It’s blueberry time in Northeast Pennsylvania.

I was able to pick wild blueberries and was surprised by their sweetness. I can only imagine how sweet the cultivated blueberries are.

Blueberry picking is a great family activity. We have you-picks and farmers markets where families can buy blueberries. They make a great snack and are loaded with both vitamins and phytochemicals, which give anti-inflammatory and antioxidant health benefits.

When buying blueberries, look for plump, fresh berries that have a uniformly deep purple-blue or blue-black color. Avoid baskets that have signs of leakage, which indicate they may have been mishandled. Do not wash blueberries until you are ready to use them. Refrigerate blueberries for one or two days before preserving to improve flavor.

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There are a couple of tricks to freezing blueberries. First, select full-flavored, ripe berries. Remove leaves, stems and immature or defective berries. Do not wash blueberries before freezing; blueberries should be completely dry before freezing. Washing results in a tougher-skinned product.

Place the blueberries in a single layer on a tray in the freezer and then pack into containers as soon as they are frozen, or simply pack berries directly into containers, leaving head space. Seal and freeze. Rinse berries before using.

Blueberries tend to change color during cooking. Acids like lemon juice and vinegar make the blue in blueberries turn red. On the other hand, a batter with a lot of baking soda may turn the blueberries greenish-blue. Stir blueberries (right from the freezer, if frozen) into a cake or muffin batter as the last added ingredient to minimize color streaking.

When making pancakes and waffles, add blueberries as soon as the batter has been poured on the griddle or waffle iron. This will make the pancakes more visually appealing, and they’ll be easier to flip. If frozen blueberries are used, cooking time may have to be increased to be sure the berries are heated through.

Try to add Pennsylvanian blueberries to your meals and snacks this July. Here is an easy-to-make family recipe for blueberry muffins. They make a great breakfast or a quick snack.

Blueberry Muffins

3 1/2 cup flour ( 1 ¾ white whole wheat and 1 ¾ white flour)

½ cup of sugar plus 4 tablespoons

5 teaspoons baking powder

2 eggs (or 4 egg whites)

1 cup skim milk

2/3 cup canola oil

2 cups blueberries (frozen is fine)

Crumb topping

1/2 cup white whole wheat flour

¼ cup oatmeal

½ cup margarine (liquid is first ingredient)

1/2 cup sugar

¼ chopped walnuts (optional)

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

Sift dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder) into a bowl. Combine egg whites, milk and oil. Add all at once. Stir quickly until dry ingredients are moistened.

Toss blueberries with 4 tablespoons of sugar. Gently fold into batter.

For crumb topping, place all ingredients in a bowl. Mix with pastry blender or a fork to form crumbs.

Enjoy!

Nutrition Corner Mary R. Ehret
http://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/web1_Ehret.CMYK_.jpg.optimal.jpgNutrition Corner Mary R. Ehret

Mary Ehret is the Penn State Extension Nutrition Links Supervisor in Luzerne, Lackawanna, Monroe, Carbon, Sullivan and Bradford counties. Reach her at 570-825-1701 or at mre2@psu.edu.