FEATURE

How to Get Maine Wild Blueberries No Matter Where You Live

Get your antioxidants and polyphenols with these four recipes using powdered, frozen, dehydrated, and juiced berries

By Jill Dutton

We hear a lot these days about the health benefits of blueberries. But did you know that wild blueberries pack two times the antioxidant activity of cultivated blueberries because of their smaller size and more flavor-filled taste?

In Maine -- the largest producer of wild blueberries in the U.S. -- the state’s official fruit grows wild. These hardy low-bush blueberries are juicy, flavorful, and packed with natural anti-oxidants. In July and August each year, these hardy berries are raked up for consumption. Unlike cultivated blueberries, wild blueberries have a natural growth cycle and don’t require replanting.

You don’t have to visit Maine to experience the taste and health properties of Maine wild blueberries. Wyman’s has been rooted in Maine since 1874. Although Jason Wyman started canning sardines, by 1900 he had shifted his focus to the native wild resource that surrounded him, acquiring thousands of acres of barrens across Maine and Canada. Now, Wyman is a fourth-generation family-owned business and one of the leading growers and processors of wild blueberries anywhere.

If you can’t visit Maine, Wyman’s products can be ordered online and shipped, or purchased from local grocers. To give a taste of the variety, below are four recipes showcasing powdered wild blueberries, dried wild blueberries, wild blueberry juice, and frozen wild blueberries.

Enjoy! Wellness never tasted so good!

Use: frozen

Recipe: Wild Blueberry Balsamic Salad Dressing

Recipe by Jen Bates for Wyman’s

Ingredients:

1 cup (130g) Wyman’s Wild Blueberries, thawed
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp (30g) honey
1 tbsp lemon juice
1⁄2 cup olive oil
Pinch of salt and pepper

Directions:
Puree Wyman’s Wild Blueberries, balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, honey, and lemon juice in a blender till smooth. With the blender on low, slowly drizzle in olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate till ready to use.

Use: powdered and frozen

Recipe: Slow Cooker Wild Blueberry Pie Steel-Cut Oats

Recipe by Charlotte Martin MS, RDN, CPT for Wyman’s

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 cup steel cut oats
2 cups unsweetened almond milk
2 cups water
¼ cup Wyman’s wild blueberry powder
2 Tbsp ground flaxseed
2 Tbsp pure maple syrup or honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp salt

Toppings:

Wyman’s frozen blueberries, warmed
Almond butter
Chopped pecans or walnuts

Directions:

Place all the ingredients except for the toppings in the bottom of a slow cooker and stir to combine.
Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4 hours. Enjoy warm with toppings.

Use: dried

Recipe: Homemade Trail Mix with Dried Wild Blueberries

Recipe from the Wyman’s Test Kitchen

Ingredients:

1⁄2 cup whole almonds
1⁄2 cup walnut pieces
1⁄2 shelled pistachios, salted (or plain)
1⁄3 cup Wyman’s Dried Wild Blueberries
1⁄3 cup pepitas

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350*F.

Spread the almonds and walnuts on a baking sheet. Bake 6 minutes, stir, and bake 4 minutes longer. When it’s cool enough to handle, cut almonds in half crosswise. In a bowl, combine toasted nuts, pistachios, blueberries and pepitas.

Use: juice and frozen

Recipe: Wild Blueberry Sangria (Two Ways)

Our favorite thing about pitcher drinks is their versatility. This is a starter recipe for a mocktail or a cocktail as a sangria, but we encourage trying different combinations of fruits and carbonated water or wine with our Wild Blueberry Juice. Cheers!

Ingredients:

1 bottle (500ml) Wild Blueberry Juice
2 lemons cut in half and sliced
2 oranges cut in half and sliced
2 cups frozen Wild Blueberries
12 ounces sparkling water – or 12 ounces sparkling white wine

Mix all ingredients together in a pitcher and serve over ice as desired.

Jill Dutton is the publisher of Evolving Magazine. For the past seven years, she has traveled North America by train (and plane) discovering local foods and outdoor activities. Follow Jill's travels at USAbyRail.blog.