Blueberries are the king of fruits when it comes to micronutrients. They may not have the vitamin C of oranges and grapefruit, or the potassium found in bananas. But blueberries do have an abundance of phytonutrients, whose strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, some scientists believe, may help protect against heart disease, colon cancer and other maladies.
The beneficial phytonutrients in blueberries are anthocyanins, a type found in other fruits and vegetables with red, blue and purple pigments. Scientists use a test called the O.R.A.C. (short for oxygen radical absorbance capacity) to rate the antioxidant capacity in foods, and by this measure blueberries always come out on top. So if red wine is off limits and beets just aren't your thing, try adding a half cup of blueberries to your cereal or yogurt in the morning, throw a half cup of frozen blueberries into your smoothie - or try any of this week's recipes.
Blueberry Yogurt Parfait
This beautiful parfait tastes so much richer than it is. You can serve it for breakfast or for dessert. Look for organic yogurt that has no thickeners or gums added to it.
2 cups blueberries
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
2 cups drained low-fat yogurt or low-fat Greek style yogurt
1 tablespoon shelled pistachios, finely chopped
1. Combine the blueberries, sugar, lime juice and balsamic vinegar in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook for five to 10 minutes, until the liquid is reduced and the blueberries have cooked down to a jam-like consistency. Allow to cool. You should have about 1 cup of thick, jammy sauce.
2. Spoon 1/4 cup thick yogurt into the bottom of each of 4 tumblers or parfait glasses. Top with 2 tablespoons of the blueberry sauce. Make another 1/4 cup layer of yogurt on top of the blueberry sauce, and finish with another 2 tablespoon-layer of blueberry sauce. Cover tightly and chill for at least 1 hour. Just before serving, sprinkle finely chopped pistachios over the top.
Yield: Serves four.
Advance preparation: The assembled parfaits will hold in the refrigerator for a day. Sprinkle on the pistachios just before serving.
當談及微量元素時,藍莓無疑是果中之王。藍莓也許不含有橙子和葡萄含有的維生素C,或是香蕉中發現含有的鉀元素。但是他們含有豐富的植物營養素,一些科學家認為這些營養素的看氧化和消炎的寶貴功用可以輔助防御心臟病'結腸癌和其他疾病。
藍莓中有益的植物營養素是花青甙,一種在其他果蔬中發現的包含有紅,藍,紫幾種色素的物質?茖W家們進行了一種稱作O.R.A.C.(氧基吸收率力的簡稱)的測試來給食物的抗氧化功效排名,按照此標準,藍莓總是高居榜首。假如沒有紅酒并且你有不喜歡甜菜,試著給你的谷物或是奶酪早餐加上半杯藍莓汁,將另外的半杯藍莓凍給你的愛人品嘗--或是把它寫入這周的菜譜。
奶酪藍莓凍糕
這種外觀唯美的小糕點的味道比其外觀還要迷人。你可以把它當是早點或甜點。(在奶酪的取材方面)需要尋找沒有添加增稠劑或是膠劑的有機奶酪。
2杯藍莓汁
4分之1杯糖
1大湯匙新鮮榨取的酸橙汁
2杯脫水的低脂奶酪或是低脂希臘式奶酪
1大湯匙均勻切制的,去殼的阿月渾子果
第一步。將藍莓,糖,酸橙汁和香脂醋放入一個中型的燉鍋,然后以中火燜燉,煮上個五到十分鐘,直到汁水減少,藍莓脫水成果醬的粘稠度相仿。然后使之自然冷卻。你將會得到大約一杯粘稠的類果醬的醬品。
第二步。將四分之一的粘稠的奶酪分別放入每個杯子或是糕點杯里,共四份。分別用兩大湯匙了;藍莓醬加蓋。然后再將四分之一杯子杯高的奶酪至于藍莓醬上。然后再加另外兩大湯匙的藍莓醬層收尾。蓋緊并自然冷卻至少一小時。在出售時,把阿月渾子果粉末均勻的灑在頂上。
產量:四份。
補充準備:將這些糕點集中放置于冰箱內一天,在出售前將阿月渾子果末灑好。