Last weekend we went blueberry picking in Highland Orchards, PA. I think mid July would have been the right time, because a lot of berries were not ripe yet. We managed to pick around 3 cups of berries. Was it worth the drive, when blueberries are available in the local supermarket right at your doorstep, with buy one get one free offer?
Yes, it was totally worth every penny, when I saw my son having fun trying to carry the box (or rather dragging it) all by himself, picking the berries and correctly putting it in the carton, with a sense of pride!
As always I found this amazingly simple and healthy recipe in the July 08 issue of Parents magazine. I reduced the quantity of ingredients because it was my first try. But the end product was so good!
Recipe
Blueberry Yogurt Smoothie
Ingredients
- ½ Cup Blueberries
- ½ Can Pear Halves In Heavy Syrup (An 8.5 Ounce Can Has 4 Halves, So I Used 2 Halves)
- 1 Cup Non Fat Plain Yogurt (I Did Not Have Low Fat Vanilla Yogurt In Hand, Which Was Specified In The Original Recipe)
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Essence (If Using Plain Yogurt)
- 1 Tablespoon Maple Syrup Or Any Other Sweetener, Optional
Instructions
- Place 2 pear halves (with the syrup) and blueberries in a blender.
- Blend until smooth.
- Add the yogurt, vanilla essence to the blueberry mixture.
- Blend it again.
- Now you have a delicious blueberry smoothie. I also added a tablespoon of maple syrup.
- Alternatively you can pour this mixture in an ice pop mold. The mold which I have has marking until which the liquid has to be filled.
- Close the molds with the lids provided.
- Freeze until firm, 4 to 6 hours. I left it overnight.
How to remove the ice cream pop from the mold?
- Insert the mold in warm water for a couple of seconds or show it under running water in the kitchen sink and place it on the counter. Within a couple of minutes the ice pops will slip out of the molds without any fuss.
My Notes
- I tasted the smoothie and found that it was not sweet enough, so I added some maple syrup (which I bought in the orchard) before pouring the mixture in the mold.
- Since I used only half the quantity of blueberries, I think I did not get the vibrant purple color pops as featured in the magazine.
- For the above measurement I got 4 pops and the remaining half a cup of smoothie was devoured by me. My son did not like the smoothie, but he was all excited when I gave him the ice pops. The same thing happened when I prepared Raspberry Lemonade also. He did not like the lemonade but he enjoyed the raspberry pops very much.
shandi says
😛 they sound so good even the blueness just makes my face blue
in a good way 😀 🙄 😆
Thanks Shandi.
George & Allison says
We Love our Blueberry Bushes.. We Have 5 about 7 ft Tall..
we Pick for weeks.. Thanks for the Smoothie Idea..
Jude says
I thought i was looking at my own blog when I first loaded your page... We're using the same template. Must be fun picking those blueberries yourself.
Namratha says
Those pops look awesome Madhu!
Priya says
That's the best blueberry pic I have ever seen.. so fresh & refreshing for the eyes! I hope your mom is enjoying her visit.
sunshinemom says
Looks yummy! You don't have a smiley that puts its tongue out and gobbles greedily but that's me:) as I look at that smoothie! This is one fruit I don't get and miss:) Why don't you send this for WTISIM - This month it is berries?
Nithu says
Thats a cute one. wanna taste it...
Kalai says
I love blueberries and this is a delicious use for them!! 🙂
Uma says
berry picking is a lot of fun, isn't it? Love all the pics. Yummy way use up those blue berries.
Just to remind: you seem to forgot picking up your surprise from here! 🙂
http://teluguruchi.blogspot.com/2008/06/all-in-one-prizes-awards-and-meme.html
ranji says
oooo u went blueberry picking..how exciting is that :)...smoothie looks delicious..popsicles...i will welcome both these with open arms in this heat:)..
Rashmi says
Blueberry picnic..dreamy ! sounds straight out of an Enid Blyton:)
Loved the popsicles!
Bharti says
Looks lovely! I agree that blueberry picking is fun for the kids. We usually go picking in July and August and store huge bags in the freezer for the winter. And yes, you can buy them in the store but they always taste better from the fields.
And how lovely for the kids to see where their food actually comes from!
krystyna says
Thank you, yummy and healthy.
Do you have something about pomegranate?
Best wishes to you! 😆
sowmya says
nice popsicle...lovely pictures..
Kalva says
Wow looks great.. You are indeed lucky to pick the fresh fruit.. I would love to...
Madhavi says
Awesome berry picking snaps Madhu...Smoothie looks great!!!
Hima says
My favorite blueberry smoothie.
Dee says
Nice berry picking pictures madhu... Loved the pop pictures!!
rachel says
Amazing berry picking pics!!!
Love the colour and lovelier presentation!
Trupti says
nice smoothie madhu. Nice to have blueberry pick nick
Cham says
Love the popsicle 🙂
JZ @ Tasty treats says
wow, awesome smoothie and popsicle, madhuram..i know what u mean, we went strawberry picking last weekend, and my lil one was a great help, lugging around that heavy wooden carton behind me!! 🙂
i guess u cud also send this to an event at EC's...check it out!
skribles says
the smoothie and pops look yummy .... lovely color from the blueberries!
kamala says
Looks so yummy Mahu..Love the pops.
Divya says
Blueberry smoothie looks yummy!!nice snaps!!never tasted blueberry..great entry!!
sushma says
Roma says
Nice recipe. So simple too.
I have been searching for dried blueberrys to make muffins. Lets see how old I'll be before I get them 🙂
notyet100 says
yumm,,,,lucky u can go blueberrry pickin,.nice pics...