Why eat blueberries? That’s a loaded question, loaded with lots of reasons to eat blueberries! With just 80 calories per cup and virtually no fat, blueberries offer many noteworthy nutritional benefits. Here’s the skinny on blueberry nutrition:

A diet rich in blueberries lowers blood cholesterol levels while improving glucose control and insulin sensitivity, lowering the risk of subsequent heart disease and diabetes. 

 Blueberries;

• Have the highest antioxidant capacity of all fresh fruit. Blueberries are loaded with antioxidant vitamins that boost your immunity and prevent infections

• Aid in reducing belly fat. Not only has research proven blueberries can reduce belly fat but they can also reduce the risk factors for heart disease

• Have been proven to preserve your vision and slow down vision loss. They are great for brain health and even have been proven to restore damaged brain cells

• Are high in fiber and are also believed to aid in the prevention of liver and colon cancer

The fabulous blueberry has also proven to keep you fresh, active, fit, sharp and in a great mood!

Come on out to the Farmer’s Market and get you some fresh local blueberries.

The Healthiest Blueberry Crumble 

¾ cup old-fashioned oats 

¼ cup whole-wheat flour 

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 tbsp. pure maple syrup, room temperature

1 ½ tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

6 cups blueberries

3 tbsp. cornstarch

 Preheat the oven to 350°F, and coat an 8”-square pan with nonstick cooking spray.

To prepare the topping, whisk together the oats, flour, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Make a well in the center. Pour in the maple syrup and melted butter. Stir until fully incorporated.

To prepare the filling, toss the blueberries with the cornstarch in a large bowl until completely coated.

 Transfer the filling to the prepared pan, and sprinkle evenly with the topping. (The topping tends to clump, so try to break it up into fairly small pieces.) Bake at 350°F for 45-55 minutes or until the juice is bubbling at the sides of the pan. Cool completely to room temperature; then refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving to allow the juices to fully thicken.

Serves 9, each serving contains; Calories 127, Fat 2.5g, Cholesterol 5mg, Carbohydrates 26g, Sugars 0, Protein 2g, Fiber 4g, Sodium 6mg. 

Summertime Fruit Salad

1 pound strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced

3 medium peaches, thinly sliced 

6 ounces (1 cup) blueberries

1 heaping tablespoon fresh, chopped basil or mint

2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 medium lemon)

1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

 In a medium serving bowl, combine the strawberries, peaches, blueberries and basil. Drizzle the lemon juice, maple syrup and balsamic vinegar on top. Gently toss to combine.

Serve immediately, or chill for later. Serves 6.

Lemon Blueberry Trifles

(Adapted from an Eating Well recipe)

1 4-serving-size package fat-free, sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix

2 cups fat-free milk

¼ cup light dairy sour cream

2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 cups angel food cake cubes (about 2½ ounces), divided

1 cup fresh blueberries, divided

Lemon peel curls (optional)

Prepare pudding mix in a medium bowl according to package directions using the 2 cups milk. Stir in sour cream, lemon peel, and lemon juice.

Spoon some of the pudding mixture into the bottoms of 4 parfait glasses. Top with half of the cake cubes and half of the berries. Add the remaining cake cubes. Spoon the remaining pudding mixture over the cake. Top with the remaining berries. Cover and chill until serving or up to 4 hours. If desired, garnish with lemon peel curls.

Serves 6, each serving contains; Calories 150, Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 2 mg, Carbohydrates 30 g, Protein6 g, Fiber 1 g, Sodium 539 mg. 

Mini Blueberry and White Chocolate Cheesecakes

8 ounces Cream cheese, softened
1 Egg
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/3 cup Sugar, divided
6 oz. White Chocolate, melted
1 cup Blueberries, pureed
1 package Graham Crackers, crushed
3 Tbsp. Butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375.
In a small bowl combine crushed graham crackers and butter until combined. Press into the bottom of a mini cheesecake tin, covering the bottom of each cup.

In large bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, egg, vanilla, 3 Tablespoon sugar, and melted white chocolate until smooth. Set aside.

In a small saucepan combine one cup of pureed blueberries, and remaining sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat and stir until the blueberry sauce begins to thicken. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Spoon cheesecake mixture into the cups of each mini-cheesecake tin. Dollop a small amount of cooled blueberry puree on top of the cheesecake mixture and using a chopstick gently stir and swirl the blueberry and cheesecake together. Repeat with all of the cheesecake cups.

Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow the cheesecakes to cool. Place in fridge for at least one hour to finish chilling. Remove from mini-cheesecake molds by sticking a spoon into the bottom of the tin and lifting out the cheesecakes. Serve with additional blueberry sauce if desired.

Quinoa-Blueberry Bowl

1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper1 cup lightly packed baby arugula

1/2 cup cooked quinoa

1/2 cup fresh blueberries

1 ounce feta cheese, crumbled

Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Place arugula in a separate bowl; drizzle with 1 teaspoon dressing, and toss to coat.

Add quinoa and berries to bowl with dressing; toss gently to combine. Arrange arugula and quinoa mixture in a shallow bowl; top with cheese.

Serves 1, each serving contains; Calories 296, Fat 14 g, Cholesterol 13g, Carbohydrates 32g, Protein11g, Fiber 5g, Sodium 357 mg. 

Summer Salad with Citrus Basil Vinaigrette

4 cups of kale leaves, massaged

1 cup strawberries, quartered

1/2 cup fresh blueberries

1 cup broccoli florets

1 granny smith apple, sliced

2 green onions, sliced

1/4 cup sliced almonds

For the Citrus Basil Vinaigrette

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup orange juice

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper