National Blueberry Month is celebrated annually in July. My grandson loves blueberries, and he can’t wait to pop a few little nuggets of sweetness into his mouth.
Here are
a few interesting facts about blueberries:
- Blueberries are
a superfood - Surprisingly, a big handful (1/2
a cup) of blueberry gives only 44 calories and offers 2 grams of dietary
fiber and almost 10% vitamin C content of your daily suggested.
Blueberries are also free of gluten. They make your brain function better. Who could you more brain power? ME ✋
- Among more than
40 fresh vegetables & fruits, blueberries ranked top position in
antioxidant health benefits concerns.
- The blueberry is the only food with a truly naturally
blue color. “anthocyanin” is The pigment which makes blueberry's
distinctive color. This pigment also gives the blueberry awesome health
benefits.
- Blueberries are a
native species of fruits to North America with a colorful history taken back to pre-colonial periods. Before colonists came from Europe, blueberry was
brought here for centuries. Until the 1930s, high bush species were not found in Europe.
- One blueberry
hedge can produce over 6,000 blueberries per year.
- British Columbia is considered the world’s largest
blueberry growing region; the US, Chile & Canada ranks top three.
Canada’s top exported fruit is blueberries. Presently, Maine has become
the largest blueberry producer.
- It is clinically
proven that blueberries help to reduce belly fat. Yup, blueberries
themselves fight against belly fat! It helps you to lose weight quickly. I need a bushel of these babies 🤣
- Scientifically,
it is proven that Blueberries can fight against Type II Diabetes,
dementia, heart disease, and more. More specifically, you should take 150g
of blueberries daily to minimize the chance of cardiovascular disease.
- Blueberries have
a profound impact on improving your memory.
- If you boil
blueberries for twenty minutes in water, you can use the color liquid
after straining as a Natural Eastertide egg coloring.
If you love blueberries, here are some recipes you are going to want to make. You can't go wrong with the blueberry pie, jam, muffins, salad, and french toast recipes.
🔵Star-Studded Blueberry Pie
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| photo cred Taste of Home |
TOTAL
TIME: Prep: 30 min. Bake: 50 min. +
cooling YIELD: 8 servings.
Ingredients
- Pastry for double-crust pie (9 inches)
- 4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup quick-cooking tapioca
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons butter
Directions
1.
On a lightly floured
surface, roll one-half of the pie dough to a 1/8-inch.-thick circle: transfer to a
9-in. pie plate. Trim pastry even with rim; flute edge. Refrigerate for 30
minutes. Leave the remaining pie dough refrigerated.
2.
Preheat oven to 400°.
Combine blueberries, sugar, tapioca, lemon juice, and salt; toss gently. Let
stand for 15 minutes.
3.
Add filling to pie pastry,
dot with butter. Bake for 20 minutes on a lower oven rack. Reduce heat to 350°;
bake for 10 minutes more. Cover edges loosely with foil to prevent burning. Return
to the lower rack of the oven; bake 15-20 minutes longer, until blueberries are bubbly
and beginning to burst. Cool on a wire rack.
4.
Roll the remaining dough to
a 1/8-inch.-thick circle. Cut out stars using different-sized cookie cutters as
desired. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350° until golden brown,
5-10 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool. Place stars over cooled pie in any
pattern desired.
🔵White Balsamic Blueberry, Corn, and Feta Salad
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| photo cred Taste of Home |
TOTAL TIME: Prep: 30 min. + soaking Grill:
20 min. YIELD: 10 servings
Ingredients
- 8 medium ears of sweet corn
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives, plus more for garnish.
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Directions
1. Carefully
peel back corn husks to within 1 in. of bottoms; remove silk. Rewrap corn in husks, and secure it with kitchen string. Place in a stockpot; cover with cold water. Soak for 20
minutes; drain.
2. Grill
corn, covered, over medium heat for about 20 minutes or until tender, turning
often. Cut the string and peel back the husks. Cool slightly. Cut corn from cobs, and transfer to a large bowl.
3. In
a small bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, chives, salt, and pepper. Pour over corn;
toss to coat. Gently fold in blueberries and feta. Garnish with additional
chives as desired.
🔵Luscious Blueberry Jam
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| photo cred Taste of Home |
TOTAL TIME: Prep: 20 min. Cook: 20 min. + standing YIELD: 8
cups.
Ingredients
- 8 cups fresh blueberries
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 package (1-3/4 ounces) of powdered fruit pectin
- 7 cups sugar
Directions
- Rinse five 1-cup plastic or freezer-safe containers and lids with boiling water. Dry thoroughly. Mash blueberries; transfer to a Dutch oven. Add lemon juice; stir in pectin. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly.
- Stir in sugar; return to a full rolling boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat, and skim off the foam. Ladle into containers and cool to room temperature, for about 1 hour.
- Cover and let stand overnight or until set, but not longer than 24 hours. Refrigerate for up to 3 weeks or freeze for up to 12 months.
🔵Glazed Lemon Blueberry Muffins
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| photo cred Taste of Home |
TOTAL TIME: Prep: 30 min. Bake: 25 min. YIELD: 11
muffins.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, softened.
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup 2% milk
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- Dash salt
- 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
- GLAZE:
- 1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon butter, melted.
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
1. Preheat
oven to 400°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in milk, lemon
juice, and zest. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to creamed mixture
just until moistened. Fold in blueberries.
2. Fill
paper-lined regular-size muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake for 25-30 minutes or
until a toothpick inserted in the muffin comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before
removing from the pan to a wire rack.
3. In
a small bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, lemon juice, butter, and vanilla;
drizzle over warm muffins.
🔵Blueberry French Toast
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| photo cred Taste of Home |
Prep: 30 min. + Chilling Bake: 55 min.
Make 8 servings (1-3/4 cups sauce)
Ingredients
- 12 slices of day-old white bread, crusts removed
- 2 packages (8 ounces each) of cream cheese
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
- 12 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 cups 2% milk
- 1/3 cup maple syrup or honey
- SAUCE:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
- 1 tablespoon butter
Directions
1. Cut
bread into 1-in. cubes; place half in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Cut cream
cheese into 1-in. cubes, place over bread. Top with blueberries and remaining bread
cubes.
2. Whisk
the eggs, milk, and syrup in a large bowl. Pour over the bread mixture. Cover and
refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
3. Remove
from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Cover and bake at 350° for 30
minutes. Uncover; bake 25-30 minutes longer or until a knife inserted in the center
comes out clean.
4. Combine the sugar, water, and cornstarch in a small saucepan until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir until thickened, 3 minutes. Stir in blueberries; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until berries burst, 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in butter. Serve with French toast.
Facts from 42 Fun Facts about Blueberries that You Should Know.
Recipes from Taste of Home.
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