Sherrie Norris Lovin’ Spoonful Cooking Column: Summertime Blues!

By Sherrie Norris

Yum-yums, cobblers, muffins and jam — it’s blueberry season and happy I am.

Not only are these summer delicacies delicious and in local abundance this year, but they are also among nature’s most nutritional gifts to us.

Of course, they lose some of their “value” when tossed into a bowl of sugar and flour and made into those desserts that we all love this time of year. But, because there are so many ways to enjoy blueberries, we can’t possibly get bored with these delicious treats of the season.

Nutrition experts tell us that the pigment that gives blueberries their deep unique blue color is an effective antioxidant and is a significant source of Vitamin C and dietary fiber. They have also been used to treat urinary infections, stones and diabetes.

You can’t go wrong by eating them — just off the bushes or from the carton, so enjoy them while you can.

 

Easy Blueberry Bake

2 cups fresh blueberries

1/3 cup sugar

1 can crushed pineapple in juice, undrained

1 pkg. white cake mix (without pudding)

½ cup chopped walnuts

¾ cup butter, melted

Layer first 5 ingredients in a greased 9×13-inch pan.

Drizzle margarine over all. Bake 1 hour at 350-F.

(Do not prepare cake mix —needs to be dry, straight from box.)

 

Wheat-Free Blueberry-Nut Muffins

1 cup rice flour

1 Tbs. baking powder

½ cup oat or corn flour

¼ cup chopped cashews

¼ cup honey

¼ cup safflower oil

1 cup nonfat milk

2 eggs; lightly beaten

½ cup chopped dried apricots

½ cup blueberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a (12-cup) muffin pan with Pam, or your choice of spray/flour. Combine rice flour, baking powder and oat flour in large bowl. In separate bowl, combine cashews, honey, oil, milk and eggs. Combine egg mixture with flour mixture, stirring gently. Stir in apricots and berries. Pour batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake 20 minutes or until muffins are lightly browned and springy to the touch.

 

Low-Fat Blueberry Coffee Cake

Butter flavored cooking spray

2½ cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

½ tsp. salt

1 cup brown sugar

2 egg whites

1¼ cups nonfat buttermilk

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup blueberries

 

Crumb Topping:

1 cup flour

1/8 tsp. salt

½ cup brown sugar

2 ½ Tbs. plain nonfat yogurt

Combine flour, salt, brown sugar, and yogurt in a medium sized bowl and mix until crumbly

Preheat oven to 325. Spray a 13 x 9 in baking pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, mix together 2 ½ cups of flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ½ tsp. salt, and 1 cup brown sugar. Add egg whites, buttermilk, vanilla and blueberries; mix well. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes.

After coffee cake has baked for 25 minutes remove from oven and sprinkle with crumb mixture. Return coffee cake to oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Cool cake before serving.

 

Layered Blueberries And Cream

Angel food cake mix1

(8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

½ cup powdered sugar

1 container Cool Whip

1 can or 2 cups homemade blueberry pie filling

Prepare angel food cake as directed or purchase one from bakery. Slice into three layers. Beat cream cheese and sugar together, fold in Cool Whip, adding 3 or 4 tablespoons of pie filling; cover each layer.

Frost top of cake with cream cheese mixture, and spoon remaining blueberry filling over cake, allowing it to dribble over the sides.