Last week I ran far, far away from home, where it’s been six-digit temperatures for the better part of the summer, in to the cool, loving arms of Portland, Oregon. I’ve never been to that part of the country and I can say it was just about love at first sight. To you Portlanders – well done! It’s one of the most beautiful, friendly, genuinely unique places I’ve ever visited.
I took in the scenic hikes at Mt. Hood, enjoyed tastings at local wineries, had lunch at the downtown food carts, and even picked up a bottle of honey (my go-to souvenir for any vacation). One of the things I loved the very most were the blackberries. They were very much in season while I was there, with many restaurants advertising all sorts of blackberry treats. The ones I enjoyed most were right out of a basket at the Portland Farmers Market on the PSU campus. Plump, juicy, and perfectly sweet… they were a far cry from any blackberry I’m used to having in Kansas.
When I returned home, I couldn’t get that sweet taste out of my mind. So this weekend, I made due with the blackberries I had access to and made what my husband called the best muffins I’ve ever baked. It seemed only right to share them with you.
I wanted a muffin that would let the blueberries shine, not be too heavy, and complement a breakfast rather than be the main course. I found a recipe that I could easily modify over at DozenFlours.com. Her recipe was great as-is, but I had to add a few of my own tricks to truly make it mine, make it a touch healthier, and help me savor that Portland blackberry flavor I was after.
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The 2012 Olympic Games are fast approaching and we’ve dished out just about every ounce of inspiration we have for the upcoming event.
You’ve seen our top picks for the most enviable Olympic bodies, delicious smoothie recipes straight from the Olympic kitchen, and even insight into your favorite athletes’ diet and training regimens. But, we have one more trick up our sleeve before the games arrive in the form of a healthy and delicious recipe that will ‘wow’ your guests at all of your Olympic-themed parties.
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This past weekend we hosted dinner with friends. It was a gorgeous spring evening, we had all of the windows open, and we’d planned a very light and fresh meal of avocado pasta with a green salad. Our guests don’t drink, but I knew I wanted something fun, flavorful, and complementary to the weather as much as the meal.
While at the grocery store, I noticed that lemons were on sale and a fresh batch of blackberries had just come in. Inspiration! I couldn’t wait to get home to find a recipe for blackberry lemonade.
I Googled around until I found something simple that matched the ingredients I had on hand. I fell for this recipe at Love and Olive Oil. I liked that it called for raw or cane sugar; while I didn’t have any in the house, I’d have definitely preferred to use that. After that, it was just water, blackberries, lemon, and ice.
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You’re plenty familiar with white rice. And maybe you occasionally indulge in brown rice. But have you heard of black rice? If not, there could be good reason to track some down for your next meal.
According to new research, anthocyanin antioxidants are found in black rice, which are also found in blackberries and blueberries. Black rice is also rich in iron and fiber.
“Just a spoonful of black rice bran contains more health promoting anthocyanin antioxidants than are found in a spoonful or blueberries, but with less sugar and more fiber and vitamin E antioxidants,” says Zhimin Xu, PhD, of Louisiana State University Agricultural Center.
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July is national berry month. This is the time to enjoy nature’s candy! They’re super-sweet this time of year. If you need a reason to love berries, I’ll give you three: berries are are portable, palate pleasing and packed with nutrition. What’s not to love? Even better, berries antioxidant power can help prevent disease.
Antioxidants protect our cells from oxidative damage and inflammation, and they have been linked to heart and brain health, supporting a healthy immune system and protection against certain cancers.
It’s easy to add in berries to healthy foods you already enjoy. Here’s a few ideas for bumping up your berry intake this month.
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