National Blueberry Month // Blueberry Smoothie

July is National Blueberry Month! It is a great time to buy blueberries in season and enjoy their tangy, sweet flavor. Blueberries are often referred to as a super food. Otherwise put, they are really good for you and packed with nutrition and antioxidants. Because they are in season, you may find a great deal on them at your local grocery store or farmers’ market. You might consider buying in bulk and freezing them to use later. They will be at their peak ripeness, nutrition, and flavor. For tips on freezing fruits, click here.

Blueberries are very simple to use. No chopping, pitting, or peeling required. Even so, you might benefit from a few helpful tips:

When using blueberries in baked goods, stir gently. This will help prevent the skin breaking and juice leaking.
If you are using frozen blueberries in a batter, add them at the last minute without defrosting them. This will help prevent the color bleeding into the batter.
When mixed with other foods, blueberries can sometimes lose their beautiful color. They can turn greenish-blue in a recipe with baking soda or gray in a smoothie containing dairy foods. To help preserve the vibrant color, add a little lemon juice to the mix.
If your blueberries are sinking to the bottom of the pan when mixing batter for baked goods, coating them with flour before adding to the batter might help. Or try layering the batter and blueberries rather than mixing them all together.

And now, the best part of blueberries – eating them! Check out these top ten ways to enjoy from fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org. You can find links to the recipes mentioned, plus a few of my favorites below.