Wild Products We Love: Chobani’s New “A Hint of Fruit” Yogurt Picks WILD!

Chobani, a food-focused wellness company and America’s leading Greek Yogurt brand, has turned to the WILD side with its recently released “Chobani® With a Hint of Wild Blueberry” yogurt. This new flavor is part of the company’s “Hint Of” Greek Yogurt line that is high in protein (12g) and low in sugar (9g) and features hand-selected varietal fruits and spices including Madagascar Vanilla & Cinnamon, Gili Cherry, Alphonso Mango, Monterey Strawberry, Clingstone Peach, Willamette Raspberry and our own sweet, tangy and antioxidant-rich Wild Blueberry that has thrived in the Maine and Eastern Canadian landscape for over 10,000 years.

Why Choose Wild?

Multifaceted Complex Flavor

According to Chobani VP of Innovation, Niel Sandfort, “We needed something that was intense, brought some sweetness, a little tang, and some depth of flavor and complexity within the fruit – so the Wild Blueberry was a quick winner for us.”

A Low Sugar Solution

Aside from providing a dynamic, yet refined flavor, one of Chobani’s main concerns with this new product line was to create a delicious yogurt while maintaining high nutritional value and low sugar content. According to Sandfort, “As our team was developing the products, we had a specific sugar target – the finished product has a total of only 9 grams of sugar, 4 or 5 of which are inherent in the lactose.” Therefore, Chobani needed a fruit that was naturally low in sugar, and with no added sugar. Wild Blueberries are one of the lowest sugar fruits available. Wild Blueberries have 10 grams of sugar per cup and have 32% less sugar than ordinary blueberries. Plus, Wild Blueberries are a low-glycemic food, scoring 53 on the 100-point Glycemic Index.

Nutritional Value

Aside from their tangy flavor and low sugar content, Wild Blueberries add great nutritional value too – having 2 times the antioxidants compared to regular blueberries and 21% of daily intake of fiber. “In today’s market, it’s challenging to create a product in the U.S. that performs like this nutritionally, yet still generates mass appeal,” said Sandfort.

Sandfort says “A Hint of Wild Blueberry” stands out compared to other yogurts on the market today. The refined, modest, yet dynamic aroma of Wild Blueberries combined with Chobani’s creamy texture of yogurt – make it a win-win for yogurt lovers and health-nuts. Also, because the Wild Blueberries are “naturally smaller, more compact, and have less water content, they were exactly what we needed for the otherwise low flavor, low sugar environment,” said Sandfort.

How Chobani Thinks About Fruit – Variety is Everything

While the Wild Blueberry is indigenous to Maine and Eastern Canada, Chobani’s roots originate in Upstate New York – the home of the Apple.

“We know our apples very well,” explains Sandfort. “If you say ‘apple’ to an Upstate New Yorker or any of the great apple growing regions in the U.S., that means nothing of course, because variety is everything. I don’t like Macintosh, I love Honey Crisp – there’s firmness, there’s skin thickness, there’s color, there’s sour, there’s tartness. Wild Blueberries are very complex, just like grapes for winemaking or anything else. So, we, of course, knew that and had that in mind.”

The taste-testers at Chobani immediately picked up on the wide variety of flavors within Wild Blueberries – some being tangy, tart, or sweet. Because of the mild flavor in Chobani’s new “Hint Of” product line, Chobani needed the “sensory to be impactful – and the Wild Blueberry delivers that ‘better bang for your buck’ if you will or the ‘punch’ – so it was a clear choice right out of the gates,” said Sandfort.

Four Ingredient Wild Blueberry Coconut Yogurt Pops

At the peak of summer, our freezer is often so abundant with ice pops there’s little room for much else. They’re the ultimate warm weather treat that goes over big time with grown-ups and kids alike. And when it comes time to entertain, frozen sweets on a stick are an easy fix, since no forks, knives or plates are required.

In a pinch, I’ll pick up store-bought pops, but homemade ones tend to be better tasting and better for you. Case in point are these Wild Blueberry Coconut Yogurt Pops. The recipe is simple, with just four little ingredients, but the end result is cool, creamy and crazy good.

One big upside to these icy treats is that the bright beautiful color comes not from artificial food dye, as is the case with many store-bought pops. Instead, that blue hue comes from the all-natural pigment in Wild Blueberries. Indeed, the same anthocyanins that lend the pretty marbled effect also deliver a nutritious dose of antioxidants. And even though fresh cultivated berries may be available in the summer, there’s meaningful evidence that opting for frozen Wild Blueberries is a wiser way to go. They have double the antioxidant capacity of conventional blueberries and one-third less sugar.

The method for making these pops is easy. First, be sure to take a gander at your yogurt ingredients before buying, settling on one free of anything artificial and lower on the sugar scale. Next, simmer the frozen Wild Blueberries and maple syrup together until reduced to a juicy blend. Lastly, gently swirl the Wild Blueberry syrup into the coconut yogurt, pour into pop molds, and freeze.

Coconut and Wild Blueberries make a magical match in these creamy froyo treats. They deliver big time in the taste category, all at under 100 calories a pop.

A WILD Dinner to Celebrate Mother’s Day

If the Mom in your life is always on the go, keeping track of school, work and play schedules, cleaning up the “not me” messes, and other parenting tasks, make sure you take some time to say, “Thank you!” this Mother’s Day. What better way to do that than by preparing her a delicious and healthy dinner. Make it a fun family affair and get the kids involved. You’ll make some special memories along the way, too. To help you get started, we’ve pulled a few of our favorite recipes from some of our most creative health and nutrition food bloggers.

All of these recipes include frozen Wild Blueberries. These tiny, potent berries aren’t just for muffins and pies. They’re also delicious in appetizers, entrees, and cocktails. Plus, Wild Blueberries provide twice the antioxidant capacity of traditional blueberries and are considered one of the top anti-inflammatory fruits. These antioxidant-rich super berries are filled with bioactive phytonutrients that give them their deep blue color, which can protect against inflammation, thought to be a leading factor in brain aging, Alzheimer’s disease, and other diseases. What makes Wild Blueberries so powerful is that they combat stress in the wild and harsh northern climate of Maine by producing phytochemicals and anthocyanins to protect themselves. It’s these naturally occurring compounds that help protect us from inflammation and chronic disease when we eat them. And the best thing about Wild Blueberries is that you don’t have to wait until summer to enjoy them. You can find them in the frozen fruit aisle supermarket all year long.


Cocktail.
Start the evening off right and before you and the kids get busy in the kitchen, make Mom this cocktail – if she doesn’t drink alcohol, leave out the bourbon for the tastiest mocktail she’s ever had. The combination of Wild Blueberries, mint and lemon are delicious and refreshing in this Wild Blueberry Bourbon Smash. The splash of seltzer gives it just enough fizz to impress Mom with your mixology skills. And honestly, the bourbon is an excellent addition to this recipe but can be substituted for another spirit or left out, and it will STILL be delicious.


Appetizer.
After Mom has enjoyed a few sips of her Wild Blueberry Smash, continue to impress her taste buds with these Wild Blueberry Brie Pastry Bites. Once you serve this tasty appetizer, it will look like you’ve been working hard in the kitchen all day, but this recipe is incredibly easy to make. The kids can help fill each of the phyllo cups with brie and top ‘em off with the Wild Blueberry sauce. You’ll see her smile as soon as she takes a bite and enjoys the crunch of the phyllo shell, the creaminess of the warm brie and the pop of sweet and tart flavor from the Wild Blueberries.


Salad.
By now, Mom’s Mother’s Day dinner should be coming together nicely. To keep it simple, serve a salad alongside your main course! Have the kids create a simple green salad with mixed baby greens like spinach and arugula, include some cucumbers, tomatoes and any other items that Mom loves in her salad. Then WOW her with a homemade dressing. Don’t panic! Homemade dressing is incredibly easy, and this Wild Blueberry Balsamic Dressing only has six ingredients – most of which you’re likely to have in your pantry already. Just blend everything together and then drizzle over the top of Mom’s salad. You may catch her licking the salad plate but hey, don’t judge! She works hard, and you’ll probably want to do the same.

Entreé.
Show off your mad grillin’ skills and make this Shrimp and Veggie Kabobs with Wild Blueberry Barbecue Sauce recipe as your main course. Mom will love the shrimp and pepper combination glazed in the homemade barbeque sauce. It’s sure to be the most memorable meal and Mother’s Day of all time – no pressure. If Mom’s not into shrimp, cubed chicken, tofu or any other protein will work so long as it can be skewered – adjust cook time accordingly. The kids can help by cutting up the peppers and putting all the items on the skewers.


Dessert.
Now that dinner is over take some time to hang out and make some Mother’s Day memories with the entire family. (HINT: Make these Mini Wild Blueberry Cream Pies ahead of time. They freeze nicely in an airtight container.) No baking is required for this recipe! Dates, nuts, and oats make the tasty crust, and little fingers are perfect for pressing them into the bottom of each cupcake liner. As the kids spoon in the delicious Wild Blueberry filling keep an eye on them to make sure enough ends up in the cupcake pan and not all in their tummies. Freeze for 10 to 15 minutes, or longer in an airtight container. It’s the perfect ending to celebrate Mother’s Day.

5 Reasons to Buy Frozen Fruits and Veggies + Wild Blueberry Buddha Recipe

You may remember the saying, “Fresh is best.” You might even still believe it! But thanks to a growing body of research on the nutrition benefits of produce we now know that fresh produce isn’t any better than frozen. In honor of National Frozen Food Month this March, we’re going to be busting some myths today around frozen fruits and veggies!

Great Nutrition: A number of studies show that there are minimal differences in the nutrient content of frozen versus fresh produce and in some instances, frozen has even more nutrients than fresh! Frozen fruits are generally picked at peak ripeness, when they’re most nutritious and the freezing process helps lock in those nutrients. In fact, Wild Blueberries are frozen fresh within 24 hours of harvest, when their flavor and antioxidant goodness are at their ultimate peak!

Less Food Waste: Another benefit to choosing frozen fruits and vegetables is their long shelf life! Fresh fruits and vegetables are at greater risk for spoilage and food waste, but frozen allows you to buy in bulk without the worry of your produce going bad.

Higher Consumption: In fact, one study found that people who purchase frozen fruits and vegetables consume significantly more produce than those who don’t purchase frozen. So if you’re looking to increase your fruit and veggie intake, frozen produce may be your answer!

Smaller Grocery Bill: Purchasing frozen produce can also help keep your grocery bills down. Frozen fruits and vegetables are generally less expensive than fresh. For instance, a 10-ounce bag of frozen fruit is about the same price as six ounces of the fresh fruit. The USDA has a nifty interactive chart you can use to compare the cost of fresh vs. frozen produce.

Enjoy When Ready: I love stocking my freezer with frozen produce because it takes the pressure off of having to consume it all within a short period of time. With frozen produce, I can eat it when I’m ready for it, rather than when it’s ready for me. With 99% of the Wild Blueberry crop being frozen, I can always count on having Wild Blueberries on hand in my freezer.

My latest recipe using frozen Wild Blueberries capitalizes on the trend for grain bowls or “Buddha Bowls.” While this recipe calls for fresh produce, feel free to substitute it with frozen. You can easily substitute Swiss Chard for frozen spinach, and I recently heard that you can now find frozen avocados on the market, too! Wins for frozen produce all around!

Heart Healthy Valentine’s Day Recipe that Will Make You Fall in Love

Valentine’s Day is a time to celebrate the people you love, but it’s also a time to be good to your heart! Most of us think of heart-shaped chocolates, homemade cookies, and other treats when we think of Valentine’s Day, but not every heart-shaped treat has to put heart health on the back burner. These chocolate, lemon and almond Wild Blueberry Energy Bars are delicious, filling, and perfectly themed for Valentine’s Day.

I’ve had a lot of practice making energy bars (my no-bake bites are a huge hit with my clients and family), and Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to create a new heart-healthy recipe. Adding Wild Blueberries to any baked treat always adds the perfect amount of sweetness and moisture without relying on added sugar — and they’re a great source of heart healthy fiber and antioxidants.

Heart health is really important for everyone, and it is important to know that heart disease is not just a man’s disease. An estimated 44 million women in the U.S. are affected by cardiovascular disease, and 90% of women have one or more risk factors for heart disease or stroke.  There is good news, though: 80% of heart attack and stroke events can be prevented by lifestyle changes, such as consuming a heart-healthy diet.

Eating Wild Blueberries is a great way to keep your heart healthy. Why? Because they’re so rich in anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are a group of antioxidants that provide many benefits to the heart — not to mention being responsible for the Wild Blueberry’s deep blue color.

Studies have shown that Wild Blueberry anthocyanins can help prevent lipid accumulation and improve vascular function – both of which play a major role in the development of cardiovascular disease. What’s more, high anthocyanin intake is associated with a reduced risk of heart attack in women and an increased antioxidant capacity. With an increased antioxidant capacity, your body is better able to protect against oxidative stress, which is a large contributor to cardiovascular disease.

With all of these heart health benefits, Wild Blueberries truly are the perfect food to incorporate into Valentine’s Day, a day that’s all about being good to your heart and to the ones you love! And these energy bars have you covered on both counts! They’re super simple to make. Just pulse all the ingredients together in a food processor and spread into a pan. Then use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to make heart-shaped bars for anyone you love. I’m wrapping these up for my mom, but they’re also the perfect Valentine’s Day treat to send to school with your kids – especially on a day you know will already be sweet enough.

Here’s the full recipe. Enjoy!

Big Game Appetizer and Dessert Recipes that Will Make You Go Wild

The Big Game is fast approaching and no matter which side you’re cheering for, whipping up delicious fare is usually a top priority for anyone hosting a party. So, while the warriors on the field face off, make sure you’re serving up touchdown worthy food. Here are five Wild Blueberry appetizer and dessert recipes that will liven up your party table.

Turkey Meatballs with Wild Blueberry BBQ Sauce
I’ve never met a meatball that I didn’t love. They seem to be an instant crowd pleaser and a truly classic party staple. Take ordinary meatballs to extraordinary with these Turkey Meatballs with Wild Blueberry BBQ Sauce. They can be made ahead of time and warmed up right before you’re ready to serve them. And, the unexpected delicious and tangy Wild Blueberry BBQ dipping sauce will certainly turn some heads. For Patriots fans, adding wild blues to the menu honors the GOAT who only eats fruits with anti-inflammatory properties. Wild Blueberries have twice the antioxidants of traditional blueberries and are considered a top inflammatory fruit.

Wild Blueberry Brie & Pastry Bites
Who doesn’t love cheese? These Wild Blueberry Brie Bites are easy to make and the combination of crispy pastry, rich brie, and the not-too-sweet Wild Blueberry sauce really makes for the perfect appetizer. You can bake them ahead of time and reheat them right before serving without sacrificing flavor or texture. The Wild Blueberry sauce is super simple to make, too. Just simmer the frozen Wild Blueberries with a touch of maple syrup and some festive spices, and you’re good to go. After about 10 minutes, you’ve got yourself a tasty Wild Blueberry sauce that’s super healthy. Wild Blueberries are rich in antioxidants that provide heart, brain, and anti-aging benefits. That’s something not many appetizers can boast.

Simple Wild Blueberry Salsa
Chips and salsa grace most party tables so give your salsa a wild twist and make this simple Wild Blueberry Salsa. It’s refreshing and delicious and features two of our favorite freezer items: frozen Wild Blueberries and frozen corn. Wild Blueberries are frozen at the peak of harvest locking in their taste and nutrition. Add crunchy, colorful red bell peppers, green onion, fresh cilantro, lime juice and zest, and some common spices, and this sweet and savory salsa will have everyone dipping.

Mini Wild Blueberry Cakes
These Mini Wild Blueberry Cakes with Vanilla Icing are small in size but big in flavor and are sure to be a party favorite. These perfectly proportioned single serve little cakes filled with Wild Blueberries burst with vibrant color and pack in amazing blueberry flavor. And even though this little treat looks indulgent and decadent, this recipe includes Greek yogurt, which adds a delicious creaminess and reduces the amount of butter in the recipe.

Wild Blueberry & Walnut Blondies
Americans love brownies, but we’ve fallen in love with blondies, especially this Wild Blueberry & Walnut Blondie. This simple recipe may just become an All-American favorite because it has limited ingredients, is easy to whip up, and requires a single pan. The sweet and tangy taste of the Wild Blueberries and the nutty flavor of the Walnuts pairs wonderfully. And while your guests enjoy this delicious treat, they’ll also benefit from the antioxidant-rich Wild Blueberries, which provide heart, brain, and anti-aging benefits, and the walnuts, which are a great source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and an excellent source of those hard to find omega-3 fatty acids. Cut them into single-serve squares and let them eat cake, I mean blondies!

Enjoy the Game!

Purple Food: 5 Trend Setting Wild Blueberry Recipes

As we reflect on this year’s health food highlights, it’s clear it was a breakthrough year for purple.  Purple cauliflower made its foray onto our plates, along with purple asparagus, purple sweet potatoes, purple corn, and purple fruits like elderberries, acai, and Wild Blueberries.

Why?

According to the 2017 Whole Foods Top 10 Trends, “Richly colored purple foods are popping up everywhere [and] the power of purple goes beyond the vibrant color and often indicates nutrient density and antioxidants.”

Here at Wild Blueberries we’re excited that our superfruit and its similarly colored peers are catching some well-deserved attention.  We’ve been extolling the incredible health benefits of Wild Blueberries for more than 20 years.  Among their nutritional highlights, they are:

  • Naturally high in fiber (72% more fiber than regular blueberries)
  • Contain 2X the antioxidants of regular blueberries
  • Are a low sugar fruit, with a score of 53 on the Glycemic Index scale
  • Are an excellent source of manganese
  • Are naturally low in fat
  • Have only 80 calories per cup

Over the last 20 years, powerful group of health researchers has met annually in Maine to share their Wild Blueberry research and collaborate. Many have been credited with groundbreaking research that advances our understanding of how these tiny berries can make a big impact on human health. Their work includes:

  • Antioxidant Research
  • Brain Health and Cognitive Research
  • Cancer Research
  • Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome Research
  • Gut Health Research
  • Heart Health Research
  • Metabolism Research

If you haven’t explored the Purple Power trend, it’s not too late -– the benefits of eating healthy food do not expire at midnight of the New Year! To help you go purple, here’s a collection of some of our favorite Wild Blueberry recipes for any time of day and any time of year. Remember, you can always find Wild Blueberries in the frozen aisle of your supermarket.

Wild Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes

If breakfast isn’t your favorite meal of the day, this Wild Blueberry recipe will have you asking why. The best part about these pancakes? Skip the maple syrup and load up on the antioxidant-rich Wild Blueberry sauce!

Wild Blueberry Orzo with Asparagus

This delicious salad from Danielle Omar, MS RDN, will remind you of summer. The Wild Blueberry vinaigrette is so zesty and fresh that you’ll want to try it on just about everything. You can easily keep this as a side dish, or turn it into a main dish by adding chicken or salmon.

Wild Blueberry Flax Muffin Smoothie

We can’t forget one of our favorite smoothies from 2017! This equally stunning and delicious smoothie was created by Charlotte Martin for our Wild Your Smoothie recipe competition. It’s full of flavor and protein to make a perfect grab-and-go meal for those busy mornings.

Blueberry, Tomato and Goat Cheese Naan Pizza

Our friends over at Backyard Farms let us share this creation, and we cannot get over it! It’s super easy to make, full of color and we love the pairing of flavors – especially goat cheese, Wild Blueberries and balsamic vinegar.

Wild Blueberry Crumb Cake

Once you tell your guests you have a treat that’s loaded with antioxidants, they’ll find it hard to refuse. This recipe from Danielle Omar, MS, RDN is an anytime-of-day delight: perfect with coffee in the morning, tea in the afternoon, or a delicious dessert.

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.