Blueberries are a wonderful summertime treat grown here in the Pacific Northwest. They are great for snacking, making into luscious muffins for breakfast or made into yummy jams to be enjoyed in the winter months when the growing season is over.
One cup of blueberries has 80 calories. They are nonfat, low in sodium, contain fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, and manganese.
Blueberry plants grow easily here and are well-suited for our climate. For growing recommendations and varieties, check with your local nursery.
Look for the blueberry harvest during the months of July and August. Select blueberries that are dark blue in color to indicate ripeness. The berries come in varying sizes, but don’t let size fool you. A lot of flavor is packed into each tiny fruit.
Blueberries are so versatile when it comes to preparing them to eat or preserve. They are probably best eaten right away fresh out of the garden or from the market. To eat them fresh, rinse the berries in cold water and drain. For storage, refrigerate unwashed berries and wash before use.
The berries can be added to muffin, bread or pancake recipes for flavorful dishes. They can be added fresh or frozen to your recipes. You don’t even have to thaw before adding them into the batter.
My favorite way to enjoy blueberries in the summer is to eat them frozen. To freeze, wash berries in cool water, drain on paper towels and put onto a cookie sheet. Place the cookie sheet in the freezer for a few hours until berries are firm. When frozen, put the berries in a freezer-safe container and store them in the freezer for as long as eight months.
Proper packaging materials for freezing food protects the flavor, color, moisture content and nutritive value of foods from the harsh climate inside the freezer. Containers sold specifically for freezing are designed to be easy to seal, resistant to moisture vapor, durable, leakproof and resistant to cracking. These special containers do not easily absorb odors, flavors, oil, grease and water. It is not recommended to reuse cottage cheese, yogurt or other dairy containers because they do not resist moisture vapor well enough for long-term freezer storage.
When frozen blueberries can be enjoyed by the handfuls, who needs ice cream? And they are great in smoothies, like the accompanying recipe. If you prefer, use cow milk or yogurt instead of bean or nut milk.
Blueberry Breakfast Smoothie
Source: Chef Scotty. Yield: 2 servings
2 cups of spinach
1 banana
1 pint of blueberries
2 cups of bean or nut milk
Place all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.
Debra Basquez is a WSU Extension Master Food Preserver. For additional recipes, food preservation and food safety information visit http://ext100.wsu.edu/clark/?p=1134. Have questions? Call MFP Helpline: 360-397-6060 ext. 5366, or follow our Facebook page “Canning and Preserving-WSU Clark County Extension” at https://www.facebook.com/WSUClarkCo.MFP
