Easy Blueberry Freezer Jam

Anyone with a free 20 minutes can make freezer jam. What's so great about freezer jam?

- quick

- easy
- tastes fresher and fruity than regular jam
- freezes well
- makes great gifts
- less sugar than traditional jam
- great activity for kids

Right now is blueberry season in Vancouver - I picked up 20lbs (that's right 20lbs!) of these plump and delicious berries last week. We froze a few pounds for winter smoothies and then went into cook/bake mode - sweet fruity, and buttery aromas were filling our kitchen thanks to hours of making  jams, crumbles, pies and cakes.

Today, I'm sharing the freezer jam the kids and I mixed up. Normally, I don't cook the fruit I use in freezer jam but in the case of blueberries a little bit of cooking softens the berry skins and brightens the flavour of the blueberries. Luckily, it only adds a few minutes to the process. 

If you don't like the spices I used or even the lime, just leave them out and you'll have pure, unadulterated blueberry flavour. The jams will last in the fridge for 3 or 4 weeks or place them in the freezer for up to a year.

To crush the berries, I pulse them a few times in my food processor - you want them chunky but broken down a bit.

Special equipment: 4 - 1 cup glass or plastic jars.

Ingredients

4 cups crushed blueberries (about 4-1/2 cups before crushing)

1 package freezer pectin (I use Bernadin pectin)

1-1/2 cup granulated sugar

zest of half a lime

juice of half a lime

1/2 teaspoon cardamom

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Instructions

1. Place berries in pan over medium heat.
2. Bring to a boil and remove from heat.
3. In a large bowl, mix together pectin, sugar and spices.
4. Add berries and lime juice and zest and stir for 3 minutes.
5. Divide among containers and let sit for 30 minutes to thicken.
6. Cover and refrigerate or freeze.

Mango Blueberry No Nut Granola Recipe

Every few months I make a batch of granola. The kids eat it with yogurt or milk. They also love taking it to school as a snack at recess. For this reason, I make it nut free.

This time I used coconut oil. At room temperature, it is solid but as soon as it hits 76 degrees it will begin to liquefy. By heating the oils and the spices, the spices bloom and their flavors and aromas are released. Your kitchen will smell great!

This makes a big batch of granola so I usually distribute half of it into small snack bags so they are ready for lunch boxes or snacking at anytime. The other half of the batch goes into a big container that we keep on the counter for easy kid-access!

Note about coconuts from this Health Canada site: A coconut is a seed of a fruit and nutmeg is obtained from the seeds of a tropical tree. Coconut and nutmeg are not considered tree nuts for the purposed of food allergen labeling in Canada and are not usually restricted from the diet of someone allergic to tree nuts. However, some people have reacted to coconut and nutmeg. If you are worried, consult your allergist before trying coconut or nutmeg products. 

I also make sure anyone who eats it knows there is coconut oil in it.

Ingredients

1/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup coconut oil
1 c maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp cardamon
1 tsp salt
8 cups rolled oats
1 cup wheat germ
1 cup wheat bran
1 cup milled flax
3/4 cup dried blueberries
1 cup dried mango, chopped

Optional
1/2 tsp fleur de sel

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. In medium sized pot combine oils, maple syrup,vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom.
3. Stir over medium-low heat until just simmering and remove from heat. Watch carefully and be careful not to burn yourself.
4. Combine oats, wheat germ, bran and flax with salt.
5. Pour oil mixture over oats and stir until well combined.
6. Spread granola on two large cookie sheets.
7. Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden. While baking, stir granola every ten minutes to ensure even baking.
8. Remove from oven.
9. If desired, add sprinkle of 1/2 tsp fleur de sel. 
10. Cool completely.
11. Place in large bowl.
12. Add dried fruits and combine.
13. Store in air tight containers.

Enjoy!

Oh the Irony Smoothie

My 8 year old has low iron so in addition to iron supplements, we've been trying to increase iron rich foods in his diet. He's not a big meat eater so it's not exactly an easy task!

I had to laugh last night when he bounded down the stairs to tell me that I just had to buy him Fruit Loops! Now he knows that type of cereal is usually only allowed on his birthday but he insisted I should buy a box to improve his iron levels! Turns out a serving of Fruit Loops contains 50% of a person's daily iron need....seriously.

I'm still not convinced that everything else in it outweighs it's iron profile...but I have to give props to my son for reading the labels at the store!

This smoothie not only offers a couple servings of fruit for him, it has extra iron. Did you know pumpkin seeds are a good source of iron? Neither did I until a friend told me so as she dropped off a jar of pumpkin seed butter on my desk! One 2 tbsp serving gives you 30% of your daily recommended iron intake (this varies depending on brand). Prune juice also has quite a bit of iron so this smoothie has a double hit. I added orange juice as Vitamin C increases the body's ability to absorb iron (btw calcium decreases it).

I would love to hear from any parents or bloggers in similar circumstances and what iron rich food recipes you're using!

Makes 1 large or 2 small smoothies

Ingredients

1/2 c prune juice
3/4 c orange juice
1/2 banana (preferably frozen)
1 tbsp honey
2/3 c frozen blueberries
1 heaping tbsp pumpkin seed butter

Instructions

Blend everything together for 1 minute.
If too thick add a bit more juice until desired consistency is reached.

Blueberry Maple Scones

Scones are sweet biscuits that originated in Scotland. Even though I am half Scottish, I don't have any family scone recipes but what I do have is a great recipe from "Nova Scotia Cooking" by Charles Lief and Heather Mackenzie. I made these this morning and using very cold butter. The scones came out nice and flaky because of that. I also made them on the small side so they are perfect for kid snacks (and mine!). Enjoy!

Ingredients
1/4 cup castor sugar
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, cold
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup half and half
1 cup blueberries

What to do:
Yield is between 18-24 scones depending on size.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

1. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in large bowl. Whisk together.
2. Add butter to flour bowl and using a pastry blender (or two knives) mix together until it resembles course crumbs.
3. In another bowl, add egg, syrup, and half and half.
4. Add blueberries to DRY ingredients, gently.
5. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add liquid bowl in one go.
6. Combine gently with a fork until dough starts to come together.
7. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead 8 times.
8. Roll or pat dough into a square that is approximately 1 cm thick.
9. Cut into squares about 3 cm or so wide. Cut these squares in half to form triangles. (A pizza cutter works well.)
10. Place triangles on an ungreased baking sheet.
11. Bake for 10-14 minutes, until golden.

Blueberry Cream Cheese Bars

I have been making these bars for quite a few years now. I think the original recipes came from Martha Stewart or maybe Gourmet but over the years I have made my own changes and additions. I often add pine nuts to the short bread crust and almond extract to the cream cheese filling. If you add pine nuts use up to 1/3 cup in the base. And don't feel bound to the blueberries - pretty much any jam or preserves you have will work in this decadent dessert bar.


Ingredients - Base
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts (optional)


What to Do:
Preheat oven to 350°F.

1. Cut butter into smaller pieces.
2. In a food processor, pulse all ingredients until mixture begins to form small clumps.
3. Sprinkle mixture into a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan and with a metal spatula or a flat bottom cup press evenly to flatten.
4. Bake shortbread in middle of oven until golden, about 20 minutes.

Note: While shortbread is baking, prepare topping.

Ingredients - Topping
16 oz (2 packs) cream cheese
3/4 cup berry sugar (or regular granulated)
2 eggs, large
1 tsp almond extract (can substitute vanilla, if desired)
1 cup blueberry jam


What to Do:
Preheat oven to 350°F.

1. In a bowl whisk cream cheese until smooth.
2. Whisk in eggs, sugar, and almond extract into the cream cheese.
3. Evenly spread jam over hot shortbread base and pour cream cheese mixture over it.
4. Bake until slightly puffy, about 30 minutes.
5. Cool completely in pan and cut into 24 bars.


Bar cookies keep, covered and chilled, 3 days.

Don't Sing the Blues... make Blueberry Bran Muffins instead

My kids and husband love blueberries muffins and I love bran muffins – to satisfy everyone I baked up a batch of these delectable bites. Good for snacks or breakfast these are quick to mix up and throw in the oven. The recipe is based on one I found on epicurious. I used a combo of sour cream and yogurt but either works. I also added an egg yolk because I like a denser muffin. For a lighter version leave out the extra egg yolk. Enjoy!

From blueberry muffins

Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 2/3 cup yogurt – plain or fruit flavoured
• 1/4 cup molasses
• ¾ cup fresh blueberries
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup wheat bran

What to do:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

2. In a large bowl cream together the butter and the brown sugar until light and fluffy, beat in the egg and yolk, the sour cream, yogourt and the molasses.

3. In a bowl whisk together the flour, the baking soda, the salt, and the bran.

4. Add the flour mixture to the sour cream mixture bowl.

5. Mix the batter until it is just combined. (The batter will be lumpy.)

6. Fold in blueberries.

7. Spoon the batter into 12 greased standard muffin tins or tin lined with muffin paper cups.

8. Bake the muffins in the middle of a preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they are golden brown or inserted tooth pick comes out clean.

9. Cool 10 minutes and turn out onto a rack and let them cool completely.

Click here for a printable verison of this recipe.

From blueberry muffins