We all know that Blueberries are a delicious, healthy treat. But what makes our blueberries so cool? (Beside the fact that they’re frozen.)
Blueberries are a great summer treat – and now you can enjoy local blueberries year ’round! They are sweet, full of vitamins and nutrients, and make a great snack. And when you purchase the NFCA’s Northeast Grown Frozen Fruits & Vegetables, you are not only making a good decision for yourself and your family, you are helping to grow the regional food system and economy. Our frozen Blueberries, Organic Edamame, Organic Green Beans, and non-GMO Sweet Corn and Green Peas are all produced, picked, processed and packed (say that five times fast) right here in the Northeast. And they are available only at your local Neighboring Food Co-op.
Blueberries are rich in vitamins K, C and B6, and manganese, and fiber. Blueberries contain antioxidants and one of the highest concentrations of anthocyanins which can reduce oxidative stress, thus lowering the risk of heart disease.1 We know that eating blueberries is good for you and we also know that blueberries are a tasty, versatile ingredient to incorporate into a healthy diet.
Our delicious highbush blueberries were grown by Lagoner Farms, a diversified fruit and vegetable farm in operation for over 100 years (a fifth-generation farm!). Lagoner Farm uses sustainable growing practices.
Looking for a great Blueberry Recipe? Try these – and let us know if you have one of your own!
- Blåbärssoppa: Blueberry Soup
- Best Blueberry Pie
- Blueberry Co-op Smoothie
- Kay’s Famous “Farm to Freezer” Lemon Lavender Blueberry Sauce
- Red, White & Blueberry Crisp
- Quinoa, Corn & Blueberry Salad
Quinoa, Corn & Blueberry Salad
This recipe is easily adapted to use rice in place of quinoa, fresh corn or blueberries and sweetener of your choice.
Ingredients
• 2 cups cooked quinoa (or rice)
• 1 cup frozen blueberries
• 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen and defrosted
• ½ cup finely chopped red onion
• ½ cup roasted almonds, chopped
• ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
• juice from 1 lemon
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsps honey or maple syrup
• pinch salt
Instructions
• Prepare the dressing by whisking together the lemon juice, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, sweetener and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl combine quinoa, corn, onion, almonds, and basil. Pour the dressing over top then toss until everything is evenly coated. Add blueberries and gently mix.
We choose products from co-operative enterprises, which are helping people to help themselves, build stronger, more resilient communities, and strengthen local economies. This Co-op Smoothie uses co-operatively sourced ingredients!
- 1 bag NFCA Frozen Blueberries (10 oz)
- 2/3 cup Cabot or Organic Valley Yogurt
- ½ cup Frontier Natural Products Co-op Hibiscus Tea (brewed and cooled)
- 1/4 tsp Frontier Natural Products Co-op Vanilla
- dash Frontier Natural Products Ground Cinnamon
Combine all ingredients in blender. Blend until smooth. Serve immediately.
Blåbärssoppa is Swedish for Blueberry (or Bilberry) Soup and traditionally served hot or cold, depending on the season and is known for being served during Vasaloppet – the world’s oldest, longest, and biggest cross-country ski race that takes place in Sweden. Even if you are not out trekking in the snow but would like to enjoy a warming, tasty, easy to make soup give Blåbärssoppa a try!
Numerous variations can be found for Blabarssoppa, but here is a basic one to get you started. The soup can be made in advance and just reheated in the morning or evening.
Blabarsoppa: Blueberry Soup
2-3 servings
Ingredients
- 1 10 oz frozen NFCA blueberries pkg (2 cups)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup (more or less to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom1/4 teaspoon ground
- cinnamon (or 1 small cinnamon stick)
- 1 1/2 cups water
- ¼ small lemon wedge
Directions
In a non-reactive saucepan, bring the blueberries, maple syrup, cardamom, cinnamon, lemon wedge and water to a boil over medium heat for about 7 minutes.
Remove lemon and cinnamon stick, strain blueberry mixture into a bowl, pressing down on the pulp to extract as much liquid as possible (discard lemon and blueberry pulp).
Serve hot or chilled. Goes well topped with a spoonful of Greek yogurt or whipped cream. Can be cooled and refrigerated for up to three days.
Try this recipe using co-operatively sourced ingredients.
Ingredients
Topping:
- 1/2 cup uncooked rolled oats (not quick oats)
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 1/2 teaspoon ground Frontier Natural Products Co-op cinnamon
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
Filling:
- 8 stalks (4 cups) fresh rhubarb, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 ½ cups frozen NFCA blueberries, defrosted
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 teaspoon Frontier Natural Products Co-op vanilla
Directions
- Heat oven to 350°F.
- Combine all topping ingredients except butter in bowl. Mix in butter with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
- Combine rhubarb and blueberries in bowl. Place mixture into ungreased 8- or 9-inch square baking dish. Set aside.
- Combine sugar and cornstarch in 2-quart saucepan. Add water; mix well. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Continue cooking 1-2 minutes or until mixture is thickened. Stir in vanilla. Pour over fruit.
- Sprinkle topping over filling. Bake 30-35 minutes or until bubbly and topping is lightly browned. Cool.
- Serve slightly warm with ice cream or cold with whipped cream.
Kaye’s Famous “Farm to Freezer” Lemon Lavender Blueberry Sauce
Want a great recipe to delight your taste buds and impress your family and guests at your table? Kay Litten, former Board Member of Co-op Food Stores of New Hampshire and Vermont and recipient of the 2017 Neighboring Co-operator Award, has a great recipe to share.
“My favorite way to use this is over a slice of pound cake with freshly whipped local cream on top, but it is also excellent on ice cream. Yummmmmm!” says Kay.
Grab a package of NFCA New England Blueberries and follow along to make Kay’s Famous “Farm to Freezer” Lemon Lavender Blueberry Sauce:
1. Boil together, stirring frequently until all sugar is dissolved:
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- 1 1/2 c. sugar
- 1 1/2 c. water
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2. Remove from heat and add:
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- 2 T. culinary lavender flowers
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3. Let steep for an hour and strain out lavender, putting the lavender flavored simple syrup in a pan and add:
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- the juice and zest of 1 lemon
- 2 packages frozen NFCA Farm to Freezer blueberries
- 1/4 t. salt
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4. Cook over moderate flame for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Remove:
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- 4 T. cooked blueberry syrup from pan
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6. And add to this syrup:
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- 2 T. cornstarch
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Stir well and put back into blueberry sauce and cook until sauce thickens.
If it is not thick enough to be a syrupy consistency, you can repeat the juice/cornstarch procedure with 1/2 or 1 T. additional cornstarch and cook some more.
The end sauce should be like a thick blueberry syrup, but not thick like pie filling.
Have any favorite recipes you’ve created with Farm to Freezer frozen fruits/veggies? Email us so we can share them: bonnie@nfca.coop
Kay’s Best Blueberry Pie
- 4 cups frozen NFCA blueberries (4 packages)
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream, whipped
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 baked pie shell or a prepared crumb crust
Crush 2 cups of berries and blend with the sugar and cornstarch (which have been mixed together). Cook over direct heat, stirring frequently, until thick and smooth (8 to 10 minutes). Add the lemon juice. Cool. Then fold the remaining berries into the mixture.
Sprinkle the sugar over the bottom of the pie shell and add the filling. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
Top with the whip cream sweetened with the 1 tablespoon sugar.