How to Make Blueberries Unhealthy!

It officially made it to 100 degrees in Alabama this weekend, but that didn't keep us inside! My love affair with summer fruits and veggies had us heading south to Jemison, AL, with our friends Eric and Jamie to pick blueberries. The day started with Jamie's homemade blueberry pancakes, then we stopped at a local farmer's market at Jamie's church to pick up some corn before heading to the blueberry farm. There had to be over a million blueberries ready for us to pick and though I wanted to hang around and eat them from the trees, it was just so hot! We picked just enough to top my vanilla yogurt every day this week and to make one healty salmon dinner, (I had no idea salmon goes with blueberries either) and one very unhealthy dessert (Michael's recipe)!

Yes, leave it to Michael to take one of the healthiest and most antioxidant rich fruits and turn it into one of the unhealthiest desserts I have ever heard of! So what was his idea for using the blueberries? Turning fresh blueberries into Blueberry Nut Crunch for our 4th of July Cookout. I don't have the exact guarded recipe to share, but I know it calls for a quart of blueberries topped 1 and 1/2 cups of sugar, a yellow cake mix, and 1 stick of butter! This dessert is going to make for one Happy 4th of July!

I stuck to a healthier option for my blueberry recipe, and it made a very tasty Sunday Night dinner. I baked salmon fillets in the oven and topped them with a bread crumb mixture and homemade blueberry-sage sauce. I served the salmon with our farmer's market corn on the cob and a summer salad with roma tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, and balsamic vinegar.

For a figure friendly take on using fresh blueberries, try my recipe below. Or learn from Michael on how to make blueberries unhealthy by adding add some butter, sugar, and cake!

Oven Baked Salmon with Blueberry-Sage Sauce

4 5-6 oz fresh or frozen Salmon fillets

1 cup garlic croutons, coarsely crushed

1/2 cup dried sage

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons (more or less) oragne juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 recipe blueberry-sage sauce

Preheat oven to 375F

Thaw fish, if frozen. Rinse and pat dry. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet.

In a small bowl, mix crushed croutons, 1/4 cup sage, and pepper. Stir in orange juice and olive oil until lightly moistened.

Press crouton mixture into the top of the fish and bake for 8-12 minutes, until the fish flakes.

When ready to serve, top fish with blueberry-sage sauce.

Blueberry-Sage Sauce

In a medium bowl, mash 3/4 cup blueberries with a potato masher or fork. Stir in additional 1/4 cup of blueberries, 1 teaspoon dried sage, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

This recipe was adapted from my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.