Blueberry Bedazzler

Blueberries have been an obsession of mine since childhood. I have fond memories of growing up with a large backyard that had wild blueberry bushes. What fun we kids had each blueberry season chowing down on these little bundles of joy until our teeth and tongues turned blue. We would munch on them as quickly as possible in anticipation of proudly parading our blue mouths for the whole neighborhood to see. Oh, the giggles it brought us back then. Of course, once the adults got into the picture, our joy soon turned to frustration as our teeth and hands were quickly scrubbed clean and clothing promptly thrown into the washer. But it never seemed to hamper the delicious fun of it all: certainly not enough to prevent us from doing the same thing the following year. I still chuckle when I think of those days.

With those fond memories in mind, I wanted to create a special blueberry shake, one that took me back to those precious times and did these miraculous little berries proud. After all, when we are talking about blueberries we are referencing a true super food, a shining star in the fruit world, and one of the most beloved flavors in the world. Funny how I took blueberries for granted without knowing how truly dazzling they really are. And as you may have noticed I love to use them whenever I get the chance. Elegant Whipped Lavender Berry Mousse.

Blueberries are an indigenous North American fruit. They are loaded with so many vital nutrients, they’re often referred to as a “super fruit”. Blueberries in particular are high in anti-oxidants and manganese which are important for bone development. Blueberries contain no fat, sodium or starches, which makes them Diabetic-friendly and beneficial for weight loss.

Among the many benefits of eating blueberries are:

• enhanced memory
• heart health support
• improved digestion
• improved bowel movement
• removing bacteria in the urinary tract
• preventing and fighting cancer

I also added another “super food” to my shake; acai. Acai has been around for years and it took me that long to finally give it a try. I have to admit I wasn’t impressed at first, thinking it was just another trendy health food. Why do I think so much?

Acai (pronounced Ah-Sigh-EE) contains extremely high levels of numerous nutrients particularly antioxidants.
Acai berries have 10x the level of antioxidants as grapes, and twice as many as blueberries. This makes acai the number one fruit in the world for antioxidant levels.
Acai berries help you maintain youthfulness. Its antioxidants scavenge damaging free radicals; compounds whose unstable chemical nature accelerate the effects of aging on our cells.
Acai berries help protect against disease, including a number of age-related diseases.

I knew I wanted a thick and smooth shake so I included fresh cashews for the creamy base. Cashews are one of the most versatile nuts and perfect for adding richness and body to recipes. They make a great substitute for dairy milk Sweet Cashew Milk . I use cashew pieces where the appearance doesn’t matter and for garnish. They are less expensive and blend up even faster.

I also added frozen fruit for extra body and to chase away the summer heat. I blended up the ingredients…whizz, whizz and after a final whirl, it was ready to taste. Simple, refreshing, cool, thick, delicious; just what a blueberry shake should be. I hope you’ll enjoy this blueberry dream come true for me; a gorgeous drink that bedazzles me to the bone.

This recipe is dairy and gluten-free, and serves 2 – 4 persons.

Blueberry Bedazzler

I suggest using frozen berries to keep the consistency thick.
You can substitute the berries with other similar berries of choice.

• 1 cup cashews, soaked in water for 2 – 8 hours then drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries
• 1/2 cup frozen boysenberries or blackberries
• 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
• 1/2 cup frozen raspberries
• 1 frozen banana, chopped
• 1 tsp acai berry powder
• 3 – 4 drops of schisandra berry extract (optional)
• 1/4 – 1/2 tsp berry-flavored stevia to taste (optional)
• other sweetener of choice to taste

1. Add cashews and water to a blender.
2. Blend until very smooth.
3. Add the remaining ingredients.
4. Blend until thick and creamy. I used a tamper to help it along.
5. Garnish if you want and enjoy.
6. Yields about 4 cups.