Wildly Delicious Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Most people think turkey is the star of the Thanksgiving table but at my house it’s the side dishes. Each year, I make the traditional sides my family loves, but I also try to whip up something a little unexpected. If you’re like me, and want to start a new side dish tradition this holiday season, try one of these four wildly delicious recipes. Your Thanksgiving feast will soar to another level, and who knows, one of these wild sides could become a new must have dish at Thanksgiving meals for years to come.

Roasted Vegetables & Pecans with Wild Blueberry Balsamic Sauce

Roasted fall vegetables are easy to make, don’t require a lot of prep time and are absolutely delicious because they stay tender on the inside and have a crispy crunchy outside. This Roasted Vegetables & Pecans with Wild Blueberry Balsamic Sauce features butternut squash and Brussels sprouts. Most people either love or hate Brussels sprouts, but we bet this recipe may convert the nay-sayers. Not only is this recipe beautiful for your holiday table, but it features a sweet and savory flavor combination with an added zing from the Wild Blueberries.


Twice Baked Sweet Potato with Wild Blueberries

This Twice Baked Sweet Potato with Wild Blueberries recipe is sure to illicit “oohs” and “ahhs” from your friends and family. After scooping out the flesh of the baked sweet potato, it’s mixed with creamy ricotta cheese, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, vanilla, and a little bit of real maple syrup. The velvety mixture is then stuffed back into the cooked potato shell to be heated again, and then smothered with warmed Wild Blueberries. In addition to its great sweet and savory flavor, this show stopping side is also loaded with nutrients. Wild Blueberries have twice the antioxidants and more fiber than regular blueberries, and the sweet potato boasts beta carotene, vitamin C, and fiber.


Stuffed Acorn Squash with Farro and Wild Blueberries

Acorn or winter squash is one of fall’s most popular vegetables, and its buttery flavor pairs well with sweet, spicy and savory ingredients. Add a little more fall to your table with this crowd pleasing Stuffed Acorn Squash with Farro and Wild Blueberries recipe. We recommend cutting the squash into quarters before roasting so they can easily fit on a plate. Once done, fill them with the delicious farro and Wild Blueberry mixture. This trio packs a nutritional punch, with the squash being rich in vitamin C; the farro an excellent source of protein and iron, and the Wild Blueberries having twice the antioxidant capacity and 72 percent more fiber per serving of regular blueberries. To save time on Thanksgiving Day, prepare the farro and Wild blueberry mixture ahead of time and refrigerate it until you’re ready to use it. No farro on hand? You can easily substitute brown rice, wild rice, barley, or quinoa.


Wild Blueberry and Ginger Relish

Tired of the traditional cranberry sauce? Excite your guests with this Wild Blueberry and Ginger Relish. It’s delicious and offers a healthy twist to traditional cranberry sauce. Because the Wild Blueberries are naturally sweet, you won’t need to add lots of sugar, only two tablespoons. Not only is it the perfect side dish, but it also makes a great spread for your turkey sandwich the following day. With little added sugar, tons of antioxidant power, and omega 3s, this will be a real relish upgrade for your holiday table.

Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!

Light and Refreshing Holiday Brunch Recipe: Wild Blueberry French Toast Pinwheels

Brunch is absolutely one of my favorite meals. I love that it makes breakfast feel special (because let’s face it, it’s not lunch – it’s breakfast!), but also because the menu is usually a mix of sweet and savory carbs. Yes, there are egg dishes and perhaps even some smoked salmon on the table, but the majority of brunch is breads, muffins, waffles, and baked goods — and who doesn’t love that?

For many years, French toast was a “special occasion” treat in our house, but lately I’ve been making it more and more frequently for my daughter. She is a bit finicky around breakfast, and French toast is always an easy win. I know I will always get a yes, please! to French toast when I may get a no thanks to everything else.

Today, I have a delicious new holiday-worthy brunch recipe for your table that everyone will enjoy. These Wild Blueberry French Toast Pinwheels are a new addition to my French toast repertoire. For one, I used a tortilla-style bread for the base. This made for a very large sheet of French toast that I spread with cream cheese and topped with Wild Blueberries. I rolled it up like a burrito and then sliced it into pinwheels.

I always run my new recipes by my Head Taste Tester (a.k.a the hubs), and he was super impressed. He LOVED that it was loaded with Wild Blueberries! He also said that, unlike traditional French toast, this one felt lighter and very refreshing. To top it off, I drizzled warmed maple syrup on the pinwheels because I used frozen (slightly thawed) Wild Blueberries.  Wild Blueberries are flash frozen at harvest, so the flavor and nutrition are locked in. I love using frozen fruit in my recipes because it’s often nutritionally superior to its fresh counterpart.

This may be French toast, but the Wild Blueberries are the real star in this recipe. The flavor is fruity and intense, but it’s not super sweet, and one serving of Wild Blueberries for this recipe has 32% less sugar and twice the antioxidant capacity than regular blueberries. I’m always looking for ways to sneak in nutrients and using Wild Blueberries allows me to do just that.

If you’re planning a holiday brunch this season, go a little Wild and add a delicious Wild Blueberry recipe or two. For even greater inspiration, enter the Wild Blue Holiday Brunch sweepstakes. Not only will you have an opportunity to win some great small appliance prize packages, you’ll also receive a free Wild Blue Brunch e-recipe book featuring a few Wildly tasty brunch recipes!

Easy Bat-Shaped Cookies with Naturally-Colored Wild Blueberry Icing

We’re finally beginning to feel the crisp Fall air here in the Northeast, which means that Halloween is around the corner. My husband I are thinking about dressing up as Johnny and Baby from Dirty Dancing – it’s one of my all-time favorite movies, and I just love the soundtrack to it. But we’re also wondering at what age are we too old to dress up? I’m thinking never.

I love Halloween, and I love dressing up. Perhaps it’s the theatrical kid in me who used to act in all her high-school plays and musicals. Maybe that part of me still loves dressing up and “playing the part.” I also love all of the fun crafts and treats that come along with Halloween. It never ceases to amaze me but when the end of October rolls around, every food item that pops up in my newsfeed is a silly or spooky witch, bat, ghost or spider. I don’t consider myself a particularly crafty person, and I’m always impressed by what people are able to create for their Halloween parties.

If you’re not particularly crafty either, I’ve got good news for you. The Halloween recipe I’m sharing today requires no craft at all, just following a few simple instructions. If you’ve made homemade cut-out sugar cookies for the holidays, you’ll be golden.

This cookie recipe is an old family one with a few minor tweaks like swapping out one stick of butter with Greek yogurt and replacing about half of the white flour with whole-wheat. And if you’re no fond of your kids decorating cookies with artificial food colors, I’ve got even more good news for you. The icing is naturally colored from Wild Blueberries!

Now, I know you’re used to seeing me use frozen Wild Blueberries for smoothies, but the culinary possibilities with these little berries are endless. I reduced the frozen Wild Blueberries over the stovetop, blended them to a thick fruit puree and then strained it to remove any solids and used the strained liquid as my natural food dye! It’s pretty amazing how we can use produce and spices to make natural food dyes for icings and frostings.

Your family will love this recipe for Halloween. The cookies are sweet (but not overly sweet) and have a subtle Wild Blueberry taste. Enjoy them at your Halloween party and remember, you’re never too old to dress up!

6 Wild Blueberry Comfort Food Breakfast Recipes

As the air turns cool and the sun begins its annual winter retreat, adding warm comfort foods like soup, stews, and casseroles to our daily dinner routine just comes naturally.

Comfort food isn’t reserved for dinnertime alone. Breakfast is another perfect meal to serve up a little comfort food. A warm breakfast made from the heart will fuel your family throughout the morning, help them start their day off right, and create some fun family memories, too. Here are six Wild Blueberry comfort food breakfast recipes to add to your repertoire:


1. Wild Blueberry and Chocolate Skillet Pancakes. Prepared in a cast-iron skillet, these pancakes are not your average hotcakes; they are more like cake. Plus, they have a double whammy of mood-boosting goodness with Wild Blueberries and dark chocolate. Wild Blueberries are rich in anthocyanins, a type of flavonoid that gives these tiny, mighty berries their deep blue pigment. Science shows that anthocyanins are heart healthy and cancer preventative, and new research now adds mood-boosting to the list of benefits. Dark chocolate includes flavanols that boost mood by raising circling levels of serotonin – the “feel good” neurotransmitter. Send your family off with a smile after serving these delicious pancakes.


2. Belgian Waffle with Wild Blueberry Cream. If you’re craving waffles, take your waffle-making to the next level with this recipe that’s loaded with amazing deliciousness. Featuring made-from-scratch Belgian waffles topped with a creamy mascarpone Wild Blueberry spread that’s a lot like whipped cream. The wild berries add a beautiful color, intense flavor and the perfect amount of sweetness to the center filling. Sprinkle with homemade no-bake almond granola to add tasty texture, too.


3. Orange Pancakes with Wild Blueberry-Orange Sauce. Who doesn’t love pancakes? This delicious recipe will add refreshing flavor to plain pancakes. Made with fresh orange juice, orange zest and topped with a warm Wild Blueberry Orange sauce, the first bite will remind you of warm summer days. This recipe happens to be gluten-free, but you can easily substitute the gluten-free flour with a regular all-purpose one.


4. Wild Blueberry & Ricotta Stuffed French Toast Bake. Get ready to savor the day with this delicious, make-ahead Wild Blueberry Stuffed French Toast. It has the perfect amount of crunch on the outside and smooth texture on the inside. The Wild Blueberries take center stage when it comes to flavor, melting beautifully with the ricotta cheese to create a filling that has the perfect balance of sweetness, richness, and creaminess. The natural sweetness of the ricotta and Wild Blueberries reduces the need for added sugar. That said, don’t forget to add a drizzle of Wild Blueberry-infused maple syrup to make it extra special.


5. Wild Blueberry Cranberry and Almond Oatmeal. Oatmeal may be the quintessential breakfast comfort food. Enjoying that warm bowl of goodness is sure to transport you to winter days curled up by the fire. To make that bowl even more special try this recipe, which features quick cooking steel cut oats topped with warm Wild Blueberries, dried cranberries, slivered almonds, plus a drizzle of maple syrup. Just yum!

Wild Blueberry Baked Doughnuts


6. Wild Blueberry Baked Doughnuts. Doughnuts bring back special memories of childhood. They were a special treat on weekends when everyone fought over their favorite flavor. Instead of running to the store to buy doughnuts, try making them at home. These are baked so you’ll need a pair of standard doughnut baking pans, plus some frozen Wild Blueberries. Once you’re done whipping them up, glaze them, toss them in powdered sugar, or try brushing with warm butter and dipping them in cinnamon-sugar. Your guests will be asking for more.

Why do we love comfort foods? They provide emotional connection to memories of childhood and time spent together in the kitchen with family. So, be sure to take a few minutes to plan occasions when you can enjoy making special, warm, hearty breakfasts at home. Your family will thank you.

Easy Fall Soup Recipe for Busy Moms: Butternut Squash Soup with Wild Blueberry Relish

Is it starting to feel like fall in your neck of the woods? Some people are sad to see the warm weather of summer dwindle down, but I’m super excited for it to get chilly again. I can’t wait for pumpkin spice everything, sweaters, and best of all: soup!

The fall also ushers in a busy season of after-school and weekend activities, sometimes making it a little harder to eat together as a family. My daughter has soccer practice three nights per week, so having a dinner plan on those days is really important.

Using my Instant Pot is one of my best strategies for having a meal ready and waiting for dinner on busy weeknights. I also love making blended soups. There’s nothing more comforting than cozying up with a big bowl of freshly made soup, and my butternut squash soup with Wild Blueberry relish is the perfect way to bring everyone around the dinner table for a healthy meal.

This butternut squash soup with Wild Blueberry relish literally tastes like fall in a bowl with the perfect sweet and savory flavor combination. I always like to add a little texture to blended soup, right before serving. You can top your bowl with pumpkin seeds, kale chips, chopped herbs, glazed onions — or you can try my tangy, fruity Wild Blueberry relish!

If you thought Wild Blueberries were only for the summer time, think again. Wild Blueberries are available in the freezer section of your grocery store. I cook with Wild Blueberries year-round and love knowing they’ve been harvested and frozen at the peak of freshness, when they’re perfectly ripe and chock full of antioxidants.

You’ll love the pop of color and freshness you get from this Wild Blueberry relish. It’s a great complement to the richness of the butternut squash and adds the perfect amount of texture to this blended soup. You could also use this relish as a topping for bruschetta or even roasted turkey.

Since frozen Wild Blueberries are available year-round, they’re the perfect complement to plenty of my other favorite fall dishes, too. Check out my wildly popular Twice Baked Sweet Potato with Warm Wild Blueberries or these Wild Blueberry Sweet Potato Stacks for more fall-inspired dishes.

Savory Wild Blueberry Pizza with Cauliflower Crust

Cauliflower is like soooooo hot right now. Like cauliflower is the new kale hot. I mean, have you seen what people are doing in the kitchen with this vegetable lately? It’s pretty amazing. From cauliflower mashed potatoes, to cauliflower rice to cauliflower wings, I’ve seen it all. Heck, I’ve made it all. I’ve got so many cauliflower recipes on my blog; one would think I would’ve turned into the vegetable by now.

Why all the sudden hype for this cruciferous vegetable? Does it contain some secret magical superpower? The reason for all the hype, in my opinion, is that it’s an alternative that fits so many different dietary restrictions. Got celiac disease? Substitute cauliflower for wheat and make tortillas. Vegetarian? Douse roasted cauliflower in Buffalo sauce and you’ve got yourself “wings.” Paleo? Puree or pulse cauliflower to make mashed “potatoes” or “rice.” Cauliflower is just so versatile and it fits all types of eating patterns. Plus, it’s flavor-neutral so it will absorb the taste of whatever you pair it with.

Cauliflower may not have superpowers, but it is packed with nutrients. This vegetable is an excellent source of vitamin C and folate and a good source of fiber and vitamin K. It’s also rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals, which may help reduce the risk of certain cancers, like prostate cancer.

Perhaps the newest cauliflower trend to hit the scene is cauliflower pizza crust, a perfect substitute for those avoiding gluten and for those that just want to add more veggies to their day. In fact, this trend made all the media headlines when Trader Joe’s released their own Cauliflower Pizza Crust. But you don’t need to go all the way to TJ’s to enjoy cauliflower pizza crust – it’s surprisingly easy to make at home. And you can start by trying out the recipe below.

You’re going to love this Savory Wild Blueberry Pizza. It’s got a one-two antioxidant punch thanks to the cauliflower and Wild Blueberries. Plus, it’s super savory with the goat cheese, red onion and arugula, and the Wild Blueberries add just the slightest hint of sweetness. If you’ve never tried fruit on a pizza, this is definitely the pie to start with.

8 Go-To Healthy and Delicious Wild Blueberry Smoothie Recipes from 8 Registered Dietitians

Recently, we took a small group of remarkably, dedicated food and nutrition bloggers from around the United States, on our fourth annual Wild Blueberry Harvest Tour, a three-day exploration of the Wild Blueberry Barrens in Maine. During that time, they received a whirlwind introduction to the nutritious and flavorful world of Maine’s tiny superfruit.

They saw and experienced where Wild Blueberries grow, and learned the 10,000-year-old story behind this indigenous fruit and what makes them wild – the fact that they are not planted but grow and spread naturally, and remain just like nature made them all those years ago. They enjoyed the sweet and tangy flavor of Wild Blueberries right out of the field, and during some deliciously, fabulous meals. They hand raked Wild Blueberries, and met the incredible people in Maine who are stewards of our tiny, potent berry. And, they discovered how Wild Blueberries, flash frozen at their peak of ripeness to lock in taste in nutrition, get from farm to freezer, and ultimately to you!

Wild Your Smoothie Recipe Contest

On the final day of the trip, our guests faced off in a fun, smoothie-making recipe contest. All recipes had to feature frozen Wild Blueberries plus they had more than 40 ingredients to work with. Their creativity was on overdrive and some interesting ingredients like beets, raw cashews and white beans emerged in the healthy and tasty recipes.

Photo credit: Ted Axelrod 

The Winners!

After lots of tasting by our two judges, the following two smoothies — Blueberries Gone Wild Breakfast Shake by Katie Sullivan Morford of Moms Kitchen Handbook and Totally Tropical Wild Blueberry Smoothie by Emily Kyle of Emily Kyle Nutrition —  were selected for their outstanding taste and creativity.

The smoothies were judged for taste, texture, and visual presentation by Wild Blueberry nutrition advisor Kit Broihier, MS, MD, LD, and Bar Harbor Inn Executive Chef Louis Kefir.

8 NEW Inspiring & Healthy Smoothies

If you’re in a smoothie rut and looking for inspiration to ramp up your smoothie making game, explore the eight new recipes created by our wonderful team of food and nutrition bloggers. Each has its own unique character, flavor, and appearance:

Wild Blueberry Harvest Tour Smoothie Recipes

Bottom Line – Wild Your Smoothie!

If you haven’t tried frozen Wild Blueberries yet, please consider adding them to your smoothie making staple list and join our #WildYourSmoothie movement. We know that making great smoothies is a healthy way to get a tasty and easy on-the-go meal during the day.

Frozen Wild Blueberries have twice the antioxidant capacity, 72% more fiber, 8 times the manganese, 32% less sugar and a more intense blueberry when compared to regular blueberries found in the produce section. Check out our Wild Your Smoothie nutrition infographic here.

Once you go “Wild” you’ll never go back!

Breakfast Recipe: Toasted Oat Parfait with Caramelized Wild Blueberries

I usually put my breakfasts on autopilot. I’m one of those people who can eat the same thing every day with no complaints. But I like to get more creative and add new breakfast ideas to the mix when my daughter Norah heads back to school. She isn’t as excited as me to eat the same thing every day, so I try to mix things up and make breakfast a little special. One go-to strategy for making the morning a little more fun is to break out the Wild Blueberries!

September is when most kids are heading back to school, and it also happens to be National Breakfast Month, so there’s no better time to try out a new breakfast recipe. Being fueled in the morning is so important for focus and concentration, especially for children and teens that start the day super early and have to wait a long time before lunch.

Wild Blueberries make a great addition to any breakfast, not only because they’re delicious, full of fiber and are nutrient rich, but also because they’re food for the brain! Recent research shows that eating Wild Blueberries can help with cognitive function and memory, making them the perfect ingredient for back-to-school breakfasts.

We love my Wild Blueberry Banana Bread, Wild Blueberry Crumb Cake, and Belgian Waffles with Wild Blueberry Mascarpone Cream for weekends and special occasions, but my new favorite breakfast for any day of the week is this Toasted Oat Parfait with Caramelized Wild Blueberries.

 The toasted oats are an easy alternative to granola, and take much less time to prepare (but still provide the same crunch and texture). You can make a big batch of these to keep in the fridge for topping on ice cream, hot cereal, or a bowl of fresh fruit. The protein-packed Greek yogurt will keep the kiddos full, and the caramelized Wild Blueberries will make anyone smile.

This Toasted Oat Parfait with Caramelized Wild Blueberries is a delicious way to make breakfast feel special and help your family stay fueled all morning long.

5 Bite-Sized Recipes for Your Summer “Send Off” Celebration

It’s hard to believe that Labor Day is this weekend. For many of us that means time to go back-to-school and the end of carefree summer days. If you’re planning to “send off” summer this weekend with a Labor Day gathering or party, try an appetizer-only or “small bites” food theme. It’s completely on trend, gives your guests a variety of options to nosh on, and the best thing is that a lot of the work can be done in advance so you can be in the moment and experience all the fun. It also makes clean-up a breeze at the end of the evening.

To help you savor the last days of summer, try these 5 wildly delicious small bite recipes:

  1. What’s not to love about meatballs? They’re an instant crowd pleaser and a classic party staple. These Turkey Meatballs with Wild Blueberry BBQ Sauce offer a new twist on an old favorite, and can be prepped ahead of time and warmed up right before you’re ready to serve. The Wild Blueberry BBQ sauce makes for an unexpected and delicious sweet and tangy dipping sauce.
  1. Tacos are all the rage these days – probably because they’re so easy to make, and the filling combinations are endless. Social media has helped drive this craze as foodie influencers took to Instagram and coined the phrase and hashtag #TacoTuesdays, making this delightful Mexican-themed meal a weekday must. This weekend, set up a taco bar for your guests and let them get creative. We love this Black Bean Taco with Wild Blueberry Sauce recipe from Danielle Omar of Food Confidence. The tasty Wild Blueberry sauce adds a sweet and zesty flavor while packing in plenty of antioxidant goodness.
  1. Pizza is always a family favorite and a dish that can be easily sliced into small tasting bites that both young and old alike will enjoy. Featuring the flavors of summer in every bite, this Wild Blueberry Tomato and Goat Cheese Naan Pizza recipe is a sweet and savory recipe that’s sure to impress. And don’t worry, if you can’t find naan, you can use pita bread or your favorite pre-cooked pizza crust instead.
    Recipe and photo credit: Backyard Farms
  1. With the new season just around the corner, give your guests a taste of Fall with these Wild Blueberry Sweet Potato Stacks. Wild Blueberries complement the sweet potato perfectly in these amazing pop-it-into-your-mouth bites. You can’t go wrong with this one.
  1. Finally, an end of summer celebration is not complete without a few wildly tasty desserts. These easy no-bake Mini Wild Blueberry Cream Pies have been a fan favorite since our friend Danielle Omar of Food Confidence created them. If you’re more of a traditionalist, consider serving up this this classic Wild Blueberry Pie from Kara Lydon of the Foodie Dietitian. Create small individual pies or make a couple large pies and slice them up small and top with homemade whipped cream or your favorite vanilla ice cream.


Enjoy these last glorious days of summer with your friends and family. I know I plan to!

Impress Your Family with This Easy, Dairy-Free, Wild Blueberry Soft Serve

Summer is in full swing and so are the vacations, parties and backyard barbecues. I don’t know about you, but by mid-August, I tend to crave lighter dishes and desserts. I love ice cream and sweets as much as the next girl, but I also really appreciate a healthy dessert I can feel good about.

https://wildblueberries.com/recipe/wild-blueberry-soft-serve-ice-cream-grilled-pineapple-stacks/

My Wild Blueberry Ice Cream with Grilled Pineapple stacks are the perfect way to experience the taste of summer in a lighter way. The Wild Blueberry ice cream is dairy free and sweetened with frozen bananas and just a touch of honey. It’s creamy and delicious, but still super light! The grilled pineapple is sweet, juicy, and a little smokey, a perfect complement to the Wild Blueberry ice cream. There’s really no need to get elaborate when it comes to dessert and it’s fun to sneak in healthy ingredients.

The best part about this light and healthy dessert? It’s so easy to make! You can impress your friends with homemade ice cream and grilled fruit for dessert without spending all day in the kitchen. All you need for the Wild Blueberry ice cream is a freezer and a blender or food processor. The bananas do all the work of making it creamy and sweet, while the Wild Blueberries bring the gorgeous purple color, fruity flavor, and antioxidant goodness – all with no ice cream maker required! If you already have your grill heated up for a barbecue, you can toss the pineapple on the grill and have a delicious dessert in no time. Not grilling tonight, but still want to impress your guests? A grill pan gives you those gorgeous grill marks and caramelized flavor in just a few minutes.

These Wild Blueberry Ice Cream with Grilled Pineapple stacks are simple and easy to make, light and healthy, and so delicious. The perfect summertime dessert!