Balsamic Wild Blueberry Millet and Corn Summer Salad by Marnely Rodriguez-Murray

Guest blogger Marnely Rodriguez-Murray from Cooking with Books shares her recipe.  – See more at: http://www.wildblueberryhealthblog.com/#sthash.bnJlkx9F.dpuf

Guest blogger Marnely Rodriguez-Murray from Cooking with Books shares her recipe.  – See more at: http://www.wildblueberryhealthblog.com/#sthash.bnJlkx9F.dpuf

It’s the end of summer here in New England, which means everyone is out picking fresh blueberries in the fields. But for my friends everywhere else who might not have access to fresh blueberries in the field, it’s also Wild Blueberry harvest time, which means that most of the crop will go from fresh to frozen in under 24 hours – so that we can all enjoy them for the rest of the year!

Not only can you have Wild Blueberries year-round, but there’s a huge difference between them and the larger cultivated berries: they taste so much better, have twice the antioxidants, and 50% more fiber! All this and more give you what you need to combat disease and promote healthy aging.

Today, we’re sharing with you a recipe that celebrates the end of summer, but not the end of Wild Blueberry season! This recipe will have you slowly roast the Wild Blueberries with balsamic, tossing it with a whole grain (millet), and adding some fresh corn on the cob. Served with an heirloom tomato and sage salad, it’s the perfect way to showcase the intense flavors of Wild Blueberries while balancing them out with a few summer staples like tomatoes and corn.

Millet, used as the base for this salad, is a gluten-free grain that is high in B vitamins, iron, magnesium, and zinc. Whole grain expert, Maria Speck, in her book Ancient Grains for Modern Meal, encourages us to consume more millet: “And while this nutritious staple is derided by many in the West as “bird food”, it is a deliciously mild whole grain, quick-cooking and almost endlessly versatile, much like polenta and couscous.”