blueberries

What is the growing season for local blueberries?

Blueberries are harvested 2 - 4 times usually every 10 - 14 days between July and September.  99% of BC blueberries are grown in the Fraser Valley in Richmond, Pitt Meadow, Matsqui Prairie and Surrey.  BC produces about 95% of the Canadian production of cultivated blueberries.  This is about 9 million kilograms per year.  About 70% of these are processed; the others are bought fresh for export and local consumption through stores and farmgate outlets.  In BC, about 2045 ha are farmed by over 450 families.  (source)

What's with the chalk-like bloom on blueberries?

The chalk like bloom on the skins helps keep them fresh.  Don't wash fresh blueberries until you're ready to use them.  (source)

Blueberries are rich in what nutrients?  What are some of the health benefits of blueberries?

I think everyone can automatically attest that they've heard blueberries are rich in antioxidants.  In fact, they are the highest in antioxidants out of all fruits, vegetables, spices or seasonings.  Antioxidants are essential to optimizing health by helping to combat the free radicals that can damage cellular structures as well as DNA.  They are a great thing to eat before hopping on an airplane!  These antioxidants also contribute to a healthier nervous system, brain function and memory.  Blueberries are great for people that require watching the glycemic index of foods.  Blueberries are low on that scale.    But that's not all.  Blueberries also contain Vitamin K, Manganese, Vitamin C and fiber.  (source)

What's the best way to store blueberries?

A great little diagram is shown at this link for optimal blueberry storage.  Basically 1-2 weeks in the fridge and 10-12 months in the freezer.  An important thing to note is that it has been proven blueberries do not lose their antioxidant properties from freezing, so blueberries are definitely an item to stock up on and keep through winter. 

Favourite blueberry recipe:

My absolute personal favourite way to eat blueberries is just as is.  They are like candy.  Nature's candy!  In fact most of the time they barely make it to anything besides straight into my belly.  Of course, blueberries are great in smoothies and the Juice Caboose offers a popular smoothie called the Bluebonnet which contains:  blueberries, banana, spirulina, vanilla bean and hemp seeds.  Of course, some other great recipes include:

blueberry salsa - on its own or for use on grilled chicken

blueberry jam - this blueberry/lavender jam by Nikiah at Red Moon Musings is one that I would love               to try!

popsicles - perfect for summer

blueberry muffins - probably my favourite kind of muffin next to the the Power Muffins at Whole Foods.  I love a good gluten free recipe and Gluten Free Girl has a good one for blueberry muffins

raw vegan cheesecake - blueberries are great for making things stick together.  they are sort of gelatinous once blended and left to sit.  this make a great ingredient when making things raw that one would like to set in a certain shape or height.  Heathy from Sweetly Raw is the raw vegan dessert queen.

What's your favourite blueberry recipe?

Juicy Suzy

truck art love :: juice time guy

Juice Caboose + Blim Market = Awesome Truck Art.  That's what you get at an event full of artists! 

Juicy Suzy

truck art love :: popeye

If you've never been to the Juice Caboose you may not know that this is more than just a juice and smoothie experience.  Juice Caboose is becoming quite known for it's love of truck art something that I'd like to take credit for.  As long as it's not raining there are Crayolas available and I love to see what ends up on my truck.  Popeye especially made my day and as it turns out the Locomotion Smoothie with Mango, Spinach and OJ made the artists day as well. 

Juicy Suzy

juice caboose love :: dr carmen tanaka

Dr. Carmen Tanaka from Carmen Tanaka on Vimeo.

I love it when people love the Caboose.  Here's the first video that the Caboose has been featured in.  I first met  Dr Carmen Tanaka at the Main Street Market as featured in the video.  She is a naturopathic physician and she wanted to show off the great, healthy, local 'medicine' that is available in our city every day.  Check it out.

Juicy Suzy

help find pineapple

I'm sad to report that my pineapple piggy bank/tip jar/tattoo fund was stolen last week.  It was last seen at the Main Street Farmer's Market at approximately 6 pm.  This was a stellar find.  I found it in a box of freebies that someone was giving away and it couldn't have been a better fit in its new home in the Caboose.  If you happen to come across it on your wanderings around town or find something similar please give me a shout at iheartcaboosejuice@gmail.com .  Please help bring pineapple home. 

REWARD:  Two Large Juice or Smoothies on the house.  

Thanks.  

JUicy Suzy

july - in season

This is pretty much my preferred dinner of choice at the local farmer's markets while I'm working the Caboose.  That and Off The Taco Wagon - YUM!  When the weather is hot though, I can't beat fresh cherries and berries.  They fill me up perfectly without weighing me down like a cooked meal.  This is the time of bounty at the markets!  Check out what's in season at the Daily Green for July and then check it out in person at your local market!  There's a great little guide to picking and storing certain produce like peaches and summer squash at Martha Stewart to help you make the best picks last long.  Enjoy!    

Juicy Suzy

mcdonald's smoothies :: food for thought

Often at the Juice Caboose I get asked to make custom smoothies which I am more than happy to do.  Just strawberry, just mango, strawberry banana, etc are usually the requests made by people that are still less than sure about all those fancy ingredients that I use like agave, raw cacao nibs, and hemp seeds to name a few.  I'm happy to do this but most often I cringe.  I cringe because I know it's not going to taste the way they expect it to taste.  The thing is, just blending strawberries, ice and water doesn't taste all that great and only because our taste buds are pretty used to fillers being in our foods.  For instance, a Mango-Pineapple Smoothie from McDonald's actually contains 28 different ingredients.  Sadly, not just mango and pineapple.  That is 46 grams of sugar.  One entire mango has a total of 24 grams of sugar with 3 grams of dietary fiber and a cup of pineapple has 12 grams of sugar with 2 grams of dietary fiber.  That is still less in sugar and fiber than the smoothie itself contains and if it did it would be priced more along the lines of a smoothie that I sell at the Juice Caboose not the $2 at McDonalds.  (The reason I mention dietary fiber is because fiber is necessary for slowing the sugar intake into the blood.  The faster it goes into the blood the more likely it will be turned into fat for storage instead of being spread out and used for energy).

I recently had someone inquire about calories of my smoothies as well.  I will be looking into this information further so that I can supply the best info for my guests.  But in the mean time, the above Strawberry Banana smoothie is 330 calories with 70 grams of sugar.  That is the equivalent calories of a McDonalds Cheeseburger.  Just sayin.

Juicy Suzy