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.

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 of Pure Blue Counts Down to Day 8

A filled punch bowl is the center of a holiday spread. It beautifies a table and acts as a destination point for guests who want to try a pour for themselves. Wild blueberries work wonderfully in punch. They are not overpoweringly sweet or sour, so they provide just the right taste with a bright, colorful look. That’s why Day 8 features wild blueberries as part of this distinctively delicious delivery system that will bowl your guests over at your holiday gathering.

Day 8: Wild Blueberry Lime Punch

This Wild Blueberry Lime Punch is the definitive holiday grog. It provides a little sparkle and a little blue. Frozen wild blueberries provide the color and taste along with woodruff syrup, a popular German syrup made from woodruff that adds a fruity taste. It can be found in a well-stocked bar.

For some fabulous alternatives, you can try out these holiday punches from Martha Stewart, which include Blood-Orange Punch, Sparkling Shiraz Punch, Lemon Drop Champagne Punch, and Mulled White-Wine Sangria. Substitute blueberry juice when the recipes calls for either cranberry or pomegranate for a unique taste that is surprisingly mellow, with the alcohol or without.