Let Wild Blueberries Help You Celebrate the Spring Holidays

Good news for everyone keeping Kosher this year – quinoa (the small protein-packed herb native to South America) has been deemed Kosher for Passover. While it’s not technically a grain, some worried previously that barley grains grown in close proximity could contaminate it. Those concerns have now been put to rest by the Kashrut Division of the Orthodox Union, so feel free to dig in to this delicious Wild Blueberry Quinoa Power Salad (created by Karmen Meyer of Nutrition Adventures) all week long!

Wild Blueberry-Quinoa Power Salad

Ingredients:

Salad:
1 cup butternut squash cubes
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp curry powder
½ cup quinoa, rinsed
1 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup red onion, finely diced
2 cups baby kale mix (or 1 cup finely chopped kale)
¾ Wild Blueberries, thawed and any liquid removed
½ cup walnuts, toasted and chopped

Dressing:
1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1/8 tsp. curry powder
1/4 tsp. salt
Pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread butternut squash in an even layer on baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with curry powder. Bake for 25 minutes or until squash can be easily pierced with a fork.
2. Meanwhile, add quinoa and chicken broth to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for about 18 minutes or until liquid is gone and quinoa can be easily fluffed with a fork. Remove pan from heat and allow to cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine roasted squash, red onion, and baby kale mix. Mix together, allowing the kale mix to wilt slightly. Add quinoa.
4. In a small bowl, mix together ingredients for the dressing. Pour over quinoa salad. Lightly mix in blueberries.
5. Serve warm or chilled. Store in refrigerator for up to one week.

Wild Blueberry Lemon Custards

Whether you observing the Easter Holiday as a prayerful religious observance or a more secular celebration of spring, don’t forget to add delicious Wild Blueberries to your family gathering. We absolutely love these Wild Blueberry Lemon Custards (from AnneMarie of Real Food Real Deals). They’re a simple and elegant dessert that’s sure to win over your guests.   

Wild Blueberry Lemon Custards

For the Custard:

• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• ⅛ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. lemon zest
• 1¾ cup milk  

For the Blueberry Sauce:

• 1 cup wild blueberries
• 1 tbs. maple syrup
• 1 tsp. white whole wheat flour or gluten-free flour

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, maple syrup, vanilla extract, salt, and lemon zest until evenly combined. You can use an electric mixer or whisk by hand.
3. Heat the milk in a small saucepan until nearly boiling (around 180 degrees).
4. Slowly whisk the hot milk into the egg mixture. Don’t pour the milk in too quickly or it will cook the eggs. Mix the ingredients well, then transfer the mixture to 4 ramekins or custard bowls (8 ounce size).
5. Prepare a water bath by placing a folded dish towel at the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking pan (or larger). The pan should be big enough so the ramekins aren’t touching the sides of the pan or each other. Place the ramekins on the dish towel in the baking dish and place the pan in the preheated oven. Pour hot tap water into the pan to a depth that goes halfway up the sides of the ramekins. This will keep the custard from burning.
6. Bake in the water bath until set (45 to 60 minutes). To see if the custards are done, gently shake one of the ramekins. When the center is quivery but no longer watery, remove them from the oven. It will probably take closer to 60 minutes, but start checking it at 45 minutes.
7. Cool the custards on a wire rack. Then cover and refrigerate until cold.
8. To make the blueberry sauce, cook the sauce ingredients in a small covered pan over low heat for 5 minutes. Stir every minute or so. Remove from the heat and let the sauce cool. (Makes ½ cup.)
9. To serve, place a tablespoon of blueberry sauce on top of each cold custard. Enjoy!