Blueberry picking!

We are so fortunate to have a no-spray (nearly organic) u-pick blueberry farm nearby!  It's an annual family outing and adventure for us to go picking, usually not just on one day but many throughout the late July to August. We love to have our freezer stocked with frozen blueberries for winter smoothies and baking, as well as dried for handfuls added to trailmixes, granolas - or, our latest favourite way to preserve fruit, as fruit leather!  Here is a quick oven or dehydrator method for making blueberry fruit leather.

Blueberry Fruit Leather - easy oven or dehydrator method

You will need:

• 1 lb fresh or frozen blueberries (or other fruit - apricots, cherries, peaches, etc)
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp honey (optional)

Method:

 

1) Preheat oven to 170F (or prepare dehydrator sheets).

2) Prepare baking sheet (or dehydrator sheet) with parchment. 

3) Place ingredients in blender and blend until smooth.  Add a little water as necessary to help blend.

4) Pour blended juice onto prepared baking sheet or dehydrator screen.

5) Spread out evening, but leave a margin around the edges of the pan/sheet.

6) Bake 6-7 hours in oven (aprox the same in dehydrator) until juice is not sticky anymore.

7) Cut into sheets or strips, roll up in the parchment paper into snack sized portions.

8) Store in glass mason jars.  Enjoy!

Blueberry picking!

Blueberries!  A mid-summer rite of passage for our family, going berrying with friends at our favourite local organic blueberry farm to pick our fill of delicious berries that will hopefully last us for smoothies and pancakes all winter long.  Walkers Blueberries, near New Hamburg, has been in business for many years and has a strong base of returning customers.   We will certainly be back there next year, if not sooner!

Leftover Grain Muffins

This is a quick muffin recipe that we like because it's so versatile.  We make it with left over grains like quinoa, millet, oatmeal or rice - we mix up a batch of these muffins first thing in the morning using cold grain from last night's supper.  Depending on the grain used, the liquid in the recipe needs to be adjusted.   Our favourite grain to use is quinoa because of it's high nutritional value (quinoa is extremely rich in protein, fibre, iron - and is often called one of the "superfoods") and it's delicious slightly sweet-nutty flavour, which is really nice together with blueberries and toasted nuts.  Kids love to help make them, and these muffins are a good way to get a nutrition-packed breakfast into everyone for a healthy start to the day.  The muffins are ready in 20 minutes!

Leftover Grain Muffins
1 1/4 cups cooked quinoa (or other grain)
1 large egg, beaten
1 Tbsp butter, melted
1/2 cup milk or milk substitute (may need more depending on grain used in recipe)
4 Tbsp brown sugar (or other sweetener)
2 Tbsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups spelt flour (or any other flour)
1/2 cup berries or fruit
nuts, optional (toasted slightly)

Mix wet ingredients in one bowl. Mix dry in another.  Combine wet with dry and stir to blend.  Do not overmix or muffins will be dry.  Scoop into 12 oiled or parchment lined muffins cups.  Bake in preheated oven at 400F for about 20 minutes.