them in a freezer bag or container so they don’t stick together. Or freeze them first on a cookie sheet.
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BLUEBERRY BANANA SMOOTHIE
This super-nutritious smoothie is easy enough for kids to make and a cooling pick-me-up after a bike ride or run. Remember to peel the banana before freezing it or you won’t be able to peel it.
Ingredients
1 frozen ripe peeled banana
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 (5.3-ounce) container vanilla, plain or honey Greek yogurt
1/2 cup regular or almond milk
Fresh blueberries for garnish
Method
Combine all ingredients in a large blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.
CHICKEN SALAD WITH BLUEBERRY VINAIGRETTE
While it’s good to go green with a leafy salad, a touch of blue never hurts. This summery recipe offers a fresh take on chicken salad. Instead of dressing it in mayo, toss shredded breast meat in a tangy-sweet vinaigrette made with balsamic vinegar, maple syrup and blueberry preserves. Sliced peaches and fresh blueberries add antioxidants and a shot of vitamin C.
The blueberry preserves only take a few minutes to prepare and leftovers can be spread on toast, spooned over ice cream or dolloped on a piece of pound cake.
Ingredients
For blueberry preserves
4 cups fresh blueberries
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Pinch of cinnamon
For vinaigrette
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 cup blueberry preserves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For salad
6 cups salad greens
1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken
1 cup blueberries
1 peach, peeled and sliced thin
4 ounces crumbled goat cheese
Ingredients
Make preserves: Mix blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon in a saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until thickened, about 30 minutes. Set aside to cool
Make vinaigrette: In small bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, mustard and 1/4 cup blueberry preserves. Taste, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Compose salad: Place greens in a large salad bowl and add chicken, blueberries and peach slices. Whisk vinaigrette again, then drizzle over salad. Toss gently to combine. Top with cheese.
SAVOURY BLUEBERRY FLATBREADS
This savoury recipe, which combines blue cheese, bacon and onion with blueberries, sounds weird. But, and I can say this with a full stomach, all those divergent flavours come together in one amazing bite. Really!
I used naan as the base, but you could easily substitute homemade or store-bought pizza crust. A handful of arugula could also stand in for the basil.
Ingredients
2 naan flatbreads
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese, divided
1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
4 ounces diced beef bacon, cooked and drained
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
Freshly ground black pepper
Method
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Leaving a 1-inch border, divide half the mozzarella, Gorgonzola, beef bacon and red onion between the two flatbreads. Bake until crust is golden brown, 12-14 minutes.
Sprinkle blueberries and remaining mozzarella over pizza. Bake until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown, about 2 minutes longer. Remove flatbreads from oven; top with basil and pepper. Serve hot.
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