Recipe: Quick Tricks with Blueberries (ways to use blueberries)

QUICK TRICKS WITH BLUEBERRIES

Blueberries are sweet and delicious at any time of day, any time of year. And regardless of their form - fresh, frozen, canned, dried or juice - they give you a load of antioxidants that help keep you healthy. When you have a stash of blueberries, you can go to your fridge, freezer or cupboard, and - presto! - something delicious will suddenly appear.

Here are some easy-to-master tricks you can perform with blueberries:

- Chop peaches or pineapple into chunks and toss with fresh blueberries, stir in a bit of crystallized ginger for zing.

- Take a break with a low-cal treat. Simply stir fresh blueberries into partially set sugar-free lemon-flavored gelatin, chill until firm and enjoy.

- Shower a scoop of peach ice cream with partially thawed frozen blueberries.

- Ladle pancake batter onto a hot griddle, then scatter frozen blueberries over the batter and finish cooking as usual.

- Blend drained canned blueberries with a banana, milk and crushed ice for a beautiful, deep purple smoothie.

- Drizzle canned blueberries and some of their syrup over ice cream, yogurt or rice pudding.

- Fill a snack-size bag with dried blueberries to take wherever you go to the beach, office or mall.

- Scatter dried blueberries, toasted nuts and crumbled blue cheese over a fresh spinach salad.

- Stir blueberry juice into ice-cold sparkling mineral water or lemonade.

- Add a splash of blueberry juice to tea, hot or iced.

Source: U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council