How do you get more of nature’s antioxidant superfruit into your daily diet? Fill your freezer with delicious frozen-fresh Wild Blueberries. These little blue powerhouses from Maine and Canada have superior antioxidant capacity compared with other fruits and veggies. They’re just as healthy as fresh and may even retain their nutritional value longer. Best of all, they’re available in your grocer’s frozen fruit section year-round, making this tasty little superfruit super convenient.

Wild Blueberries are called the “brain berries” for good reason. Scientists are excited about their anti-aging benefits, including their potential to:

n    Forestall cognitive aging
n    Improve motor skills
n    Reverse short-term memory loss
n    Protect against cancer, heart disease and diabetes
For more Wild Blueberry recipes, visit www.wildblueberries.com.

Buckwheat pancakes with
wild blueberry apple compote

Serves 4

Pancakes:

   1 1/2   cups 1 percent milk

         1   tablespoon sugar

         1   tablespoon butter, melted

         1   large egg

         1   cup buckwheat flour

      1/4   teaspoon salt

         1   tablespoon baking powder

Compote:

         2   tablespoons fresh lemon juice

         1   tart apple

      1/3   cup sugar

   2 1/2   cups frozen Wild Blueberries

         2   teaspoons cornstarch

         1   tablespoon powdered sugar

For Pancakes: Mix milk, sugar, melted butter and egg together. Using a whisk, combine buckwheat flour, salt and baking powder and mix until dough is smooth. Cover and let sit for approximately 30 minutes.

For Compote: Squeeze lemon juice in a pot. Peel, core and coarsely dice apple. Place diced apple, sugar, lemon juice and frozen Wild Blueberries in saucepan and bring to a simmer. Berries will provide juice when they defrost. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until apples are soft but not mushy.

Dissolve corn starch in small amount of water (2 to 3 tablespoons). Add to compote and stir well until compote thickens. Bring to boil and remove from heat. Cover and let cool slightly.

Melt small amount of butter in a large sauté pan or coat with cooking spray. Place a small amount (more or less for your favorite size pancake) of batter on heated pan and cook until bubbles in batter break. Turn and cook for another few minutes. Serve pancakes with warm Wild Blueberry apple compote, and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Tip: The pancakes and compote are delicious with a dab of vanilla Greek yogurt or sour cream. Bacon also adds a nice balance of flavors.

Savory Salad with Goat Cheese and Wild Blueberry Sauce

Serves 6

Sauce:

         2   large or 3 medium shallots

         2   tablespoons olive oil

   1 1/2   cups frozen Wild Blueberries

         3   ounces water

         3   tablespoons Grey Poupon mustard

         1   tablespoon peach or apricot preserves

         1   tablespoon cornstarch

      1/2   teaspoon salt

Salad:

         2   endives

         1   radicchio

         2   yellow peppers

         2   tablespoons white wine vinegar

      1/4   teaspoon salt

      1/8   teaspoon pepper or more to taste

         1   pinch sugar

         3   tablespoons olive oil

Cheese:

         6   2-inch rounds goat cheese
                1/2-inch thick (about 6 ounces)

         2   tablespoons powdered sugar

      1/2   teaspoon ground coriander

Sauce: Peel and dice shallots. Sauté in olive
oil until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in Wild Blueberries, water, mustard and preserves. Cook, stirring until comes to a simmer. Simmer 3 to 5 minutes.

Mix cornstarch with a little cold water until the mixture is smooth. Add to the berry mixture, stirring well. Bring to a boil, cook for 2 to 3 min­utes. Add salt. Let cool slightly.

Salad: Clean and wash endive, radicchio and peppers. Cut endive into bite size cubes. Slice yellow peppers into thin strips. Cut radicchio into bite sized pieces. Mix vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar and olive oil in big bowl. Add salad ingre­dients and toss well.

Cheese: Dredge top of goat cheese rounds in powdered sugar. Place goat cheese on baking tray covered with foil. Brown slightly under preheated grill, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove and sprinkle with coriander.

To serve: Assemble each plate with one goat cheese round surrounded by salad ingredients and Wild Blueberry sauce on the side.\

Wild blueberry soy shake
Serves 4

4     tablespoons honey
1 1/2    cups vanilla soy milk
2    cups frozen Wild Blueberries
1    dash fresh ground nutmeg
    Fresh mint, for garnish

In blender, combine honey
with soy milk.
Add frozen Wild Blueberries and puree until smooth. Season with a dash of nutmeg.
Pour into glasses and add mint leaves.
Note: Almond milk, rice milk or other milks may be substituted for soy milk.
You may need additional honey if greater sweetness is desired.

Wild blueberry cheesecake
tart with nut crust
Serves 10
Crust:
    3/4     cup walnuts
    (or almonds, or pecans)
1/2     cup sugar
    1 1/2     cups all-purpose flour
4     ounces melted butter
Filling:
3     large eggs
3/4     cup sugar
12     ounces cream cheese, softened
1 1/2     teaspoons vanilla
1     cup frozen Wild Blueberries
For crust: In bowl of food processor, grind nuts until the consistency of sawdust. Add sugar and pulse to mix. Add flour and mix thoroughly. Add melted butter through food chute and pulse until thoroughly blended. Place nut mixture in a 15-inch springform tart pan. Preheat oven to 300°F.
For filling: Beat eggs until thick and lemon colored. Beat in the sugar, cream cheese and vanilla until smooth. Pour over crust mixture.
Sprinkle Wild Blueberries on top of cheese mixture. Place tart pan on baking sheet. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until filling is set.
Remove from oven and let cool. Serve with whipped cream if desired.