ChefMaribeth

Wild Blueberries, Pear, and Cardamom Smoothie
(AKA – Wild About Antioxidants)

A quick note: By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by the Wild Blueberry Association of North America and I am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time

Have you ever played that dark game – What 5 Things Would You Take if Your House Was Burning Down? It’s hard for me to think of 5 things. I don’t really like to get attached to too many physical things. Things can be replaced. But then I remind myself – jeez, don’t take yourself so seriously and just pick 5 things!

In no particular order I came up with:

• My wedding band
• The turquoise owl a friend gave me that was her grandmother’s
• My sister necklace
• A jar of almond butter – preferably the Once Again brand
• The Vitamix

Yep, I put my blender on my list. Remember, I’m trying to not take myself too seriously. My mom and dad got it for me for Christmas several years ago. I had no idea I was getting it. I opened it, jumped up and down, and shed a few tears of joy. Since then, besides my knives, it has become my most used kitchen tool. I use it for making soups, sauce, nut butters, flours, nut milks, hummus, but most of all for smoothies.

I used to make a smoothie in the Vita every single day. I’d come up with some interesting and elaborate concoctions. The smoothies had ingredients ranging from coffee and cherries, to dates and cacao, and sometimes all of the above. Today I prefer a much more simple smoothie. Whatever I put in my smoothie, 90% of the time wild blueberries are in there.

Wild Blueberries are a more flavorful and pack in more nutrients in comparison to cultivated blueberries. As the Wild Blueberries website says: Wild Blueberries are true antioxidant superstars! They have twice the antioxidant capacity of cultivated blueberries, as measured by Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. Diets containing foods with high antioxidant values such as fruits and vegetables are associated with reduced risk of chronic diseases.

Because of the cold weather, I wanted to create smoothie that had health supportive qualities, but also something that had a warming effect. As I was flipping through my Flavor Bible, I came across cardamom. Cardamom is considered a warming spice, so I thought it would be an interesting kick to a relatively simple smoothie. I found that it paired nicely with pear, and that’s how this recipe was born.

I did a little research, thanks to University of Google, and found out that stars of this smoothie are surprisingly similar and health supportive. Wild blueberries, pears, and cardamom are all high in antioxidants, good for heart health, and anti-inflammatory. All three contain a high level of phytonutrients, which may help in protection from cancer. So drink up!

East Coasters – stay safe today in that blizzard! And take a break from your snow day junk food binge (because that’s what I do on snow days) and get in some nutrients with this spiced up smoothie.

Note: Please keep in mind that I am not a doctor or health professional. These are simply my own findings on the Internet and not from primary sources.

Wild Blueberries, Pear, and Cardamom Smoothie
Serving: 1 large smoothie

Ingredients:
1 cup of almond milk
1 frozen banana
½ cup of frozen Wild Blueberries
½ cup of frozen pears
2 tablespoons of almond butter or 1 tablespoon of coconut butter
4 cardamom pods, seeded or ¼ teaspoon (scant) of cardamom powder
Optional: 1 handful of leafy greens, such as baby spinach or kale

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender until all ingredients are blended to your preferred consistency.
2. Pour into a glass and top with your choice of ingredients – hemp seeds, chia seeds, granola, almond butter, etc.

Note: If you don’t have a high-speed blender (like a Vitamix), the cardamom seeds may not grind finely enough for your liking. Try crushing the seeds between two spoons or using a coffee/spice grinder.

Question: What items would you grab in a fire?