Chopped Kale Salad with Wild Blueberry Vinaigrette

You don’t have to wait until summer to enjoy delicious blueberries and all of their intensely high nutritional properties; Wild Blueberries from Maine are available year round! These individually quick frozen blueberries have been around for thousands of years and are the only ones to grow up from the ground. Yep, these are the “low bush” wild blueberries – not to be confused with their “high bush”, also called tame, blueberry friends.

Although we love the tame blueberries which you find both fresh and frozen, the wild blueberries boast 2 times the antioxidant power of their tame counterparts due to the skin to pulp ratio. Wild blueberries tend to be a bit smaller than the cultivated “tame” ones, however, on a recent trip to the wild blueberry barrens in Maine, this year’s crop is one of the best ever! The honeybees and bumblebees really did a great job pollinating the wild blueberries this year, crop pests were low, water and air temperatures were just perfect and the result – some of the most plump, beautiful, luscious wild blueberries to be harvested. So why are they frozen, you might ask? You can actually find some fresh wild blueberries locally in Maine but our wild blueberry friends don’t like to travel. They are a bit delicate and sensitive to travel so each one is meticulously washed and dried and… for realz… they are individually quick frozen. In fact, their is a whole freezing process named for it.. IQF (individually. quick. frozen.) This locks in all those powerful nutrients and the flavor so you are getting the highest quality when you bring them home from the store.

Can’t find these remarkable blueberries in your store? Just ask your grocery manager to bring them in! Most stores are happy to do so.

Here, the wild blueberry is highlighted in a simple and tasty vinaigrette that can be made ahead of time for a super quick, easy and healthy meal any day of the week. Antioxidant rich and flavorful wild blueberries are combined with apple cider vinegar, orange zest, mint leaves, and olive oil and then tossed with chopped kale and mixed greens. If made ahead, keep this vinaigrette refrigerated for up to 4 days. Toss with your favorite greens or even cooked quinoa.

Bon appetit!

Nutrition:
Serving size: 1 1/4 cups
Calories: 183
Fat: 8.9g
Saturated fat: 1.2g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 51mg
Potassium: 355mg
Carbohydrates: 22.9g
Fiber: 5.9g
Sugars: 7.5g
Protein: 4.2g

Nutritional note: Wild blueberries and cultivated (tame) blueberries are rich in the phytochemical anthocyanin which does wonders for anti-aging and has cancer fighting properties. Lutein is also found in blueberries which research shows is good in promoting healthy eyes. Great for weight loss as they are low calorie and they can help satisfy your sweet tooth with their natural sugars.

In this calorie-slashing collection, The Bikini Chef^® Susan Irby offers recipes for switching up ingredients that keep calories to a minimum. Complete with serving-size suggestions and “Skinny Secret” shortcuts to trim calories in little ways, here you’ll get expertly crafted recipes that include offerings for every meal of the day!

Books by The Bikini Chef^®:

The Bikini Chef^® Diet
Substitute Yourself Skinny
Boost Your Metabolism
The Complete Idiot’s Guide Quinoa Cookbook
The Clean Separation
$7 Healthy Meals
$7 Quick and Easy Meals
$7 Pressure Cooker Meals
Cooking With Susan : Southern Family Favorites