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By posting this recipe I’m entering a recipe contest sponsored by the Wild Blueberry Association of North America and I’m eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.
I was pretty excited when Kara and The Wild Blueberry Association of North America invited me to participate in their smoothie contest.
Think regular cultivated blueberries – only better. (I know, it’s hard to imagine something better than regular blueberries but I swear to you, it’s real and it’s delicious.)
Wild blueberries have more intense blueberry flavor and double the antioxidants of cultivated blueberries. (Tastier + more nutritious = no-brainer.)
But another thing that my nerdy self loves about wild blueberries is that they really are wild.
Wild blueberries have been around for more than 10,000 years, growing naturally in fields called barrens in Maine and Eastern Canada. The plants naturally intertwine and spread across fields, creating berries that are more genetically diverse than the cultivated variety.
This genetic diversity is what gives wild blueberries there awesomely intense and complex flavor – with just the perfect balance of sweet and tart.
That intense flavor – locked inside because they’re frozen immediately at harvest – leads me to believe that wild blueberries are just screaming to be included in a bright, colorful, antioxidant-rich fruit smoothie.
The first task was to find additional ingredients that could complement the awesomeness of wild blueberries.
I ended up going with blood orange (in season now, yay!) and fresh ginger and let me tell you, the result is something so refreshingly sweet and tart and spicy.
You will want this smoothie in your life every. single. day.
Warning: this recipe serves two…if the smoothie chef doesn’t devour the entire thing before getting to the serving part. (Whoops.)
Of course, I can’t make a smoothie without including a rocking source of plant-based protein. This time, I went with soft tofu. It’s the perfect smoothie add-in because it doesn’t have a lot of flavor on it’s own but adds so much creaminess to the overall result. (To make this smoothie soy-free, sub with hemp/chia seeds and/or your favorite protein powder.)
I also tossed in some ground flax for even more protein and some fiber + healthy omega 3’s.
If I’m going to drink a smoothie for two – by myself – it’s going to at least contain a balanced amount of healthy carbohydrates/fiber, fats, and protein.
You’ll get:
- Intensely delicious and creamy wild blueberry + citrus flavor.
- Double the antioxidants of cultivated blueberries, which may offer benefits for cancer, gut health, diabetes, and brain health.
- Immune-boosting vitamin C from wild blueberries and blood orange.
- Potential anti-nausea benefits from ginger (especially for morning sickness + chemo-induced nausea.)
- A smoothie that qualifies as a balanced meal, with healthy carbohydrates, fiber, protein, and healthy fats.
- A smoothie so good that you might be unable and/or unwilling to share with your husband. (Or maybe that’s just me?)
You can find wild blueberries in the frozen section of your grocery store, just make sure the label says “wild!”
📖 Recipe
Wild Blueberry + Blood Orange Smoothie with Ginger
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Ingredients
- 2 cups frozen Wild Blueberries plus additional for topping if desired
- zest and juice of 1 blood orange substitute with ¼ cup orange juice if you can’t find blood orange
- ½ teaspoon fresh grated ginger
- 2 tablespoon ground flax
- ½ block about 7oz silken or soft tofu
- 1.25 cups unsweetened coconut milk substitute with milk of choice
Instructions
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Add ingredients to blender and blend on high until smooth. Add additional milk if needed to reach desired consistency. Transfer to glasses and top with additional wild blueberries if desired.
[Tweet “#WildYourSmoothie with this Wild Blueberry, Blood Orange + Ginger combo from @gratefulgrazer.”]
