Red, White, & Blueberries

Blueberries are a very popular ingredient in summertime fare—eat them freshly picked or incorporate them into a wide variety of delicious recipes, jellies, and jams.

Ayurveda is a big proponent of seasonal eating. Foods have a season for a reason! The stomach, pancreas, and small intestine make enzymes.  Even enzymes follow circadian rhythms—the type of enzymes that are made will differ depending on the time of year. The body has a more difficult time digesting foods that are out of season because it does not have compatible enzymes to aid in the digestive process.

Consideration for the energetics of food also comes into play when we strive to eat seasonally. The energy, or virya, of a food refers to its cooling or heating nature.  Blueberries are cooling, therefore, it makes sense that they would be in season during the summer to balance out any excess heat that might become trapped in the body.

Depending on your geography, blueberries are considered to be in season from mid-May through August—making them a perfect summer fruit for those in the northern hemisphere.

The Benefits of Blueberries

Blueberries are amongst the most nutrient-dense berries and one of the kings of antioxidant foods. They also get an A+ for being anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic. Because they have an affinity for the blood, they are a great alterative substance—they help to fortify and clean the blood. As for the organs, blueberries assist as a liver tonic, kidney tonic, and urinary tonic.

Even though blueberries are a light fruit, they are very nourishing. Immune-boosting abilities and improved strength and vitality can be added to the list of their benefits, too!

Last, but not least, bravo for the blueberry’s ability to improve focus and concentration, giving us even more to celebrate on the 4th of July!

Should Everyone Eat Blueberries?

“Everything in moderation, including moderation.”

The blueberry can be sweet or sour depending on when and where it is harvested. Those who tend to have a more kapha nature may want to be moderate with sour blueberries, as the sour taste increases kapha. While blueberries are cooling, individuals prone to more vata benefit from the blueberry because of its sweetness. Pitta individuals can indulge more freely with blueberries due to the cooling energy and sweet taste of blueberries.

Try one of these recipes to add some of these summer superfruits to your menu this weekend!

RECIPE: Blueberry Lemon Muffins

Ingredients

2 c. whole wheat pastry flour (you can use regular whole wheat flour but pastry flour will make for a lighter muffin)
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon mineral salt
1 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup unbleached cane sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup melted ghee and a little bit extra to line the baking pan
1.5 cups blueberries
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tsp. lemon zest

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 
2. Lightly oil a muffin baking pan with ghee or line the pan with paper muffin cups.
3. Combine the flour, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt in a large bowl.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sugar, eggs, ghee, blueberries, and maple syrup.
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well.
6. Spoon the batter evenly into the cups and bake for 30 minutes, or until slightly browned on top.

RECIPE: Vegan Blueberry Cobbler

Ingredients

4 cups blueberries
¼ cup sugar – or coconut sugar or erythritol if sugar-free
1 teaspoon lemon zest – or orange zest (outer skin of the fruit finely chopped)
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Cobbler Batter
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar, or coconut sugar or erythritol if sugar-free
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup plant-based butter (make your own, recipe here!), melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon almond milk or lemon juice

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C)
2. Slightly oil a 9 x 13-inch pan with vegan butter or coconut oil.
3. Add blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon zest and mix directly in the baking pan. Set aside.
4. In a large mixing bowl, add flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.
5. In a separate bowl, combine melted vegan butter, vanilla, and almond milk.
6. Pour onto the dry ingredients and mix until a cookie-dough-like batter forms.
7. Place scoops of the dough mixture on top of the blueberries. Spread with your fingers or spoon—it doesn’t have to be perfect at all!
8. Bake for 30–35 minutes in the center rack of the oven, until the biscuit is crispy, golden in color and blueberries are juicy and it is bubbly on the sides of the pan.
9. To thicken the blueberry base, let cool for 20 minutes in the baking dish before serving.
10. Serve with vegan vanilla ice cream or a dollop of coconut whipped cream

Storage

• Store in the fridge, cover the baking dish with wrap and refrigerate for up to 4–5 days.
• Rewarm before serving, or serve cold.

Want more blueberry dessert ideas for your summer picnic? Check out 15 Red, White, and Blue Vegan desserts to show off your patriotic side!