My Favorite Shade of Blue
One of my favorite things about summer is the fact that blueberries are in season. I simply love them! It’s hard to believe so much flavor can come from such a tiny berry, but an in season blueberry can rival any other sweet treat any day of the week. Even better is the fact these fruits are nutrition powerhouses. A serving of blueberries is packed with fiber, provides 25 percent of your daily requirement of Vitamin C and is filled with valuable antioxidants–even more reason to feast on these sweet fruits! I usually will take a cup of fresh blueberries and snack on them alone with a bit of string cheese, but I’ve got some great ways to use them in recipes.
While you might think of blueberries and sweet dishes, they are delicious in salads. Their sweet flavor goes well with savory flavors as in this Brain Power Salad (Spinach Salad w/Blueberries, Avocado and Salmon). These fresh ingredients are perfect for the season and it’s topped with a Honey Chia Seed Vinaigrette dressing.
A terrific way to enjoy fresh blueberries is in a smoothie. This Berry Blueberry Smoothie recipe is great because it also includes a cup of spinach and one whole, peeled orange. It’s made with vanilla yogurt so it’s even perfect for a breakfast drink. Take a look at the image below–your kids will never even guess it contains spinach (great for those picky eaters!).
While I’ve never been a huge fan of jams or jellies, I do like blueberry jam. I found a recipe for Easy Blueberry Jam that you can make in a small batch so you’re not having to put up jars and it doesn’t require a lot of blueberries. Another great thing about this recipe is that it only takes an hour to make and two ingredients!
Make it a point to visit your local supermarket and grab some blueberries while they are at their peak of flavor over the next couple of months. Better yet, if you live near a pick-your-own location, make it a family outing and pick some fresh blueberries yourself. These little blue gems are like nature’s candy
right now!
See all posts
