Foods We Love: Blueberries

Here we are in the heat of summer, the perfect time to pick a batch of fresh blueberries! Blueberries have the distinction of being one of the only fruits that originated in North America. The Native Americans ate it mashed into meat as a form of jerky, and also used it for medicinal purposes and as a fabric dye.

Maine, the state famous for its blueberries, is also the place where the blueberry rake was invented in 1822 by Abijuh Tabbutt, which freed blueberry pickers from plucking each berry by hand.

Blueberries aid the body's ability to dissolve bad cholesterol, due to their high amounts of fiber and antioxidants. They also contain flavonoids, which improve brain functions such as memory, decision-making, and general comprehension and retention.

This recipe for Blueberry Corn Muffins comes to us from MarthaStewart.com And you can clean any batter off of your hands with Seventh Generation Free & Clear Hand Wash, which uses a dermatologist-tested, hypoallergenic formula and is free of dyes and fragrances.

BLUEBERRY CORN MUFFINS
Yield: 6 large muffins

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for sprinkling
3 tablespoons honey
2 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1 cup blueberries

Directions

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place a Silpat (French nonstick baking mat) or parchment paper on a baking sheet; place six 2 3/4-by-2-inch pastry rings on it. Cut parchment paper into six 10-by-3-inch strips; use them to line molds (paper will extend above rims).
Place softened butter, 3/4 cup sugar, and honey in bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 1 minute. Add eggs; beat 1 minute more.
Whisk flour, cornmeal, and baking powder together in a medium bowl; add to butter mixture in mixer bowl. Beat until combined. Slowly pour in milk, beating on low, until just combined. Fold in blueberries. Divide dough among molds (do not pack too firmly; each will take about 1 cup). Brush tops with cold water; sprinkle 1 teaspoon sugar over each.
Bake until tops are browned, centers are set, and a cake tester inserted in center of muffin comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool in pans 5 minutes. Tie kitchen twine around muffins to hold parchment. Serve at once.

photo: Lotzman Katzman

Comments (3)

jjerribug

Sat, Aug. 25, 2012

Baby blueberries

My son loves two things these days - blueberries & muffins. These whole wheat mini ones are a big hit at my house - http://www.cooking4carnivores.com/2011/07/baby-steps.html?m=0

Halli620

Thu, Aug. 23, 2012

Weatherlight, opinions do not require "ughs"

Your post of suggestions had no need for an "ugh." Educating people about alternatives should not entail uselessly negative words.

Further, I personally am much more comfortable with buying and eating sustainably, and preferably locally, raised grass-fed dairy and eggs than I am mysterious "vegan spreads." Dairy and eggs from sustainable operations have minimal impact on the environment, and result in far more healthful products than today's "conventional" factory farming; yet "vegan spreads" appear to be typically made from some unnatural processing of vegetable oils. Additionally, non-organic vegan spreads are likely made with industrial agricultural mono-cropped and heavily pesticided, and at times GMO, crops. Soy products, while very healthy for some populations, can be harmful to certain populations whose bodies are not accustomed to it and recognize it as an estrogen mimicker. Coconut milk seems to be sold these days only in very-rarely-recycled tetrapacks or #7 containers, and additionally has generally been shipped thousands of miles to store shelves. We each have to choose what we believe is best for our communities, environment, and bodies, and sharing information is critical to making informed choices, as long as the sharers of information are respectful of others' choices as well.

Weatherlight

Thu, Aug. 16, 2012

Grow your own. & Good recipe for harming the environment.

Ugh, please use vegan spreads, syrup, egg replacers, and rice/soy/oat/almond/coconut milk, for your own health, for the planet, and for the animals. Learn to alter bad but good-tasting recipes.

Blueberries, especially those grown without tons of harmful pesticides, petroleum-based fertilizer, etc can be expensive to buy at the store. Grow your own if you have room for a couple pots. No matter when you want yours to ripen (some in early spring, some in early winter?) or what climate you live in (freezing winters with the bushes planted outdoors? dry soil or heavy rain?) or what taste/size preference you have (tart, sweet, huge, small?), there's likely to be varieties that you'll like. If you have enough space, grow a bush each of several types, increasing the probability that you'll have fresh ripe berries over a long season, that at least some will be highly productive if others are less resistant to bad conditions (eg bugs, flood, drought, heat, cold, less or more sun than expected), and that picky eaters will like at least one variety.

I've found they're very low maintenance once you have them planted. Maybe a little water when it's dry, some fertilizer to increase the yield, adding to the mulch every year if outdoors, a little Garlic Barrier or bird netting if other animals want to eat the berries first. If the plants are outdoors most of the year, then depending on variety and climate, you might want to cover some or bring in potted ones for the winter. That's about it.

7Gen Blog