Fun Blueberry Recipes to Liven Up Your Valentine’s Day

Wondering how some fun blueberry recipes could save your money? If you’ve seen the results of the latest annual survey conducted by the National Retail Federation, you know that Americans are forecast to spend $18.2 billion on Valentine’s Day in 2017. The average consumer is predicted to spend $136.57 on Valentine’s Day this year, with $3.8 billion spent on a night out. If you and your sweetheart are planning on staying in and saving this year, try one or more of these fun blueberry recipes to make the night memorable. In fact, we’ve planned out a whole dinner’s worth of fun blueberry recipes, complete with drinks and appetizers. Enjoy!

Recipes and photos courtesy of the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council.

Fun Blueberry Recipes for a Sweet Valentine’s Day

Drinks and Appetizers: Blueberry Lemondrop Cocktail and Blueberry Ricotta Bruschetta

Get the night started off on the right foot with a bright red blueberry lemondrop cocktail that’s easy to make and a blueberry ricotta bruschetta that’s fun to eat!

Blueberry Lemondrop Cocktail

Ingredients

• 1 ounce fresh squeezed lemon juice

• 10 frozen blueberries, thawed slightly

• 2 ounces vodka

• 1 teaspoon agave syrup

• Rosemary sprig and fresh blueberries for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, muddle the blueberries and fresh squeezed lemon juice.

2. Add vodka and agave syrup; fill cocktail shaker with ice.

3. Shake well and strain into a chilled martini glass.

4. Garnish with a rosemary sprig and blueberries.

Blueberry Ricotta Bruschetta

Ingredients

• 8 slices Italian bread, cut on the diagonal

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 cup ricotta cheese

• 3 tablespoons honey

• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, roughly chopped

• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel

• 2 cups blueberries

Instructions

1. Pre-heat broiler to 375°F.

2. On a rimmed baking sheet, lay out bread slices.  Broil 2 to 4 minutes, just until golden. Turn slices over.  Broil 1 to 3 minutes other side until golden, watching carefully.

3. In a small bowl, combine cheese, 2 teaspoons of the honey, thyme and lemon peel.

4. Spread mixture evenly amongst the slices of toast.  Sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon blueberries and a drizzle of the remaining honey.

Number of servings (yield): 8

First Course: Oysters with Blueberry Mignonette & Prosciutto

Then, give one of Valentine’s Day’s most popular foods—oysters—a makeover with tasty blueberries.

Blueberry Mignonette Ingredients

• 2 cups blueberry juice

• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

• 2 tablespoons shallots, finely chopped

• 1 tablespoon coarse black pepper

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 1 cup fresh blueberries

Prosciutto Ingredients

• 10-12 slices of prosciutto

Oyster Ingredients

• 1 dozen oysters

• Blueberry mignonette

• Crispy prosciutto

• 1 jalapeño

• Cilantro

Blueberry Mignonette Instructions

1. In a medium pan over medium-high heat, reduce blueberry juice by half; let cool.

2. In large mixing bowl combine juice with vinegar, shallots, black pepper and sugar and stir.

3. Add blueberries and toss. Refrigerate for at least one hour.

Prosciutto Instructions

1. Heat oven to 300 degrees F

2. Line a baking sheet with prosciutto in one single layer.

3. Bake for 20 minutes.  Let cool.

4. Crumble into smaller pieces and set aside.

Oyster Instructions

1. Thinly slice one jalapeno; set aside.

2. Shuck the oysters. Spoon 1 teaspoon of blueberry mignonette over each oyster and top with a sprinkle prosciutto crumbs

3. Garnish with a slice of jalapeno and a cilantro leaf.  Serve immediately

Number of servings (yield): 12 oysters

Entree: Blueberry & Brie Turkey Wellington

This entrée offers an array of flavors to tempt your taste buds: the savory flavors of turkey, bacon and melted brie cheese meet the tangy notes of blueberries and fresh herbs. This comfort food combination looks as good as it tastes!

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil

• 1 small shallot, sliced thinly

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

• 1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

• 1 boneless, skinless turkey breast

• 4 ounce wedge Brie cheese, rind removed

• 1/4 cup diced and cooked bacon

• 1/4 cup pickled beets, diced

• 3/4 cup frozen blueberries

• 1/2 cup cooked, crumbled bacon

• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry

• 1 egg beaten

Instructions

1. In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, heat olive oil.  Add shallot and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes.

2. Stir in thyme, rosemary, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper.  Remove from heat; set aside to cool.

3. Place the turkey breast inside a large zip lock bag.  Pound until it’s nice and flat (about 3/4 – 1 inch thick).

4. Sprinkle turkey with remaining salt and pepper.

5. Place strips of cheese lengthwise down the center of the turkey.  Add the shallot and thyme mixture, blueberries and bacon.

6. Roll up the turkey to enclose the filling as well as you can.  Heat oven to 400°F.

7. On parchment-lined baking sheet, roll puff pastry to a 15 x 10 inch rectangle.

8. Place the stuffed turkey breast in the center of the puff pastry.  With a sharp knife, cut horizontal slits (about 1 inch apart) on the edge of each side of the pastry dough.

9. Fold each piece over the turkey breast and continue until the turkey breast is completely covered.  Tuck the edges of the both sides in and pinch them well. Brush the puff pastry with the beaten egg.

10. Place in the oven and cook for 70 minutes or until your meat thermometer reads 180 degrees.

11. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

Number of servings (yield): 4 – 6

Dessert: Blueberry Fruit Sushi

End the evening with the most interesting of the fun blueberry recipes we’ve compiled: blueberry fruit sushi. This fruit-and-yogurt take on sushi uses rice, blueberries, avocado and additional fruit to make mock California rolls. A yogurt and honey dipping sauce completes the dish; just add chopsticks!

Ingredients

• ¾ cup short grain rice
• 1 ¼ cups water
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• Pinch salt
• ½ cup coconut milk
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup blueberries
• ½ avocado, cut into 2 inch batons
• 1 small peach, apple or plum cut into small cubes

Dipping Sauce Ingredients

• 1 cup frozen blueberries

• 1/3 cup vanilla yogurt

• 1 tablespoon honey

Instructions

1. For the rice: In a medium pot over medium low heat, combine rice, water, sugar  and salt.

2. Cook about 15 minutes until rice has absorbed the water and is cooked through but still firm.

3. Stir in coconut milk and vanilla.  Mixture should be thick.  Let cool.

4. On a piece of parchment paper with wet hands pat half of the rice into a 7 x 5 inch rectangle.

5. Lay half of the blueberries along the long end of the rectangle.  Add half of the avocado and apple slices.

6. Roll up in the parchment  to enclose the fruit and form a long tight roll or log .

7. Unroll the parchment; cut the rice roll crosswise into 1 inch pieces to make “sushi rolls”.

8. Repeat with remaining rice mixture and fruit.

Dipping Sauce Instructions

1. Combine blueberries, yogurt and honey in a blender.  Puree until smooth.

Number of servings (yield): 14 rolls

Look for other great recipes to add delicious, nutritious blueberries to your diet from the Blueberries from Florida recipes page!

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