Blueberries for the Family
By Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers
www.FreshBaby.com
Blueberries are available in many forms: fresh, frozen, juice, puree,
concentrate and dried. Fresh blueberries should be firm, dry, plump and
smooth-skinned. Ripe berries are deep purple blue to blue-black. Stay
away from containers of berries with juice stains, or that contain
moldy, soft, watery or wrinkled fruit.
Storage: Store covered in the refrigerator for five to seven days. Don’t
wash blueberries until to you are ready to use them.
Preparation: Wash fresh or frozen berries before using them.
Freezing fresh blueberries: While blueberries are available year round,
they are least expensive when they are in season in your area. Take
advantage of your local crop year round by freezing blueberries. That’s
right, blueberries freeze very well. To freeze blueberries: Do not wash
them. Lay a single layer of blueberries on a cookie sheet (or flat pan)
and freeze them. Once frozen, packed the berries into containers or
freezer storage bags. This method makes it is easy to grab a handful of
berries from the freezer for pancakes, smoothies, etc. Wash them before
using.
Blueberry pancakes: A weekend family favorite. To prevent your batter
from turning purple and for easier flipping, add the blueberries as soon
as the batter has been poured on the griddle.
Dried blueberries: Available in many stores, dried blueberries are great
in scones, banana bread, cookies, trail mix or sprinkled in popcorn or
Chex mix.
Blueberry Relish: This delicious and simple relish is great with grilled
chicken breast. It is also wonderful on grilled cheese sandwiches.
Ingredients:
• 1 cup onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup sherry
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup fresh (or frozen) blueberries
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes or canned diced tomatoes (drained)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
1. Add olive oil to saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, and cook
until onions are golden, about 5 to 7 minutes.
2. Add sherry, vinegar, blueberries, tomatoes, salt and pepper.
3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and gently simmer 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and transfer relish to a serving bowl. Stays fresh
in the refrigerator for five days. Can be frozen for up to two months.
Blueberry-Mango Soup: Looking for something different to serve for
dessert? Try this soup. It is very impressive and quite easy.
Ingredients:
• 6 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
• 2 cups diced mango
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon cardamom OR cinnamon
• 1 cup apple juice
Directions:
1. In a saucepan, combine blueberries, sugar, lime juice and cardamom.
Over medium-high heat, bring mixture to a boil; cook and stir until
sugar dissolves, about 7 minutes.
2. Transfer to a blender and purée until completely smooth. Stir in
apple juice and chill in refrigerator until serving. Serve in martini or
margarita glasses.
Blueberries
Unlike most fruits, the blueberry was not introduced to the United
States by Europeans or other immigrants. Blueberries are native to North
America, and it was the Native Americans who introduced European
settlers to this wonderful, healthful fruit.
Blueberries were important to the Native Americans. They were eaten
fresh, added to soups and stews, dried for the winter and used for
medicinal purposes, making strong teas from the roots.
American settlers learned quickly about blueberries, and early medical
books show blueberry tea was used by wives of settlers during labor.
Blueberry juice was used for "old coughs" and tea made from Wild
Blueberry leaves was believed to be a good tonic to help purify the
blood.
New research provides proof that the Native Americans and settlers were
correct in believing that blueberries held great healing power. Ranking
No. 1 in antioxidant levels, blueberries are most likely the best food
to eat for cancer prevention. The total antioxidant capacity of
blueberries is twice that of spinach and three times that of oranges.
This extraordinary fruit is also rich in pectin, a soluble fiber that
has been shown in several research studies to be effective in lowering
cholesterol. Blueberries are also rich in vitamin A and C.
Blueberries can be effective in combating the "runs,” because they
contain anthocyanin. This substance has mild antibiotic properties,
especially against intestinal bacteria that cause diarrhea.
Even though, blueberries have a short season, they are almost always
available in your grocery store. They are grown throughout the US (35 of
the 50 states), with local seasons ranging from early summer to the
fall. And thanks to today’s modern transportation methods, blueberries
from South America are available throughout the winter.
About The Authors: Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers are sisters, the mothers of five children and founders of Fresh Baby ( www.FreshBaby.com ). They are the creators of the award-winning So Easy Baby Food Kit and Good Clean Fun Placemats, available at many fine specialty stores and national chains including Target and Whole Foods Markets.
Used With Permission
