blueberries recipes Archives - Page 2 of 4

7 Tips for Packing the Perfect Lunch Box from Registered Dietician Liz Weiss

It’s back-to-school season and that means packing lunches, again! For many parents, packing the lunchbox can send the heart into nervous palpitations. But for registered dietitian Liz Weiss, it’s an art form. After reading her lunchbox ideas, your anxiety will magically transform into inspiration.

Liz is an award-winning broadcast journalist, cookbook author, and radio show host who started Meal Makeover Moms’ Kitchen, a leading blog for parents in search of better ways to feed their family a super-nutritious diet. She’s also the co-author of two great books: No Whine with Dinner: 150 Healthy, Kid-Tested Recipes from The Meal Makeover Moms and The Moms’ Guide to Meal Makeovers: Improving the Way Your Family Eats, One Meal at a Time and she recently released a mobile recipe app called, Meal Makeovers. You can read more about Liz at http://mealmakeovermoms.com/ and you can download the Meal Makeover app here.

Here’s some of the wisdom Liz shared with us about packing lunches.

How do you get inspired with packing a good lunchbox?
To get inspired I think about color, flavor, nutrition, and seasonality. I really like to include all of the senses – smell, sight, touch, and taste when thinking about the lunch box.
What has worked for you in the past?
I have found that it’s really helpful to include my kids in the process. I do this by simply asking them: “What do you want for lunch?” The last thing we want –or I want as a dietitian – is to throw away food or for a child to not eat something because it’s not appealing. Plus, if they don’t eat what you packed for lunch they are getting no nutritional benefit. One of the most important ways to get children excited is to present the food in a kid-appealing way. For example if you’re going to slice up apples, put a little lemon on them so they don’t turn brown. Put grapes in a small container. Think about how you package your food. Use small containers and put a little utensil in there. Make it cute and playful. That’s why Bento Box Lunches are so appealing. Kids like to play, so it pays off to think about finger foods –something easy to pick up and bite into. Most young kids are either missing teeth or they have braces – and it’s important to be mindful and make sure they are physically able to eat the food you pack. For example, I would never send young kids to school with whole pieces of fruit like apples.
How important is it to be organized?
It’s very important. As moms we really relish our sleep. If you can get 5-10 extra minutes of sleep in the morning, wouldn’t you want that? Pack shelf-stable milk boxes in the fridge before going to bed. That way it will be cold in the morning and will help keep your kid’s lunch cold. If you’re packing sandwiches, wash and dry the lettuce leaves the night before, and have them in a bag ready to go. Cut up your veggies the night before – have bell peppers, carrots, and cucumbers ready with a small container of dip. Recently, I sent my son to school with pasta salad. I boiled the whole wheat pasta the night before and it was ready to go in the morning.
Can you provide a few simple ideas for recipes?
There are lots of lunchbox recipes on my website. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Yogurt, granola and fruit cup— morning snack time at school is a perfect time to integrate some healthy options. I like to pack a small container of yogurt and pour some frozen wild blueberries over the top. Then I add a second container of granola to sprinkle on the top.

Pasta salad—I’m all about whole grains, so I start with a whole-wheat rotini. Then I add all-natural deli ham, feta cheese, diced bell peppers, zucchini ribbons, corn on the cob (leftover from last night’s dinner), and some Italian dressing. This is simple and delicious.

Kebabs — These are a favorite. I use cheese cubes, leftover chicken or deli meats like turkey or chicken. Then I add grapes, melon cubes or berries in between.

Chicken salad — Here’s an easy one. I use cubed chicken mixed with plain Greek yogurt, some low-fat mayonnaise. Then I add nuts, dicedgrapes or apples, or diced avocado.

Quesadillas – These are a hit for lunch and offer a nice change of scenery from the standard lunch. I heat the tortilla and then I add beans, veggies, cheese, and BBQ sauce and wrap these hot in foil.

What are some common lunchbox mistakes?
Packing too much food is a common mistake. Kids have about 20 minutes to eat so I encourage parents to pack the right amount of food for their child and prepare it in bite-sized pieces. Be sure to observe what comes back in the lunch box – this can be very telling. A lot of parents tend to focus on refined carbs because they are easy– they will pack a bagel with cream cheese, a juice box, and a bag of chips. The challenge when packing a bagel/juice box/bag of chips is that it lacks color and nutrition, so focus on a rainbow of colors instead!
What is the trick to keeping it healthy?
Make sure you have fresh fruit and a veggie in your lunch box. Some parents consider juice to be a fruit serving, but it’s best to think about fresh, frozen, or dried fruit as a true serving. Don’t forget about snacks. I view snacks as a mini-meal. Snack time is an opportunity to weave in ingredients that are missing in the diet. If they are not getting veggies or fruit in the morning, make sure they’re an option as a snack. One of my favorite snacks is my Mini Blueberry Cornmeal Muffins.

7. What are some of the worst lunch boxes you’ve seen?

I’ve seen a morning snack of Hawaiian punch and chips. I’ve also seen Gatorade and chocolate chip cookies. These “snacks” bring calories and sugar to the diet, but not much more. Remember that kids are small, and it doesn’t take much to fill their stomachs – so every bite should be packed with nutrition – think nutrient rich and the colors of the rainbow. Every time you pack that lunchbox ask yourself: “What is this ingredient doing for my child?”

What are favorite things to pack for your kids’ lunches? What’s the worst lunch box you’ve ever seen?

Go Wild for Wild Blueberry Ice Cream!

Guest Blogger and Registered Dietitian Lindsay Livingston from The Lean Green Bean has sent us yet another tasty recipe that is sure to impress friends and family this coming Labor Day Weekend. Her newest Wild Taste of Summer recipe is a really fun way to get some antioxidants into your diet and create a summer memory at the same time. Be sure to share this recipe and Lindsay’s other great summer recipes — Wild Blueberry & Spinach Turkey Burgers, Wild Blueberry Ice Cream Sandwiches and Wild Blueberry Zucchini Bread —with your friends and family. You can find them right here on the Wild Blueberries blog!

For me, there’s something about summer and ice cream that just go hand-in-hand. As a young child, we used to visit a place called Cup & Cone almost weekly. It was a small free-standing shack that served ice cream during the Minnesota summers and it shared its parking lot with a retired train caboose. I can still remember the thrill of ordering and devouring my ice cream cone and then spending endless hours climbing on, running around and wandering through that caboose with the other local kids.

As I got older, I spent my summers working for a landscaping company. We worked long hours in the hot Kansas sun and let me tell you, there was nothing better than getting off work and heading straight to the local ice cream store where we could sit in the air-conditioning and enjoy some ice cream.

As an adult, my husband and I often ride our bikes to our favorite ice cream store to enjoy a summer treat, and with a baby on the way, I can’t wait to create our own family ice cream tradition!

Yet, while going to get ice cream brings back a lot of memories for me, sometimes it’s not the most economical choice. Especially during the summer when I seem to crave it all the time! So, to ease the burden on your wallet, the next best option, in my opinion, is to make your own! With the help of a relatively inexpensive ice cream maker that pretty much does all the work for you, you can spend your summer dreaming up and creating dozens of your own ice cream flavors that are customized just to your liking!

I’ve had a lot of fun with my ice cream maker over the years, both recreating store-bought favorites and coming up with new ones. Recently I got a little creative and came up with a new combo that I thought I would share with you!

As I started brainstorming, I knew I wanted to include frozen Wild Blueberries for several reasons:

The color- so vibrant and pretty to look at.
The flavor- Wild Blueberries are smaller and more flavorful than regular blueberries making them ideal to use in recipes like this where you really want their flavor to shine!
The health benefits – ice cream is not always the healthiest dessert option but the addition of Wild Blueberries means your ice cream gets a healthy dose of antioxidants. Wild Blueberries have been shown to have positive effects brain and eye health, heart health and more!

As for the mix-ins, I’m a huge proponent of pairing blueberries and chocolate together, so I added some dark chocolate chips. I also added in some crumbled graham crackers for a touch of added sweetness. To keep the ice cream making simple, I kept it egg-free and instead of all cream, I used some 2% milk to make it a bit healthier without sacrificing flavor or creaminess!

Here’s how you make it!

Wild Blueberry Ice Cream

2 cups frozen Wild Blueberries
2/3 cup sugar

1 ¼ cups heavy cream
¾ cup 2% milk
1 cup crumbled Graham Crackers
½ cup dark chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Combine first four ingredients in a blender and blend until well mixed.
2. Pour into ice cream maker (do not overfill).
3. Turn on ice cream maker and let run for approximately 20 minutes. As the ice cream starts to thicken, you may need to scoop out some if your ice cream maker gets too full. Consider it a taste testing opportunity!
4. About 2 minutes before turning off, pour in grahams and chocolate chips and let run until mixed in.

What’s Frozen Good For? Wild Blueberry Baking (Among Other Things)

Got a taste for something sweet, flaky, and not so big that it will spoil both dinner and breakfast the next day? The Hartford Courant’s Linda Giuca has the right idea. Over at the Courant, they are just close enough to the heart of wild blueberry country (Maine, Quebec and Eastern Canada) to know what hits the spot when it comes to a quick dessert. Easy Blueberry Turnovers are warm and fruity, sure. But do they also integrate one of the most nutritious antioxidant-packed superfruits you can put on your plate? You bet they do. And Guica makes one of the most delicious pitches for the convenience and taste of frozen we’ve heard…well, at least all day! Says Guica:

“These mini-turnovers also used another item from the freezer – local blueberries from last summer’s pick-your-own trip. If you didn’t make a picking excursion, the tiny wild blueberries from Maine, available in the frozen foods section of most supermarkets, make a good substitute.”

A good substitute indeed. If you know frozen, you know frozen wild blues are actually a preferred alternative for chefs and bakers. In fact, not long ago, we answered some of your most asked questions about wild blueberries when it comes to using them as an ingredient in everything from muffins to entrées. Here’s one of our updated favorites from the archive if you need convincing:

Do frozen wild blueberries work in a recipe that calls for fresh?

Yes. Frozen wilds are ideal for recipes in just about every instance. Allison Fishman, author of You Can Trust a Skinny Cook, says using frozen is her ideal method for cooking, mostly because “it’s they best way to get the whole berry.” She also likes the cost savings of frozen, and uses frozen wild blueberries in all of her recipes that call for blueberries, with rare exception. In fact, many respected chefs have revealed their passion for wild blueberries and why they consider them a culinary star.

The IQF or “frozen fresh” method makes making the case for frozen easy—they are a seamless substitution for recipes, jams, toppings, and for eating blueberries all by themselves. Because wild blueberries are frozen at their peak of taste and nutrition, when you are using frozen, you are getting all the benefits of fresh. (Along with the added convenience and ease of use when you’re baking!)

Now you’re ready for a delicious treat with fresh frozen fruit. Don’t forget to open the freezer before you open the oven – wild blueberries are pleasing in so many ways.

Want more FAQs? Head over to FAQ Blue for the most asked questions and tips about eating, adding and cooking with wild blueberries.

Want a Daily Dose of Blue? Pin Your Passion!

Inspired to increase your wild blueberry intake? You’re not alone. More and more of us are putting our yen for this colorful, delicious, powerfully healthy superfruit where our mouth is. Eating more wild blueberries means you’re replacing empty calorie foods with nutrient-rich ones, eating something you love, and, most likely, cooking more at home. And that’s good for your weight, your health, and your well being.

Luckily, there’s a place that satisfies a desire for everything blue and provides a new wild blueberry recipe every day to help maintain enthusiasm for your daily dose – it’s our Pinterest page – a place where those who love wild blueberries come together to share their passion.

Our “WildBlueberries!” page provides lively, colorful boards with themes like Wild Blueberry Cocktails and Wild Blueberry Daily Recipes. The Wild Blueberry Videos board contains a wealth of visual delights, facts about wild blues, and one-on-ones with chefs that use them in their recipes. Where else could you find a fabulous Fruit Pizza, a French Toast Sandwich and this Forbidden Rice Pudding with Blueberries in one place? And, because our Wild Blueberry Daily Recipes board provides a brand new wild blueberry recipe every day, it will inspire and assist you in your quest to get your daily dose of blue.

A Community of Blue

If getting a daily dose of blue sounds easy, that’s because it is. Many people already incorporate a half cup or more of wild blueberries into their diet each day. While some insist on a daily smoothie, others enjoy finding new and original ways to incorporate their favorite blue fruit into salads, sandwiches, entrées and desserts. In fact, if you are someone who is always seeking out new ideas to make meals exciting, you may reap health benefits. Those who eat a varied diet, include a diversity of fruits and vegetables, and eat widely across the color spectrum are often healthier. A colorful diet that incorporates a rainbow of colors provided by nature is an excellent basis for getting needed nutrients. Eating a daily dose of wild blueberries fits the bill perfectly, especially because of their year-round availability in the frozen aisle.

Get on Board

Ready to show your love for wild blueberries?

First, log in to your Pinterest account and visit our page. There’s lots of things to do there:

Follow us. Follow a favorite board, like Wild Blueberry Cocktails, the Wild About Health board, recipe board, video board – or all of them!
Get a link. Re-pin something anytime during the month of October from any of our boards and we’ll post a link to your Pinterest board on Facebook and Twitter.
Have your recipe featured on Wild Blueberry Daily Recipes. Choose a favorite wild blueberry recipe – something you found surfing the web, or something from your own website or blog. Then, post the URL to your recipe in the comment section here. We might choose it to be one of our Wild Blueberry Daily Recipes and share it with all our followers!

Indulging your passion with a pin is a fun way to learn about health and get inspired to create new dishes and share them. You’ll see how easy it is to start eating more wild blues – you may even want to do it every day.

Interested in incorporating a daily dose of blue in your diet? Ease into your regimen with ½ cup twice a week. Eating anthocyanin-rich fruits just twice a week, particularly wild blueberries, has been shown to reduce risk of type 2 diabetes. Then, move to ½ cup every day as a way to attain the recommended goal of two cups of fruit per day. Getting two cups of fruit per day means you have an ally in the battle to stay healthy and age well. It will help you maintain weight and may help protect you against diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s.

Need something else to sweeten the pie? Dishes that include wild blueberries satisfy cravings for the sweet and delicious – and that helps maintain a healthy diet 365 days a year. Happy pinning!

Be a Culinary Star!

Delicious Wild Blueberry Dishes Will Turn You Into a Top Chef

Why do chefs love cooking with wild blueberries? Steve Corry, Owner and Chef at Portland’s 555 and Petite Jacqueline Restaurants (and a Food & Wine pick for its 10 Best Chefs) breaks it down: deeper color and more intense flavor than their cultivated cousins. Wild is a requirement for recipes at Corry’s restaurants where there are no compromises, and for many award-winning chefs wild means better performance in the kitchen and better reviews in the dining room.

Feel like channeling a top chef? With summer upon us, wild blueberries provide vibrant color and uniquely sweet taste that creates seasonal dishes worth raving about. Plus, if you live in Maine or Canada, serving dishes with a nod to the region is simply de rigueur. Here are three recipe ideas that exemplify these virtues to kick off your own personal culinary extravaganza.

Super Summer Salad

Spicy Tortilla Salad with Wild Blueberries elevates salad with an inspired mixture of fruit and warmth that is dazzling to look at and utter fun to eat. Apples and peppers combine with wild blueberries, flour tortillas, and goat cheese to complete the flavor profile. (Check out other delicious salads for summer.)

An Ideal Duck Pairing

If you are looking for a special entrée that shows off the unique sweet-sour taste of wild blueberries, try duck. Duck with wild blueberries is a signature combination at Corry’s restaurants – its popularity is due to a flavor that works tangy blues against savory duck. Wild blues are also ideal to add acidity and cut the fat content of the dish. This Duck Breast with Wild Blueberry Sauce is the perfect example. You can buy conveniently packaged duck breasts at most the grocery stores (and stop by the freezer section to stock up on wild blues).

Summer Cocktail

It may not be first on your list of ways to use wild blueberries, but in fact, this underrated drink ingredient shines in summer cocktails. This Wild Blueberry Baselito is one example of how blues play a part in celebrating the season. Wild blueberries, basil and rum (though this drink is fantastic with or without) make an ultracool cocktail for sipping on the porch.

Top Maine Chefs Love Wild Blueberries. Watch What Makes Chefs Go Wild and see why area chefs use exclusively wild, and how they are inspired to use them in award-winning baked goods and dishes.

Find more wild blue recipe ideas at WildBlueberries.com.

Wild Blueberry Favorites – Your Top 5 Recipes

Need a Healthy Eating Idea? These Favorites are Tried, True & Blue

Looking for a new dining or dessert idea that’s big on health and just as big on taste? We’ve assembled the top most-viewed recipes from wildblueberries.com from the last twelve months and made them into our – that is, your – countdown of the Top 5 Wild Blueberry Recipes. Of all the unique, creative ways to use wild blueberries, why do these recipes keep coming out on top? The answer is palpable. Here, you be the judge.

#5: Wild Blueberry Chicken Breast

We were delighted to see a non-dessert recipe show up in the past year’s Top 5: This one is perfect for its easy pairing of protein with the sweet, tangy taste of wild blueberry sauce. The secret: deglazing the pan with red wine, wild blueberries, lemon rind and salt. It turns chicken into a superfruit specialty. Using frozen wild blues means you can keep this recipe up your sleeve for any time you want something unique, easy, and big on healthy ingredients.

#4: Wild Blueberry Crisp

The jury is in: we simply can’t resist a crisp – the crunch, the sweetness, and the satisfaction is what makes this dessert a true favorite. This crisp recipe delights over and over again because of its fruit combination (apples paired with blues) and its ease. Add chopped pecans if you wish for an additional nutty crunch – undeniable dessert excellence.

#3: Brownie Dominoes with Wild Blueberry Cinnamon Sauce
Brownies are a consistent, seasonless favorite, and this recipe comes in at #3 for its winning combination that rose quietly above the rest. It must be its chocolately flavor that pairs so wonderfully with blueberries. Served with wild blueberry sauce as recommended gives them the crave-worthy quality that makes them a list topper. Hard to believe, but these are Color Code health-approved, too.

#2: Wild Blueberry Pie

The second place spot for popularity over the last 12 months is no surprise – it’s a pie classic that stands the test of time because it is always flawless and delicious. Winning out over more inventive desserts, Wild Blueberry Pie reigns for its supreme beauty (and rustic lattice-top crust, if you choose) and its bountiful six cups of wild blueberries that flow past its corners. Wildly delicious? Agreed.

#1: Wild Blueberry Smoothie

What makes this recipe the top visited recipe of the last year? There’s no secret that the smoothie is a beloved way to get healthy antioxidants. While nutrition experts advocate eating the whole fruit rather than those in juiced form to preserve desirable fiber, the Wild Blueberry Smoothie fits the bill. It contains all the fiber of the whole fruit, and all the dark blue skins where beneficial phytos reside. Add the benefits of yogurt and honey to this naturally sweet concoction, and yep, it’s the best of the best.

Runner-Up: An Easy Summer Dessert. Looking for an easy, colorful, warm-weather dessert that everyone will love? Try #6 on our list, Wild Blueberry Cassis Mousse Cake, a perfect choice for summer.

Check out our new look! A brand new design for wildblueberries.com means searching for all our best recipes is even easier and more fun, whether it’s for breakfasts, snacks, salads, entrees, desserts or a delightful summer drink. (Bookmark us for when you need a delicious, antioxidant-rich dish any time of day!)

Round Turned Upside Down! Wild Blueberry Pancakes Take a Savory Turn

by breahn

For some, food fun days like National Blueberry Pancake Day herald the wonderful ways to enjoy a breakfast favorite swathed in their favorite companion, the mouth-watering wild blueberry. But for others, such a celebration brings the breakfast blues. A day that celebrates a food with the word “cake” in it is one of restraint for many of us, not celebration.

Enter this month’s most heartening foodie find: Fabio Viviani’s Perfect Savory Pancakes – a true upset for the blueberry pancake traditionalist, and for those who have pledged to forgo the treat due to its carb and sugar excesses, a deliciously welcome one.

In this flapjack flip-flop, ricotta cheese lends the richness, and a sprinkle of smoked paprika provides an unexpected lift for such an early hour. Forget the syrup, says Viviani of this savory, not sweet treat: topping these pancakes with syrup would be nothing short of “a disaster!” He uses olive oil instead in a nod to the savory switcheroo, and an astonishing dusting of Parmesan cheese adds the final touch. What could be more out of the blue?

Viviani says the key to fluffy pancakes is to let the batter get thick but not too thick. He blends the blueberries into the batter early, in a complete hotcake turn-around from our favored blueberry pancake method, though he adheres to proper pancake protocol when applying the ricotta. The blueberries carry the sweet load in this dish, providing the perfect foil against the dominant savory taste.

Said one Wild About Health reader who gave it an enthusiastic thumbs up, “It’s really more like an omelet than a pancake.” He put frozen wild blueberries in with the ricotta to intensify the fruit flavor (perfectly acceptable!) and sprinkled it with feta instead of Parmesan.

What’s even better about this breakfast indulgence is that it cuts the flour of a traditional pancake in half. How? Credit the natural fiber called pectin, one of the wild blueberry’s myriad nutritional advantages.

Pectin – A Hidden Benefit of the Wild Blueberry

Pectin is a naturally occurring substance found in berries and other fruits like apples that can cause thickening when heated. (It’s what creates the consistency of jams and jellies.) The high fiber content in wild blueberries comes in the form of this natural thickening agent. One of the reasons this powerfully nutritious berry is also known to help stomach problems and improve digestive disturbances like IBS may be, in part, due to the pectin fiber content – half a cup of blues has as much fiber as a slice of whole wheat bread!

Thanks to the blueberry’s pectin, says Viviani, cutting the flour content is easy in these griddle luminaries. In addition to the wonderful gastrointestinal benefits, this unique take on the cake provides a great alternative if you are cutting carbs as well. What a delightful way to face the day!

Pour it and Ignore it!

Watch Fabio Viviani’s griddle method as he walks through his Perfect Savory Pancakes. View the Chow Ciao video featuring Fabio.

FAQ Blue

The 10 Most Popular Questions About Cooking with Frozen Wild Blueberries – Answered!

More than ever, wild blueberries are smothering breakfast, lunch and dinner plates, and they are doing it in a variety of unprecedented ways. Today, consumers are taking full advantage of this delicious, high-antioxidant fruit.

Why? The wild blueberry’s role in preserving brain health, preventing some types of cancers, and battling inflammation caused by free radicals is no longer the secret of researchers and scientists. Wild blueberries are the domain of everyone from nutritionists and chefs to home cooks and time-starved moms.

Wild blueberries share space at the very top of most any list of the healthiest foods – rivaling omega-3 rich fish and leafy greens – as nutrition’s most superb delivery system. It’s made the “at least one serving per day” rule of wild blueberries gospel in kitchens across the globe. Thousands of recipes showcase their versatility and their knack for making a simple plate soar with taste.

Whether you are new to cooking with frozen or you’ve known about this IQF ingredient for years, you’ll benefit from knowing the ins and outs of how to best use your blues. We’ve compiled the most popular questions about using frozen wild blueberries in your kitchen so you are getting the very best out of one of the natural world’s most superior foods. Here are our ten most frequently asked questions about cooking with blue, including how to make the perfect pancake and debunking the myth of blue batter.

1. Do frozen wild blueberries work in a recipe that calls for fresh?

Yes. Frozen wilds are ideal for recipes in just about every instance. Allison Fishman, author of You Can Trust a Skinny Cook, says using frozen is her ideal method for cooking, mostly because “it’s they best way to get the whole berry.” She also likes the cost savings of frozen, and uses frozen wild blueberries in all of her recipes that call for blueberries, with the rare exception of those used to garnish lemon tarts, where she opts for fresh. The IQF method makes making the case for frozen easy—they are a seamless substitution for recipes, jams, toppings, and for eating blueberries all by themselves.

2. Can I substitute wild for the larger cultivated berry?

Absolutely. In fact, for reasons of nutritional impact and flavor, it’s always advisable to substitute cultivated blueberries with wild. Cultivated blueberries come fresh and frozen, so look for the moniker “wild” whenever you purchase – they are a product exclusively of Maine or Nova Scotia. Wild will provide you with more powerful nutrition, thanks to the higher skin-to-pulp ratio and the environmental “stressors” that allow wild blueberries to develop a protection that translates into powerful nutrients and more intense flavor than their cultivated cousins. It’s also important to keep in mind that wild blueberries, due to their wild nature, naturally contain a variety of berries, which accounts for the variations in size, color and taste.

3. Can I substitute blueberries for other fruits in recipes?

As in this recipe from Tastebook.com, blueberries are a straightforward substitute in most recipes. When fruit is the key ingredient, consider using a mixture of wild blueberries and another fruit. It can create a wonderful flavor combination. And, the wild flavor is one that many find preferable to other berries; they provide a delicious burst of flavor ranging from sweet to tangy, thanks to their natural variations. It’s a taste you just can’t duplicate it with other berry ingredients.

4. What’s the best way to cook with frozen wild blueberries? Should they be thawed?

Frozen blueberries do not need to be thawed before you add them to cake or muffin batter, for instance. They can and should be left in their frozen state for most baking unless the recipe calls for them to be defrosted. Keeping them in their frozen state will preserve their texture and individuality and will keep the blueberries from bleeding into the recipe.

Fresh frozen blues usually come without additives or syrups, making them a seamless substitution. However, if you find your frozen blueberries give off a little more juice than fresh berries, it might be necessary to reduce the liquid and increase the thickener when you use them in desserts such as pies, tarts or cobblers.

5. Is frozen as good as fresh?

Yes. The IQF method freezes wild blueberries at their peak of taste and nutrition. Today, we’re lucky that this modern freezing technique means there is no compromising when it comes to nutrition (they can remain frozen for over two years without losing their flavor or nutritional value). It also means they are economical and accessible any season and any day of the week for spontaneous recipes and meal improvising.

6. How do I declump frozen berries?

In fact, the days of clumped fruit and vegetables are virtually over. With little exception, today’s frozen wild blueberries available in the frozen food aisle use the IQF method of freezing. That means they are “individually quick frozen” which preserves their individuality when they are frozen and when they are thawed.

7. What’s the best way to use frozen wild blueberries in pancakes?

When using frozen wild blueberries in pancakes, eHow.com suggests adding them to each pancake as it cooks. The berries will sink into the batter and will be hot and juicy after the pancake is turned and cooking is completed. Avoid adding frozen berries directly to the batter – that goes for fresh or frozen – most chefs prefer their pancake additions to assemble in the middle of each cake. Sprinkle enough for each pancake on the batter-up side before flipping for the ideal pancake aesthetic.

8. How can I use wild blueberries for more than just dessert and breakfast?

It’s a great question, and one consumers are asking more and more as they discover that integrating blueberries into more recipes can enhance health benefits and give dishes a unique flavor profile.

There are plenty of resources for cooking with blueberries (that don’t have to do with pancakes or muffins) online and in cookbooks devoted solely to the fruit. Blueberries are a popular addition to many salads, for use in chutney, and in glazes and sauces that make delicious additions to pork and fish dishes. Wild blueberries also provide the basis of oodles of unique appetizers such as spicy tortillas or dishes like this Savory Blueberry Ricotta Pizza.

Tip: The sweet and tangy taste of wild blueberries provides an ideal contrast to dishes featuring duck or pork, as in this recipe for Pork Chops with Blueberry Ginger Relish from EatingWell.com. The burst of flavor makes protein dishes memorable—it’s why they are so popular with chefs.

9. How can I prevent my batter from turning blue when I use wild blues?

“Personally, I think frozen blueberries are good for purées and smoothies and not much else.”

Statements like this are troubling—it means some of us are missing out on convenient, healthy additions to our cooking repertoire. It’s not necessary to be stuck in the smoothie rut because of the “swirl” factor – today’s IQF blueberries are much more versatile then many people realize. While it’s true that a blue swirl can interfere in some recipes where the batter must remain pristine, there’s no need to wait for August to buy fresh to bake with blue. Just follow these easy steps instead:

Freeze & Fold: First, wild blueberries create the blue color when they defrost or burst, so be sure to keep them fully frozen and unmangled. Then, make sure not to add your blues too early. Adding blueberries to a cake or muffin recipe should be done last. They should be folded in and baked immediately to prevent bleed. Tip: Toss your blueberries in a touch of flour to provide additional insurance against the blue swirl.

Mind the pH: According to the Blueberry Council, if your muffin, cake or pancake batter is too “basic”, that is, it has a high pH, it can lead to a batter’s colored haze. Blueberries turn reddish when exposed to acids, such as lemon juice and vinegar, and greenish-blue in a batter that has too much baking soda, which creates an alkaline environment. The rule of thumb for preserving the beauty of blues: adjust the acidity of your batter by replacing some of the liquid with buttermilk, sour cream, applesauce or citrus juice and reducing baking soda/powder.

Embrace the Swirl: As shown in this cheesecake recipe, which takes advantage of the blueberry’s ability to create an eddy of purple-blue color, it can sometimes be a boon to embrace the swirl. It can also work to your advantage in things like eggnog, yogurt servings, or any dessert with a monotonous white topping. Use berries sparingly on toppings to create the perfect blue twist. Take a look at how Sassandveracity.com makes use of color with these Not Quite Blue Cupcakes with Not Quite Red Ice Cream. Way to embrace the swirl!

10. How do I keep wild blueberries from “dropping”?

One reason blueberries sink is because the specific gravity may be too low, says the Blueberry Council. Increase specific gravity by using a thicker, denser batter. Dropping can also be the result of too much air in the batter: avoid over-blending during the first stage of creaming.

Bonus FAQ: Basic Measurements & Conversions for Wild Blueberries:

1 pint of fresh blueberries weights about 3/4 of a pound or 2 cups
1 10-ounce package of frozen blueberries = 1-1/2 cups
1 quart = 1-1/2 pounds or 4 cups
Cultivated and wild are 1:1, but your count of wild will be higher due to their compact size. (That’s more skin per cup and more antioxidant power!)
Frozen and fresh are also 1:1; allow for a bit of moisture for frozen by pulling back on a liquid ingredient by a 10%.

Pickyourown.org offers these helpful recipe rules of thumb:

It takes about 4 cups of blueberries to make a blueberry pie. They make their point with this classic deep dish blueberry pie recipe.
A normal batch of blueberry preserves, jam or jelly requires 5 pints of berries. Here’s the recipe in 12 Simple Steps.

Jam Lovers Rejoice!

Q: Can you really use frozen for jams?
A: You can. Most frozen wild products are pure wild blueberries with no syrup, making it a seamless substitution. Find this and other tips for frozen substitutions at eHow.com.

Wild 12-Day Countdown to Blue Continues! Day 2: Eggnog

No drink has assumed such exclusive ownership of the holiday season the way eggnog has. Its beloved rich taste is suitable for high society, and no wonder. Historically, eggnog was a drink for the aristocracy, since only they had copious amounts of dairy and eggs from their expansive farms along with a way to refrigerate them. Even today, a sip of eggnog during the holidays makes you feel a little opulent.

It can also warm your cockles, thanks to its boozy embellishments. Traditionally made with liquor, eggnog can contain brandy, rum, whiskey or bourbon, or sometimes a combination of these. Alton Brown’s eggnog recipe uses only bourbon, while Martha Stewart recommends bourbon, dark rum and cognac. But non-alcoholic eggnog loses virtually nothing in translation. You don’t have to stop with drinking it, either. Eggnog is a shoe-in for holiday treats like creme brulee and bread.

However, if your familiarity with eggnog is limited to opening a carton, you don’t know real eggnog, says Time Magazine in their Brief History of Eggnog. According to the article, “Sugar-laced supermarket versions can’t hold a candle to the homemade goodness, especially since the US Food and Drug Administration permits that the drink can be made from as little as 1% egg yolk. That often borders on “milknog” or egg flavoring.”

So, if you are after the real eggnog, it is imperative that you find some farm-fresh eggs and make your own. While usually made with sugar, eggs and milk (along with some spices) some recipes use cream to make their nog even richer. Of course, calories in eggnog can be sky-high, especially with the added alcohol. If you are using cream, indulge and still be sociable without glugging an eight-ounce glass. Opt for a shot glass or espresso cup just to get the taste, then move to something else less filling. Other health-wise alternatives include using low-fat, soy, or rice milk.

Day 2: Wild Blue Eggnog

Blueberries provide the inspiration for many holiday drinks, and eggnog is a perfect foil for the festive fruit. There are plenty of ways to add the thrill of wild blueberries to your eggnog.

This recipe from epicurious.com uses frozen blues boiled and made into a puree for a wonderful blue take on the classic recipe. They recommend biscotti as a delicious accompaniment.

Other more conservative nods to blue include adding a few semi-frozen berries swirled into the glass to create a beautiful swish of blue, followed by cream topped with a few more on the top. Or, instead of a sprinkle of nutmeg, use a sprinkle of colored sugar—in blue. It’s a wonderful way to pay homage to a superfruit.

To your health!

More Eggnog Recipes

You can find just the right eggnog recipe to suit at Eggnogaholic.com.

12 Wild Days, Day 6: Berry Good Holiday Munching

For Day 6 of our 12 Wild Days of Blue Countdown, we offer up a favorite holiday recipe with a berry twist. Yes, it’s Chex® Mix, and while the snack may sound a little retrograde (according to their web site, the famed party mix has been popular for 50 years), it’s still undeniably good, especially given a contemporary twist. If handfuls of pretzels and cereal just don’t have enough ho ho ho, trade up with recipes like Cajun Kick, Lemon Rosemary Mix or White Fantasy Clusters – it’s not your grandmother’s party mix.

Is it health food? It is not. But with moderation rather than denial as your guide, you can use these tips to keep calories in check: cut the butter requirement in half (it won’t really affect the recipe) and trade out the nuts and replace them with baked crisps or fat-free bagel chips. Then, bulk up the carby mixture with healthy dried berries. It’s an ingenious way to cut the calories from the nuts and pretzels and improve the flavor. That’s why our Day 6 pick is a berry holiday Chex® mix that is easy, pleasing and, predictably, blue.

Day 6: Holiday Berry Party Mix

Start with this Sweet Party Chex® Mix with Berries, which offers sweet and salty in an addictive combination, and the addition of dried berries provide a glamorous zing of holiday color. Food.com has the recipe, which calls for a little brown sugar, nuts, pretzels, famous bite sized Chex® (both rice and corn), and 1 cup each of the following dried berries: cranberries, blueberries and cherries. It will make a holiday bowl superbly appetizing, at least until it’s empty.

If you’re seeking something with a little chocolate, Pillsbury offers Buckin’ Blueberry Chex® Mix, and this exhaustive list of recipes at Chex.com will have you mixing up Snickerdoodle, Muddy Buddy, and Chocolate Banana Nut before you can say Ebeneezer. Party on!