Sweet, Juicy and Colorful

You may remember my post from earlier this year professing my love for berries, so I was disappointed that blueberries were absent from this month's Whole Living cover story on super foods.

This past weekend, the Sailor and I ventured up to "Camp" to pillage the blueberry bushes on his family's acreage. Nearly everyone in town knows that they have the biggest and most delicious blueberries around, and they help themselves once the secret gets out that the berries are ripe.

An amazing blueberry recipe from Chow and a list of health benefits of blueberries follows below...

VERY  BLUEBERRY  MUFFINS

INGREDIENTS

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 2 teaspoons for sprinkling
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), melted, plus more for coating the muffin pan if needed
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat the oven to 400°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Place cupcake liners in a 12-well muffin pan; alternatively, coat the wells with butter. Set the pan aside.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl to break up any lumps and aerate the mixture; set aside.
3. Whisk together 3/4 cup of the sugar, the melted butter, cream, eggs, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl until smooth. Add this and the blueberries to the flour mixture and stir until just evenly mixed (a few lumps will remain), about 30 strokes. (Do not overmix; the batter should be thick, but the ingredients should be evenly incorporated.)
4. Fill the muffin wells completely, and then evenly sprinkle the remaining 2 teaspoons sugar over top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and serve.

Reasons to love blueberries: 
* High in antioxidents, which neutralize free radicals (think fewer wrinkles!)
* Benefit the nervous system and memory
* Low on the glycemic index and have a favorable effect on stabilizing blood sugar
* Reduce blood pressure and dissolve bad cholesterol
* Preserve vision with vitamins like zinc, phosphorus, and selenium
* Contain good bacteria to promote urinary tract health

Plus, they're only 80-100 calories per cup and can be frozen to enjoy in muffins, smoothies and pancakes all year.