Blueberry Bliss

Blueberry bliss. It is hard to imagine anything coming close to the scrumptiousness of fresh strawberries--but dare I say that blueberries are truly a blissful blessing too!

Organic blueberries cost twice as much this year as they did the same last summer. Twice as much! This summer I have found that they cost about $6/pound for the frozen blue delights, but if you can find a local organic farm, they ought to run about $1 and some change for U-pick and about $2 for already-picked. Wow, what an amazing savings, especially when frozen berries are a stable of green smoothies!

1-get yourself some fresh blueberries

2-gently fill freezer bags about half full

  ~ don't bother washing or rinsing at this point

3-fold top half of bag over and gently press air out

4-zip bag & store in freezer

5-remove berries as-needed

~ if you desire, this is the time for rinsing berries (if you had done it during the initial bagging process, you would have caused the berries to stick together when frozen)

I made whole wheat waffles for the boys Saturday. It is our weekend breakfast ritual to have wholesome pancakes or waffles and fresh fruit. Instead of some gnarly-no-good-for-you-packed-with-sugar jam, I make a new jar of it each week. 

This weekend they spread the jam onto the waffles and then strategically placed a blueberry at each deep waffle hole. Yum!

I drank a green smoothie (see recipe below) for my daily breakfast fuel. Of course I always make extra for my husband and son too!

RECIPES...

Fresh Berry Jam

- 2 cups berries (I mixed strawberries and blueberries this time)

- 1/2 cup water

- 1 TSP pumpkin pie spice

[cook until mushy and smash the big hunks & chunks]

- 2 TBSP honey or brown rice syrup or pure maple syrup

- 2 TBSP tapioca pearl powder for thickener*

[cover, cook on low for a few minutes, add more water as needed]

raw food version: 

Omit the tapioca pearl powder, add all ingredients to food processor and zip away until smooth; pour over sweet living foods bread or dip banana slices in it or just eat it with spoon!

tip: Use immediately for breakfast "syrup" and store remainder in a jar in the fridge for use on sandwiches and what-not for that week

* buy tapioca pearls in bulk and run a small handful through your coffee grinder to make a powder (use this for a thickener instead of that oh-so-gross gelatin powder made of ground cow hooves! eeww)

Beet Berry Bliss Green Smoothie

- 1 whole beet (greens to root)

- handful of some other greens

- 1 cup of water

[blend 1st 2 ingredients to smooth]

- 1 handful frozen strawberries

- 1 handful frozen blueberries

[blend until smooth, lovely and oh, sooooo good!]