Blueberry season is finally here!
If you’ve been here long, you’ll know that we love picking produce. The summer starts with strawberry picking, and now it’s time for blueberries.
In order to pick the best blueberries, we need to venture into southeast Michigan. Blueberry picking is great near the Lake Michigan coastline and it’s a great day trip or pit stop when road tripping. Did you know that Michigan is the state that grows the most cultivated blueberries in the country? Michigan blueberries supply the world and Japan is the number one importer of this little gems!
Side note: If you live anywhere near Chicago or will be driving through southeast Michigan, I would check out Billy Boys Blueberry Barn. We’ve had great success picking there in the past and will surely end up there again this year.
Blueberries are not only fun to pick, yummy to eat and pretty to look at, but those little berries are one of the most nutrient dense berries found in nature.
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What makes blueberries so good for you?
Well, one little blueberry is jam-packed with a ton of nutrients and antioxidants. Full of Vitamin C and Vitamin K, they are also a good source of fiber and low in calories. If you are anything like me, you’ve heard about these antioxidants, but don’t really know why they are so good for us. So I did a little digging and here’s what it boils down to.
What are antioxidants?
Antioxidants are like little guards against the free radicals floating around in our bodies. Free radicals that are tiny destroyers out to damage your healthy cells and can contribute to aging and diseases. So when there are more antioxidants, there is less chance the the free radicals can get to the healthy cells.
The simple blueberry is the leader in the antioxidant world. It’s the powerhouse of the fruit wold when it comes to providing these antioxidants to your body. Blueberries are proven to directly increase the levels of antioxidants in your body.
Simple science, right? Eat more blueberries, increase antioxidants! Win, win. (I’m no doctor or nutritionist, this information is courtesy of Healthline)
Simply put, the blueberry is the powerhouse of the fruit world!
And they are fun to eat, making them a great fruit to introduce early to your kiddo’s. And with a fruit with super powers like these, you may want to incorporate them into your diet, too.
Fresh or frozen the simple blueberry is a must-have fruit to keep in stock all year long.
My favorite way to make that happen is by making cubes of blueberry puree. These cubes are helpful for both the food you are serving to your baby and for your morning smoothie, overnight oats or yogurt.
Looking for more puree inspiration? Check out my Ultimate Guide to Make Your Own Baby Food.
Blueberry puree is great to serve with other purees or soft foods. Because it can get a little runny (especially when defrosted), I like to serve it over full fat plain greek yogurt or whole grain hot cereal (you can also freeze these together in cubes). It also goes well with the following:
- Cooked oatmeal: Either use fresh puree or a frozen cube mixed in
- Spinach: pair with a spinach cube (same flavors a Blueberry-Spinach Salad),
- Apple: pair with applesauce
- Banana: use either freshly mashed banana’s and fresh blueberry or defrost both from frozen cubes
- Sweet potatoes: served together for a healthy and colorful meal for your itty bitty
This isn’t a puree only for little ones!
The adults around here really like it too. We put it on pancakes instead of syrup, into our yogurt for a delicious treat, and into drinks if we are feeling fancy (try it in a Blueberry Margarita or Blueberry Bellini).
📖 Recipe
Purees 101 - Blueberry
Ingredients
- 16 oz 2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Wash blueberries (if fresh)
- Pat dry with a paper towel (if fresh)
- Spread on a parchment lined baking sheet
- Optional - Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of cinnamon and ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Roast at 400 degrees until fragrant (about 15 minutes, might need a little extra if originally frozen)
- Carefully pour into blender (I use the Vitamix always) and puree till smooth
- Refrigerate for up to a week, or freeze in cubes for up to 2 months.
Notes
Nutrition
Looking for other delicious purees to serve both the kids and adults in your life? Check out these recipes:
Want to make this puree now? Are you missing some ingredients? Amazon Now can get them to you in a few hours, Instacart can get them to you today. Or add them to your Peapod grocery list and don't be stuck with out them again!
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