Celebrating National Blueberry Month

By Nicole Spain, Registered Dietitian

It’s National Blueberry Month! Who doesn’t love a yummy blueberry? What’s even better is that they are a superfood!  Meaning they help repair and protect our bodies from harmful substances. You can find them at the grocery store (fresh or frozen), local farm markets, or you can pick your own if you happen to live near a farm. You can find local farms by clicking on this link: http://www.pickyourown.org/

Connect with your kids in the kitchen by making one of our Grow Fit recipes and by reading one of these all-time favorite storybooks: Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey, Jamberry by Bruce Degen, or More Blueberries by Susan Musgrave. 

Berry Compote

Serves 6-8

Fruit Juice                                                                                1 ½ cups

Ground Cinnamon                                                                   ½ tsp

Fresh or Frozen blueberries, defrosted                                   3.5 lbs  

Maple Syrup                                                                            1/8 cup

Water                                                                                       ¼ cup

Cornstarch                                                                              ¼ cup

Cooking Instructions:

1. Combine juice, syrup, cinnamon, and berries.Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until fruit softens (approx. 5 minutes.)
2. Mix water and cornstarch together in a small bowl.Pour over fruit mixture in saucepan and stir until thickened. (About 1-2 minutes).
3. Let cool 10-15 minutes.
4. Transfer to container and refrigerate until ready to serve.

*Serve on top of pancakes, waffles, oatmeal or even pork chops at dinnertime.

Blueberry Overnight Oats

Makes 1 Serving

Old Fashioned Oats                                                                  ½ cup

Plain or vanilla yogurt                                                              ½ cup

Blueberries, fresh or frozen (defrosted)                                   ½ cup

Optional Add-ins: mashed banana, chia seeds, & cinnamon

Cooking Instructions:

1. Mix together blueberries, yogurt and oatmeal.
2. Cover and refrigerate overnight.