July is National Blueberry Month … and with blueberries, there are LOTS of reasons to celebrate!
These tasty berries have long been known for being high in antioxidants. The low-calorie superfood has also been touted as a way to slow down the aging process, decrease the risk of getting cancer, and lower your blood pressure (therefore protecting your heart). Little blue nuggets packing a nutrient-dense health punch, filled with fiber, manganese, and vitamins C and K. (Read more on the health benefits of consuming blueberries.)
Blueberry picking as a family is one of my favorite summertime traditions. Of course, being able to knock out 6 buckets in the time I could pick one by myself is just icing on the cake! 
In an era when entertainment is often the primary focus of family time, heading to your local blueberry farm to work together gathering in a harvest to last all year is almost like stepping back in time. We sing, make up silly stories together, and play games to pass the time while we pick; occasionally stopping to admire a passing insect or frog. Happily munching a sweet berry here and there — as long as they don’t steal it from my bucket! — keeps them content as their little fingers stay busy. There is a sense of pride and accomplishment as my children see their buckets fill. No doubt visions of Mom’s blueberry muffins keep them picking when they’re tempted to quit!
As long as you have a bit of freezer room, preparing and storing your berry stash is easier than you might think. While I know people that do wash their berries, I don’t. I bring them straight home and lay them out on a bath towel on my kitchen table, rub them around a bit to drop off their stems and ensure they’re dry, then make certain to sort out any creepy-crawly critters that may have sneaked into my bucket while I picked. From there, you simply load them up into freezer bags, and toss them into the deep freeze and you’re done! 
Nothing like canning green beans or salsa, freezing berries is an absolute breeze.
This year, we tried a new farm that wasn’t quite as far of a drive for us, but for several years before that, we’ve picked at the Fisher’s Blueberry farm in Gravette, Arkansas, where the owner shared new recipes with us each year we came to pick. Today I’m going to share one of those with you, that has become our favorite blueberry muffin recipe.
All-American Blueberry Muffins
- 1 ½ c. sugar (or ½ c. Truvia for a sugar-free alternative)
- ¾ c. shortening
- 3 c. flour
- ¾ tsp. salt
- 4 tsp. baking powder
- ¼ tsp. cinnamon
- ½ tsp. nutmeg
- 3 eggs
- 1 ½ c. milk
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 qt. fresh blueberries (frozen works as well)
Start by pre-heating your oven to 350° F. Use a hand mixer to blend the sugar and shortening until fluffy. Add your eggs and mix again. Reserve the blueberries, but add all of the other remaining ingredients and blend smoothly. Gently fold in your blueberries, fill greased muffin tins — or my favorite, silicone muffin cups (no grease required!) like these from Amazon. Bake for 20-30 minutes until golden, or a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
If you’ve never had the chance to take your family blueberry picking, I hope you get to experience it this summer … and if the season is already over in your area, make plans to go next year. One good picking, and you’re stocked up all year for making blueberry muffins, pancakes, smoothies, and just good old yummy low-calorie snacking. That’s something to celebrate, for sure!
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