I lived in Virginia as a child. In the summers, I loved to hike through the mountains. The nature was peaceful, and the blueberries were terrific. If you like blueberries like I do, then you are in luck. Washington is a top producing state.
As well as being a sweet treat, blueberries support a healthy life. They are full of nutrients and fiber. They also contain many phytochemicals, which produce anti-inflammatory effects in our bodies that may guard against conditions such as diabetes, cancer and arthritis.
Fresh blueberries are available from July through September in Washington. Find them at farmers markets and U-Pick berry patches. Look for plump, smooth-skinned berries. They should be deep blue in color with a silvery sheen. This color, not the berry’s size, indicates ripeness. Store in the refrigerator as soon as possible and up to 14 days. Wash right before use.
Blueberries can be preserved in many ways. Freezing is a low-risk and cost-effective way to preserve blueberries. To freeze, seal the blueberry carton in a freezer-grade plastic bag and place in the freezer. To use, simply remove some from the freezer and rinse. Washing fruits before freezing results in a tougher-skinned product. However, if you do want to rinse before freezing, dry the fruits completely before they go into the freezer. This allows the berries to freeze individually so you won’t have to chisel pieces from a frozen blueberry block later on. In addition, blueberries can be hot-packed, raw-packed, or made into fruit spread or pie filling for processing in a boiling-water canner.
Blueberry Equivalents
One dry cup fresh or frozen blueberries equals:
• 90-129 large blueberries
• 130-189 medium blueberries
• 5 ounces by weight
• 2/3 cup pureed
3 cups equal 16 ounces fresh or frozen blueberries
1 cup frozen blueberries equals 2/3 cup thawed
Blueberries can also be eaten in many different ways. They brighten up food at all times of day.
For breakfast, try blueberry smoothies or blueberry-topped cereal, oatmeal or yogurt. They can also be baked into breakfast muffins, breads and pancakes. For lunch, use blueberries as a topping on salads and white pizzas. You can also blend blueberries into salad dressings or add them halved to chicken salad. As a snack, raw blueberries go well with almonds and other nuts. For dinner, blueberries can be a surprise ingredient in sweet and tangy sauces, such as barbeque or mole. For dessert, the possibilities are endless: sundae syrups, frozen pop, ice creams, pies, crisps, scones, turnovers, cookies, cakes… oh my! Blueberries can even star as an appetizer ingredient or in a drink, layered onto toothpick kebabs or muddled into cocktails. As multipurpose as can be, blueberries enhance any sort of dish or beverage.
Blueberries are great in overnight oatmeal. To make 4 cups of oatmeal, combine 1 cup uncooked old-fashioned rolled oats, 1 cup low-fat yogurt, ½ cup nonfat or 1% milk, ½ cup chopped apple and ½ cup fresh or frozen blueberries. Cover and refrigerate for 6-12 hours.
As blueberries enter the fresh-produce scene, join me in using these berries to the fullest of their great potential.
For additional blueberry recipes and serving suggestions, check out Chef Scotty’s Market Fresh Recipes at http://ext100.wsu.edu/clark/?p=8163. The Fresh Match program provides help to SNAP consumers to purchase more fruits and vegetables at local farmers markets. Find out more at: https://www.clark.wa.gov/public-health/snap-farmers-markets.
Jessika Brenin is a Clark County WSU Extension Master Food Preserver.For additional recipes, food preservation and food safety information visit http://extension.wsu.edu. Have questions? Call MFP Helpline: 360-397-6060 ext. 5366, or join Facebook discussion group “WSU Home Food Preservers – Clark County.”
