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Wild Blueberry Beet Salad

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Wild Blueberry Beet Salad

Kilted Chef Alain Bosse
A delicious side dish that is earthy and improves with time!
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Prep Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Course Salad

Ingredients
  

  • 1½ lbs red beets
  • 1½ lbs wild blueberries frozen
  • ¼ cup white sugar
  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup white wine vinegar
  • ½ tsp coarse sea salt
  • 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
  • 1 orange segmented
  • 2 tbsp chopped chives
  • ½ tsp black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Scrub beets. In a medium pot, add water to cover the beets and cook for approximately 1 hour. To check for doneness, insert a knife into a beet and check to see if it comes out easily.
  • Cool the beets. Slip off the skins.
  • Cut into ¼ inch cubes and place into a large bowl.
  • Combine beets with sugar, white wine vinegar, olive oil, sea salt, freshly grated ginger, zest of one good sized orange, the orange segments, chives and wild blueberries.
  • Toss delicately and set for at least an hour.
  • Top with grated orange peel and sea salt.

Notes

This salad recipe can last for up to 1 week if refrigerated. It also improves the flavour the longer it sits!
Keyword healthy eats, salad

Wild Blueberry Stuffed Chicken Breast with Wild Blueberry Hunter Sauce

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Wild Blueberry Stuffed Chicken Breast with Wild Blueberry Hunter Sauce

Kilted Chef Alain Bosse
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Total Time 1 hour
Course Main Course
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 chicken breasts skin on, bone-in
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp canola oil
  • 2 sprigs thyme

Wild Blueberry Stuffing

  • ¼ cup wild blueberries
  • ¼ cup feta cheese
  • 2 tbsp chopped pecans
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme
  • pinch salt and pepper

Wild Blueberry Hunter Sauce

  • 1 tbsp canola oil
  • 1½ cups wild blueberries
  • ½ medium onion
  • 8 oz mushrooms sliced
  • ½ cup cherry tomatoes diced
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • ½ tbsp Dijon mustard
  • ¼ cup red wine
  • ½ cup beef broth
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme

Instructions
 

  • Combine ingredients into a bowl and mix well.
  • Preheat oven to 400°F
  • Debone your chicken breast. Create a cavity inside the chicken breast for the stuffing.
  • Place an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter & canola oil until thebutter has melted into the oil, and it begins to shimmer.
  • Place the chicken breast skin side down in the skillet and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown. Flip chicken breast, add sprigs of thyme and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, basting with pan juices.
  • Remove chicken from the pan and place on a cutting board. Fill the cavity with the stuffing, returning it to the pan.
  • Place pan into preheated oven at 400°F for 20 minutes.
  • While chicken is cooking, prepare the hunter sauce.

Wild Blueberry Hunter Sauce

  • Heat the canola oil over medium-high heat. Add blueberries and onions and cook until onions become soft. Add tomatoes and mushrooms. Continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the Dijon mustard and tomato paste while cooking, stirring to combine.
  • Deglaze the pan with the red wine and add the beef stock along with the thyme. Stir well and cook until the sauce has reduced by half.
    *Option* You can create a cornstarch slurry with 1 tsp cornstarch, 1 tsp water to thicken the sauce.
  • Once the chicken has cooked, remove from the oven, cut in half and serve on a bed of your favourite greens. Top with the wild blueberry hunter sauce.
Keyword chicken, dinner, wild blueberry

5 Things You Didn’t Know About Canadian Wild Blueberries

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It’s no surprise that wild blueberries have a big following. They are a versatile little super fruit, heavily packed with nutrients, vitamins and fibre. But there is more to the wild blueberry than meets the eye. Here are 5 fun facts that you may not have already known! 

1. Finding fresh wild blueberries is tricky and can only be done during a short growing season. 

Wild blueberries are not known for their fresh shelf life. In fact, the vast majority of wild blueberries are actually frozen using a special method called Individually Quick Frozen. The berries are collected and then frozen within 24 hours of being harvested. This method of freezing them individually ensures that they retain their superfruit qualities and provide the same intense nutrition that they would if they were fresh! 

 

2. Canadian wild blueberries are sold around the world. 

It’s true! Canadian wild blueberries can be found in products and in freezers around the world! In fact, Canada alone produces over 300 million pounds of wild blueberries a year, with a good majority of those berries being exported. 

 

3. Canadian wild blueberries come in all kinds of forms. 

While many people love to eat wild blueberries straight from the branches, people have transformed the wild blueberry into different forms for all kinds of uses. Among these include pure wild blueberry juices, syrups, powders, dried (both chewy and crunchy), freeze dried, and more! 

 

4. Wild blueberries and cultivated blueberries are different! 

The saying “an apple is an apple” is not true – either in the case of apples OR in the case of blueberries! While all blueberries are good for you, wild blueberries are known to have a more intense flavour profile, and are higher in anthocyanins and antioxidants than their highbush cousins. The other main difference between the two blueberry families is the way that they are grown. Cultivated blueberries are grown on bushes that can grow incredibly tall, and are planted by producers. Wild blueberries, or low bush blueberries, are grown on bushes that are no higher than your knee, and sprawl along the ground. These grow in the wild, and aren’t planted by producers. 

 

5. The wild blueberry has a dedicated following of consumers. 

We aren’t kidding when we say people love their wild blueberries. In Canada alone, there are at least 5 different festivals that are dedicated to the Canadian wild blueberry! We love that so many people love wild blueberries, because we do too! If you’re interested in participating in one of the wild blueberry festivals in Canada, take a peek at this post all about it! 

 

Tell us – what surprised you most? We love to hear your feedback, so drop it in the comments below! 

Canadian Wild Blueberry Festivals You’ll Want to Check Out

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We love the wild blueberry, and we’re not alone! Many people love them because of their versatility, their vibrant taste, and the mega health benefits that they give. The Canadian wild blueberry industry provides jobs to thousands of people across the country. We think it should be celebrated, and others agree! 

 

We’ve compiled a [growing] list of wild blueberry festivals that can be found across Canada. 

 

Prince Edward Island

St. Peters Wild Blueberry Festival

http://www.stpetersblueberryfestival.com/

A week long festival with many events and activities. Usually runs at the end of July. 

 

New Brunswick

Granite Town Wild Blueberry Festival 

https://www.facebook.com/GraniteTownWildBlueberryFestival

A week long celebration of all things St. George, NB. This town also known for its large blueberry! 

 

Nova Scotia

Wild Blueberry Fest

https://www.wildblueberryfest.com/

A two week celebration throughout the central region of Nova Scotia!

 

 Quebec

Festival Du Bleuet 

https://www.festivaldubleuet.com/

This festival is located in Dolbeau-Mistassini, Québec and runs for a week long. 

 

Saskatchewan 

St. Walburg Wild Blueberry Festival

https://blueberryfest.ca/?fbclid=IwAR1zZ78nOVskbSiA2U1mbq3Dhpy-Qpm1DVRDG2U-cmAMok8Oxmd8X8wU19g

Located in St. Walburg, Sask, this festival is held the 4th Saturday of August each year. 

 

 

Have you ever visited any of these festivals? Do you know of others that we haven’t listed? We want to hear from you! Drop us a line in the comment section below! 

 

*Disclaimer: due to the nature of the pandemic, some of these festivals may not be running in 2021. Please check out their websites & social media pages for up-to-date information

Wild Blueberry and Lemon White Chocolate Cake

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Wild Blueberry and Lemon White Chocolate Cake

Kilted Chef Alain
Decadent and delicious. This tasty treat is perfect for featuring at your next get-together, or to enjoy the taste of summer all year long.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup butter room temperature
  • 1¼ cup white sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 tbsp lemon zest
  • ½ cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1½ cup frozen wild blueberries
  • 1 tbsp all purpose flour
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips

Lemon Cream Cheese Butter Frosting

  • 1 8 oz block of cream cheese
  • ½ cup butter room temperature
  • 2 tsp lemon extract or 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 3 cups icing sugar
  • 1-2 tbsp heavy cream

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F
  • Cream together butter, white sugar, and brown sugar using a hand or stand mixer.
  • Add eggs in one at a time, beating just until combined.
  • Add vanilla extract and almond extract and combine.
  • In a separate bowl, mix together buttermilk, lemon juice and lemon zest.
  • In another bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt. Add ⅓ of the flour mixture to the mixer, followed by ½ of the buttermilk mixture. Repeat, ending with the flour.
  • Place frozen wild blueberries in a bowl and toss with the 1 tbsp of flour. Add to the batter, along with the white chocolate chips. Fold to incorporate.
  • Line two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper and grease. Divide the batter between the two pans evenly.
  • Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.

Lemon Cream Cheese Butter Frosting

  • Place the cream cheese and butter into the bowl of the stand mixer, and use the paddle attachment to cream the two together.
  • Add lemon extract and mix. Add icing sugar 1 cup at a time. Add heavy cream as neded to keep the icing fluid and smooth
  • Beat for 3 - 4 minutes until light and airy.
  • Place one of the cooled cakes on a dessert plate and spread ⅓ of the icing on top. Add the second cake layer and place the remaining icing on top. You can leave the sides naked, or if you prefer, spread the icing around the edge.
  • Garnish with some more lemon zest and a lemon twist.
Keyword baked treats, dessert

Classic Wedge Salad

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Classic Wedge Salad

Kilted Chef Alain
A classic wedge salad with candied bacon, creamy citrus honey dressing, and all the toppings. A perfect side to any meal!
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Ingredients
  

  • 1 Iceberg Lettuce cut into 6 wedges
  • 1 carrot cut into long shred
  • ½ cup wild blueberries
  • ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
  • 2 green onions cut along the bias
  • creamy honey dressing
  • candied bacon

Creamy Citrus Honey Dressing

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • ½ cup honey
  • 1 clove minced garlic
  • ½ lemon juice

Candied Double Smoked Bacon

  • ½ lb double smoked bacon
  • ¼ cup maple syrup

Instructions
 

Wedge Salad

  • Simply remove the core of the iceberg lettuce and cut into 6 wedges
  • Place on your plate and cover with dressing, top with carrots, wild blueberries, pumpkin seeds, green onions and top with candied bacon.

Creamy Citrus Honey Dressing

  • Combine mayonnaise, sour cream, honey and garlic. Mix together. Refrigerate for 1 hour and you are ready to serve.

Candied Double Smoked Bacon

  • Cut ½ pound bacon in lardon; ¼ inch squares then saute them in a frying pan on high heat.
  • Let sit until they start to brown, then turn on all four sides.
  • Once lardon are cooked, place them on paper towel to absorb the grease. Wipe your pan dry, then bring the bacon back to the pan.
  • Once it heats up again, pour ¼ cup maple syrup to a boil, then let reduce slowly until it coats each piece.
  • Let cool on parchment paper. Use as a garnish for your salad, etc.

Sweet Potato Salmon with Wild Blueberry & Basil Compote

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Sweet Potato Salmon with Wild Blueberry & Basil Compote

Chef Alain Bosse, The Kilted Chef
A sweet and aromatic dinner that uses salmon, wild blueberries and sweet potato. A quick dish that tastes like you've been working on it for hours!
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 2 salmon fillets 6-8 oz
  • ½ lemon juiced
  • 2 sweet potatoes cooked and mashed
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
  • drizzle of olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Wild Blueberry & Basil Compote

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cups wild blueberries
  • 1 shallot diced
  • 1 green onion diced
  • ¼ cup white wine
  • ½ tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp basil chopped

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C).
  • Place the salmon fillets on a parchment-lined baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and squeeze the lemon.
  • Mash the sweet potatoes, add the maple syrup and butter, along with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Divide sweet potatoes between the two salmon fillets.
  • Divide pumpkin seeds between the two servings, and drizzle with olive oil.
  • Place in the oven for 15 minutes.
  • Top with the wild blueberry and basil compote to serve.

Wild Blueberry and Basil Compote

  • Heat olive oil over medium-high heat, and add the blueberries. Using the back of a spoon, crush some of the berries so they release their juice.
  • Add shallots and green onions, and cook for 3-4 minutes.
  • Add Dijon mustard and white wine, stir to combine.
  • Allow compote to reduce by a quarter, and then stir in the basil.
  • Finish with salt, pepper and butter.

 

Wild Blueberry Grunt

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Wild Blueberry Grunt

Chef Alain Bosse, The Kilted Chef
A Nova Scotian classic, this tangy and sweet treat is a great dessert no matter what the season.
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Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups wild blueberries
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 2 limes juiced
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp nutmeg
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ cup frozen butter, grated
  • 1 cup buttermilk

Instructions
 

  • Place the blueberries along with the sugar, water, lime juice, and spices into a preheated cast iron or enamel pot with a lid. Cover and place over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the juices have been released and a jam consistency has been reached.
  • Combine the biscuit ingredients and mix to form a soft dough. Drop the dough into the blueberry mixture using a 2 oz (57g) scoop.
    Cover and let set for 10 to 12 minutes or until the biscuits are no longer wet.
  • Serve with whipped cream and vanilla ice cream.
Keyword dessert

7 Unique Ways to Enjoy Wild Blueberries

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Do you like eating wild blueberries all year long? It can be hard to come by {affordable} fresh fruit during the colder months when fresh produce isn’t as readily available in Canada. Fresh wild blueberries are even more difficult to come by, as the season is short, and with a short shelf life, wild blueberries don’t stay fresh for long.  

Of course, our wild blueberry producers are clever. Because they know that we love our blueberries all year round, there have been some incredibly innovative ways of ensuring that we get the super fruit that we love whenever we want it! There are many different ways that wild blueberries can be enjoyed, some of which may be very surprising!

 

7 Unique Ways to Enjoy Wild Blueberries

 

Fresh: 

Obviously this is going to be first on our list. There’s nothing quite like eating wild blueberries straight from the bush. You can get wild blueberries fresh during the harvest season (typically late August to mid September) off of wild blueberry bushes, u-Pick farms, or your local grocery store. Fresh wild blueberries can be used in a large variety of ways, including baking, cooking, sauces, snacking (fresh), and so on. 

 

frozen wild blueberries

Frozen: 

If you’ve been following Canadian Wild Blueberries for any amount of time, you’ll know that frozen wild blueberries is the most accessible form. All Canadian wild blueberries are put through a process called IQF, or better known as Individually Quick Frozen, within 24 hours of being picked. This preserves their nutritional value, their colour, and taste. Many different brands throughout Canada (and around the world) carry wild blueberries that are IQF, and likely can be found in the frozen goods section of your local grocery store. 

 

Pureed: 

Did you know that wild blueberries are sold as purees? Whether canned or frozen, pureed wild blueberries are used around the world! They can be used as pure ingredients in a sorbet or ice cream, or to be used in cocktails or other drinks. Wild blueberry puree is incredibly useful, as well as being incredibly versatile. 

Juiced: 

As the heading suggests, juiced pure wild blueberries are great for drinking (did you know that wild blueberries have tannins that help prevent bladder and urinary tract infections?), being reduced into a syrup, drizzling over ice cream, or adding to sparkling water for a refreshing drink. In Nova Scotia, one of the most well-known brands of wild blueberry juice is certainly Van Dyk’s Pure Wild Blueberry Juice! 

 

Powdered: 

Wait, what? Yes, it’s true – you can get pure wild blueberries in a powdered form! This is incredibly handy for baking, mixes, adding to smoothies, and much more! It holds every bit of the tart and refreshing flavour that we love from the wild blueberry, while allowing for us to enjoy them in a very different way! 

 

Dried:

Most of us have heard of dried grapes (raisins), cranberries (craisins) and so on. But have you heard of dried blueberries? There are typically two different forms of dried blueberries – chewy and crunchy! Next time you’re looking for something to nibble on, ditch the chips and go for some crunchy dried wild blueberries instead! 

 

Canned:

Of course, we would be remiss if we failed to mention canned wild blueberries. It’s a great way to preserve them, ensuring you can enjoy them all year long. Canning them in water, a light syrup or even pickling them (yes, it’s true! Here’s a recipe on how to make fridge pickle wild blueberries) allows for a longer shelf life, as well as creating some variety in ways to use your wild blueberries!

 

 

As you can see, these powerful little superfruits can be enjoyed in many different ways and in every season. Why not try some of the different ways to enjoy wild blueberries today? You never know – you may find a new favourite! 

Choco-Cherry-Berry Smoothie

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Choco-Cherry-Berry Smoothie

Sara MacIsaac
A delicious start to your day can be found right here. While sweet, there is no added sugar to this antioxidant-rich breakfast!
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 1

Equipment

  • blender

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup frozen wild blueberries
  • 1/4 cup frozen plums
  • 1/4 cup frozen mixed berries (ie. blackberries, currants, raspberries)
  • 2 tbsp cacao nibs
  • 1 cup milk (cow, goat, soy, coconut)

Optional add-ins

  • 2 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1 cup fresh baby spinach
  • 1 serving protein powder
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 tbsp ground flax

Instructions
 

  • Add all of the ingredients to a high-powered blender, blend until smooth, and enjoy!
Keyword blueberry smoothie, breakfast, healthy eats, smoothie