Blueberries are in season now and I love to eat produce when it is in season. First of all, it can be sourced locally when in season, which means supporting local farmers and reducing environmental impact due to less transportation. In addition, local fruit enables you to get fresher fruit, which means more nutritious, better tasting fruit.
A half cup has about 42 calories, 7 grams of sugar, 2 grams of fiber and about 13 grams of vitamin C. Blueberries contain high levels of phytonutrients, such as anthocyanins, the colorful antioxidant that gives blueberries their beautiful purple/blue color and protective health benefits. Although blueberries are high in sugar compared to some other fruits (and high in fructose for those of you avoiding fructose), I do recommend eating the rainbow of colors, and getting the blue/purple color in your diet can be challenging. So if you are a fan of blueberries, I suggest to enjoy them when in season and keep serving size in mind.
The below blueberry crisp recipe is by no means low in sugar, but improves on mainstream blueberry crisp type recipes by adding:
1) lots of fiber with flax seeds and coconut flour
2) healthy fats with pecans and coconut oil, and
3) a healthy amount of cinnamon, which has many health benefits
All three of these modifications, slow down the impact of sugar on the body. In addition the sugars used are healthier than white sugar and are used in lower amounts than in typical dessert recipes. So if you are looking for a healthier dessert option, give it a try.
Blueberry Crisp:
Ingredients:
1 pint blueberries, organic
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup ground flaxseeds
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup organic coconut sugar
3 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons cinnamon
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Put washed blueberries in glass baking dish (be sure to remove any stems).
Place in oven and cook for 15 minutes.
Chop pecans in food processor.
Add remaining ingredients and pulse briefly until just combined.
When 15 minutes are up, remove blueberries and cover with topping.
Place baking dish on cookie sheet to catch any escaping juices and return to oven for another 30 minutes.
A half cup has about 42 calories, 7 grams of sugar, 2 grams of fiber and about 13 grams of vitamin C. Blueberries contain high levels of phytonutrients, such as anthocyanins, the colorful antioxidant that gives blueberries their beautiful purple/blue color and protective health benefits. Although blueberries are high in sugar compared to some other fruits (and high in fructose for those of you avoiding fructose), I do recommend eating the rainbow of colors, and getting the blue/purple color in your diet can be challenging. So if you are a fan of blueberries, I suggest to enjoy them when in season and keep serving size in mind.
The below blueberry crisp recipe is by no means low in sugar, but improves on mainstream blueberry crisp type recipes by adding:
1) lots of fiber with flax seeds and coconut flour
2) healthy fats with pecans and coconut oil, and
3) a healthy amount of cinnamon, which has many health benefits
All three of these modifications, slow down the impact of sugar on the body. In addition the sugars used are healthier than white sugar and are used in lower amounts than in typical dessert recipes. So if you are looking for a healthier dessert option, give it a try.
Blueberry Crisp:
Ingredients:
1 pint blueberries, organic
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup ground flaxseeds
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup organic coconut sugar
3 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons cinnamon
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Put washed blueberries in glass baking dish (be sure to remove any stems).
Place in oven and cook for 15 minutes.
Chop pecans in food processor.
Add remaining ingredients and pulse briefly until just combined.
When 15 minutes are up, remove blueberries and cover with topping.
Place baking dish on cookie sheet to catch any escaping juices and return to oven for another 30 minutes.