Wild Blueberries, Wild People

Welcome back to Biblio Bistro! We’re proud to kick off season three with an episode featuring one of the Keweenaw’s most sought after fruits – wild blueberries! These are available in random spots throughout the area for those who like to forage, but also at a couple area farms allowing folks to stop by and pick them. Below are show notes!

Healthy Eating Tips from Dietitian Meghan

  • Blueberries– Blueberries contain some of the highest levels of antioxidants for fruits and veggies! Antioxidants help prevent and/or slow damage to our cells.  
  • Salad – Dry mustard powder (or regular mustard) can be used as a natural emulsifier in salad dressings. Emulsifiers help keep ingredients like oil and vinegar blended together (vs them separating out)./li>
  • Smoothie – Kefir was the base of the smoothie in this episode. Kefir is similar to yogurt, but has a thinner consistency. Kefir actually contains more strains of probiotics (healthy bacteria) compared to yogurt and is up to 99% lactose-free! More strains of probiotics = better profile of gut bacteria  improved gut health. Yogurt is also a lower-lactose product, but has a wider variability in lactose content.If selecting a smoothie for a meal, it is best to incorporate a fat source to help keep you full for a longer period of time. You could add avocado (like we featured in the episode) or any nut or nut butter you enjoy! Bonus – adding a fat will make the smoothie extra creamy (and even more delicious!). For extra fiber, omega 3’s, and protein – consider adding any of the following to your smoothie Fiber – Chia seeds or ground flax seed Omega 3’s – Ground flax seed, chia seeds Protein – Hemp seeds (could also use nut butter or protein powder)
  • If looking to sneak a few extra veggies in, you can add a handful of greens to your smoothie. Just be aware that calcium and iron compete for absorption in the body and calcium wins that battle.

Cooking Tips from Michael

  • Blueberries – Other fun and creative ways to use blueberries – jam, fruit leather, in a marinade or BBQ sauce.
  • Salad – To create a homemade oil-and-vinegar dressing, start with a 2:1 ratio (2 parts oil to 1 part vinegar). In the episode, we used balsamic vinegar and olive oil. You can use other vinegars, such as red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, etc or even lemon juice in place of the balsamic vinegar. Using a small mason jar (with a lid!) to measure and store your homemade salad dressing will help you dirty one less dish AND makes it easy to shake up your salad dressing.
  • Smoothie – You can use a hand-held immersion blender to make smoothies in the morning, if you don’t have a traditional blender.

Posted on May 14, 2023. Bookmark the permalink.