Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Family Features
How do you get more of nature’s antioxidant superfruit into your daily diet? Fill your freezer with delicious frozen-fresh wild blueberries. These little blue powerhouses from Maine and Canada have superior antioxidant capacity compared with other fruits and veggies. They’re just as healthy as fresh and may even retain their nutritional value longer. Best of all, they’re available in your grocer’s frozen fruit section year-round, making this tasty little superfruit super convenient.
Wild blueberries are called the “brain berries” for good reason. Scientists are excited about their anti-aging benefits, including their potential to:
Forestall cognitive aging.
Improve motor skills.
Reverse short-term memory loss.
Protect against cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
Be sure to stock up on frozen-fresh wild blueberries so you can enjoy these healthy and delicious recipes any time. For more wild blueberry recipes, visit www.wildblueberries.com.
To get the biggest antioxidant punch from your blueberries, be sure to use wild blueberries. With twice the antioxidant capacity of larger, cultivated blueberries, the little wild ones freeze perfectly, retaining superior quality, color and sweet, tangy flavor.
To be sure you’re getting authentic wild blueberries, look for the word “Wild” on the front of the package, check the list of ingredients on the back, and, if all else fails, feel the berries in the bag. If they are small and “pea-sized,” chances are you’ve got the wild ones.
Wild Blueberry Soy Shake
Serves 4
4 tablespoons honey
11/2 cups vanilla soy milk
2 cups frozen wild blueberries
1 dash fresh ground nutmeg
Fresh mint, for garnish
In blender, combine honey with soy milk. Add frozen wild blueberries and pur e until smooth. Season with a dash of nutmeg. Pour into glasses and add mint leaves.
Note: Almond milk, rice milk or other milks may be substituted for soy milk. You may need additional honey if greater sweetness is desired.
Nutritional information per serving: 300 calories, 14 grams fat, 85 milligrams sodium, 38 grams carbohydrates, 7 grams fiber, 8 grams protein, 5 milligrams cholesterol.
Buckwheat Pancakes with Wild Blueberry Apple Compote
Serves 4
Pancakes:
11/2 cups 1-percent milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 large egg
1 cup buckwheat flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
Compote:
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tart apple
1/3 cup sugar
21/2 cups frozen wild blueberries
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
For Pancakes: Mix milk, sugar, melted butter and egg together. Using a whisk, combine buckwheat flour, salt and baking powder and mix until dough is smooth. Cover and let sit for approximately 30 minutes.
For Compote: Squeeze lemon juice in a pot. Peel, core and coarsely dice apple. Place diced apple, sugar, lemon juice and frozen wild blueberries in saucepan and bring to a simmer. Berries will provide juice when they defrost. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until apples are soft but not mushy.
Dissolve cornstarch in small amount of water (2 to 3 tablespoons). Add to compote and stir well until compote thickens. Bring to boil and remove from heat. Cover and let cool slightly.
Melt small amount of butter in a large saut pan or coat with cooking spray. Place a small amount (more or less for your favorite size pancake) of batter on heated pan and cook until bubbles in batter break. Turn and cook for another few minutes. Serve pancakes with warm wild blueberry apple compote, and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Tip: The pancakes and compote are delicious with a dab of vanilla Greek yogurt or sour cream. Bacon also adds a nice balance of flavors.
Nutritional information per serving: 360 calories, 57 grams carbohydrate, 9 grams protein, 10 grams fat, 102 milligrams cholesterol, 0 grams trans fat, 180 milligrams sodium, 6 grams fiber.
Savory Salad with Goat Cheese and Wild Blueberry Sauce
Serves 6
Sauce:
2 large or 3 medium shallots
2 tablespoons olive oil
11/2 cups frozen wild blueberries
3 ounces water
3 tablespoons Grey Poupon mustard
1 tablespoon peach or apricot preserves
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
Salad:
2 endives
1 radicchio
2 yellow peppers
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper or more to taste
1 pinch sugar
3 tablespoons olive oil
Cheese:
6 2-inch rounds goat cheese 1/2-inch thick (about 6 ounces)
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
Sauce: Peel and dice shallots. Saut in olive oil until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in wild blueberries, water, mustard and preserves. Cook, stirring until comes to a simmer. Simmer 3 to 5 minutes.
Mix cornstarch with a little cold water until the mixture is smooth. Add to the berry mixture, stirring well. Bring to a boil, cook for 2 to 3 min utes. Add salt. Let cool slightly.
Salad: Clean and wash endive, radicchio and peppers. Cut endive into bite-sized cubes. Slice yellow peppers into thin strips. Cut radicchio into bite-sized pieces. Mix vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar and olive oil in big bowl. Add salad ingre dients and toss well.
Cheese: Dredge top of goat cheese rounds in powdered sugar. Place goat cheese on baking tray covered with foil. Brown slightly under preheated grill, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove and sprinkle with coriander.
To serve: Assemble each plate with one goat cheese round surrounded by salad ingredients and wild blueberry sauce on the side.
Nutritional information per serving: 255 calories; 10 grams fat, 12 grams carbohydrates, 9 grams protein.
Wild Blueberry Cheesecake Tart with Nut Crust
Serves 10
Crust:
3/4 cup walnuts (or almonds, or pecans)
1/2 cup sugar
11/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 ounces melted butter
Filling:
3 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
12 ounces cream cheese, softened
11/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup frozen Wild Blueberries
For crust: In bowl of food processor, grind nuts until the consistency of sawdust. Add sugar and pulse to mix. Add flour and mix thoroughly. Add the melted butter through the food chute and pulse until thoroughly blended. Place nut mixture in a 15-inch springform tart pan.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
For filling: Beat eggs until thick and lemon colored. Beat in the sugar, cream cheese and vanilla until smooth. Pour over crust mixture.
Sprinkle Wild Blueberries on top of cheese mixture. Place tart pan on baking sheet. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until filling is set.
Remove from oven and let cool. Serve with whipped cream if desired.
Nutritional information per serving: 406 calories, 37 grams carbohydrate, 8 grams protein, 27 grams fat, 126 milligrams cholesterol, 0.5 grams trans fat, 186 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.