Thursday, August 21, 2008

I Love Frozen Blueberries!

What I love so much about summer is blueberry season (and camping, bike rides, and watching my cats sunbath). Nothing compares to the taste and texture of fresh blueberries. Except maybe fresh, frozen blueberries! I love getting out a cup of frozen blueberries and letting them defrost for about a minute. They are cold and have a crunch that brings out their sweet flavor. I could eat so many blueberries I would turn myself blue, so I have to try and control myself. Luckily, this special treat is also really healthy. Blueberries are low in calories, high in vitamin C and are an antioxidant powerhouse. To find out more, check out the world's healthiest foods website.

Blueberries are fabulous in every possible way; fresh, frozen and baked. Check out my friend Krissy's Blueberry Bar Recipe. Yum!

Blueberry Bars

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar
½ tsp salt 1 cup rolled oats
½ cup shortening
2 ½ cups blueberries
¼ cup granulated sugar

Work together flour, brown sugar, oats and shortening (spectrum or earth balance would work great) with pastry blender. Spread a little more than half of the mixture in a greased 8-inch square pan. Pack it down a little. Mix blueberries with granulated sugar. Spread over first mixture in pan, cover with other half of crumbly mixture. Bake at 375°F for 45 minutes. Cut into bars when cool.
Blueberry season may already be over, but check with your local farms just in case. In the Pacific Northwest, all crops have been little late this year. Local farms may offer other wonderful fruit options to enjoy as well. U-pick farms are fantastic since they allow you support your local community, plus, you really can taste the difference.

In Portland, Sauvie Island is a very popular, and beautiful, spot for u-pick experiences. This year I joined a group of vegans and visited a new farm called Klock Farm which was friendly and had no spray blueberries available. They are located at 931 NE Salzman Rd in Corbett, OR 97019. Call first to make sure blueberries are still available at 503-695-5882.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

i have a bag of blueberries in my freezer from when my boyfriend and i went blueberry picking a few weeks ago. i never thought about letting them defrost a bit and then eating them! i've been putting them in pancakes, and that's been super yummy..but i love just straight up blueberries too!