Blueberries – What to do with summer’s fleeting bounty

Foodstand Team

July 22, 2015

Photo Credit: Favim

We absolutely love antioxidant-rich, sweet/tart blueberries — mother nature’s gusher. But let’s be real – they are a little high maintenance. One day they add magic to your life, and the next, they could be a sour, moldy mush wreaking havoc in your parfait. But we keep going back to them – for cocktails, pies, muffins, chutneys, and literally everything in between, so we wanted to share how to keep your high maintenance summer addiction in check.

To Pick

Look for berries that are light blue / grey and dry when buying at the market. If they are dark blue or they are already moist, they probably won’t last as long.

To Store

To keep freshly picked berries for up to a week, do not wash them, but transfer them into a dry, sealed container and store in the fridge.

To extend berry fridge life, try a vinegar rinse to remove any mold spores. Pat dry and store in a sealed container in the fridge. Here’s a full explanation of this method.

Our favorite storage method for year long blueberry indulgence is to freeze them. Wash and pat dry, spread out in a single layer, and freeze overnight. Then transfer to a freezer bag and store for up to 12 months.

To Prep

Go ahead, be lazy =) The beauty of using blueberries in your eats is there is no peeling, coring, or cutting necessary to use them!

Vegan Blueberry Chocolate Cheesecake

“Blueberry cashew cheesecake! Totally vegan and gluten free.”

Ingredients:
Crust
2 cups walnuts
1/2 cup gluten free oats
3 tbsp coconut flakes
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp of melted coconut oil

Chocolate layer (optional)
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1 tsp of coconut oil

Filling
3 cups cashew meal
1/2 cup wild blueberries
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 1/4 cup almond milk
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tsp lemon juice
3 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Wild Blueberry topping
1/2 cup blueberries
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup maple crystals

Method:
Here’s the full recipe from Foodstander Chef Shauna, a Holistic Nutritionist and Vegan Chef in Brooklyn.

Featured Blueberry Recipes from Foodstand Posts!

Wondering how to make that inspiring post you saw on Foodstand? Here are your fellow Foodstand friends with their recipes!

Apple Spelt Pancakes with Blueberries

Homemade by LiliBC
These Apple spelt pancakes with maple syrup and blueberries are amazing, the recipe is on my blog www.travellingoven.com

Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup almond milk (or any other milk)
1.5 cup spelt flour
1 egg
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tbs coconut sugar (or raw cane sugar)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1 large red apple, peeled and grated
Blueberries

Method:

See the full recipe and method

Blueberry Oatmeal Crumble Bars

Homemade by WhatsCookingwithJim
The latest recipe on my food flog, Blueberry Oatmeal Crumble Bars

RecipeTakes about 55 mins, yields 8 servings
Ingredients:
For the Crust and Crumble Topping
1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick)
1 cup flour
3/4 cup old-fashioned whole oats
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 pinch of salt

For Blueberry Layer:
2 cups blueberries
1/3 cup sugar
Juice squeezed from 1 lemon

Method:

Preheat to 350F and prepare 10-inch baking dish or 8×8 inch pan. Mix together crust and crumble ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Set aside 1 cup of mixture. Add remaining mixture to prepared pan to create smooth, flat crust and set aside. Toss blueberries with sugar and lemon juice in medium mixing bowl. Distribute blueberries on crust and sprinkle the reserved mixture over blueberries. Bake for 45-55 mins.

Adapted from: WhatsCookingwithJim