Blueberry Recipes

These are a rare variety and not easy to come by. The land in Ireland is not particularly suited to growing Blueberries, boggy and wet, however I have come across one farm that has been growing Blueberries in Ireland since 1965 - that is Derryvilla Blueberry Farm.

Derryvilla produce 70% of the Irish Blueberries normally in July, August and September each year.

However it is not their Blueberries that grab me, even though they are great, it is the Blueberry Drink they make and market.  It is not cheap - blueberries never are.  Check it out on their site, and if you ever get a chance to splash on on their drink, try it at least once.

Health benefits associated with blueberries is backed up by studies carried out in the US, Japan, France and other countries, and include:
•Cold preventive
•Detoxicant
•Anti-inflammatory
•Anti-allergic
•Eye problems
•Inflammatory joint disorders.

See the rest of the Blueberry Recipes.

 On Sunday mornings I try to have a substantial breakfast ready because we are gone for a few hours and need the proper fuel. Cereal just doesn’t cut it. I also aim to have this breakfast assembled the night before so I may pop it in the oven while I get ready for the day. This is very tasty and easy. A new favorite:-)

1 lb french bread, cubed
8 oz package of cream cheese , cubed
8 eggs
2.5 cups of milk, or 1/2 & 1/2
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup of fruit such as blueberries (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 and grease a 13×9 pan. Cube bread and place half in pan. Top with cream cheese. Add your fruit over this then the remaining bread.

Mix the rest of the ingredients well and pour evenly over the bread. Flatten with a spatula to moisten and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight or at least two hours before baking.

Remove wrap and bake for 40-45 minutes or until the center appears to be set and the eggs are golden. Let stand for 10 minutes and serve with maple or blueberry syrup or even alone.

Enjoy!

~Suzanne

Blueberries can normally be frozen in the package that you buy them in.  Just wrap the blueberries package in plastic wrap or cling film covering all holes and pop in the freezer.

Another way  is to lay the blueberries on a baking tray and put them in the freezer and once frozen pop them in a freezer bag or container and seal.  This way they freeze very quickly.

If you are going to use your blueberries within a day or two of buying them you can store them in the fridge.  When storing blueberries in the fridge have them covered.

It is best to only wash your blueberries just before you are going to use them.

When you are buying blueberries from the supermarket look for berries that are firm and plump.  Berries are better when they are free of the stem and leaves.  Moisture causes berries to grow mold so the fruit should be dry and kept that way before use.

Often we want berries that are all the same uniform color - this is not nature at work, however reddish berries are not yet ready for eating.  Reddish berries are not ripe but can be used in baking, if they are baked completely.

Blueberries stored for a long time start to look shriveled and wrinkled, this is from dehydration - they can still be used however they are ready to go off.  Don’t buy them like this unless you are using them that day.

Wild Blueberries are potent anti-cancer fruits - Antioxidants.

Anthocyanin. Resveratrol. Ellagic Acid. These are all compounds found in wild blueberries that have been found to prevent and fight cancer. Antioxidants stop your immune system from “rusting”. They neutralize free radicals, rogue oxygen molecules that damage our cells and leave us open to disease (including cancer).

In 2004 the USDA ranked 40 fruits and vegetables for antioxidant content. Wild blueberries are number one on their list and have 48% more antioxidants than the farmed or cultivated blueberry. So if you can get wild berries, terrific, although you’ll still see health benefits from eating farmed blueberries.

Anthocyanin is the major antioxidant in blueberries; it’s what makes them blue. The darker the berry,the more anthocyanin. Eat your blue food; it’s good for you! It’s now thought that there are more than 5 different kinds of anthrocyanins in wild blueberries making them extra rich in antioxidants.

Mary Ann Smith, PhD, a cancer researcher at the University of Illinois, found that proanthocyanidin (a related group of flavinoids which are also free radical scavengers) in wild blueberries (and to a lesser extend in cultivated blueberries) suppresses an enzyme that encourages the growth of cancer cells.

Resveratrol is a natural compound also found in blueberries, grapes and cranberries. It has anti-fungal properties, reduces the
risk of cardiovascular diseases (by reducing cholesterol) and has anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. So have some blueberries with your red wine and you’ll be doing yourself some good.

Ellagic acid is another antioxidant in blueberries that has been found to slow the growth of tumours. It may also help the liver to cleanse the blood of cancer-causing agents and has also been found to have anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties.

You can buy these anti-oxidants separately in vitamins, but you’re taking them in as nature intended when you eat the whole blueberry. And they taste better than pills.

Welcome to our new blueberry recipes blog, in fact the blog will contain pretty much anything to do with berries of all types. I love eating and cooking with berries, even though they are expensive in my part of the world.

I love the taste of berries, specifically blueberries, however they have great health benefits also. So try to come back from time to time and we will add more information every week.

Thanks