Salted PB&J Smoothie. Also known as our favorite wild blueberry smoothie! Frozen wild blues, soy or oat milk, yogurt, frozen banana, peanut butter and oats are blended up into a creamy dreamy smoothie. That smoothie is then topped with crushed salted peanuts and more wild blues. Sweet, creamy, jammy and nutty – this smoothie is packed with flavor and nutrition.

 Thanks to my friends at Wild Blueberries for sponsoring this post and thanks to you, my readers, for supporting brands that help keep Jenny Shea Rawn running. As always, all opinions are my own.

In celebration of Frozen Foods Month and National Nutrition Month in March, we are celebrating my favorite frozen food – the wild blueberry. I’ll tell you all about why I love this little power-packed blue berry first and then I’ll share our all-time favorite smoothie that features wild blueberries. It’s packed with nutrition, tastes incredible (like a smoothie always should) and is a favorite for adults and kiddos alike.

Why wild blueberries?

Do you know the difference between wild and cultivated (or regular) blueberries? Both are nutrient-rich and delicious berries, but there are a few reasons that one of these types of blueberries has been a kitchen staple in our house forever.

• Flavor – wild blueberries have a more intense blueberry flavor than regular blues – they taste more like blueberries!
• Convenience – since wild blueberries are mainly sold frozen, you never have to worry about them growing old in your produce drawer, so flavor never suffers. They’re ready to eat at their peak of flavor when you’re ready to use them. Talk about convenient!
• Nutrition – wild blueberries have 33% more powerful anthocyanins (due to a higher skin-to-pulp ratio), 2x the antioxidants and 72% more fiber than regular blues. The anthocyanins, which are health promoting and anti-inflammatory, give them their deep purple color. That deep purple color is what gives you a purple mouth and “mustache,” which is something that my kids can’t get enough of!
• Size – wild blueberries are much smaller than conventional blueberries, offering a higher skin-to-pulp ratio. The kids call them “baby blues” and they prefer them to regular blues. Wild blues grow naturally on low-bush plants about as high as your ankle. We had a chance to see wild blueberry barrens covered in snow this winter when we visited Camden, Maine. It was a beautiful sight!

More fun facts about wild blueberries:

Here’s a bit more about wild blueberries that you may not know:

• Wild blueberries are 1 of 3 native North American fruits. They are never planted, but grow wild in the thin glacial soils and harsh northern climate of Maine. Harvest season typically begins in late summer and is over by early fall. Visiting the wild blueberry barrens during harvest season is one of the items on my bucket list to do – one of these years, soon, I hope!
• Born from the cold barrens of Maine and beyond, wild blueberries must protect themselves from the forces of nature to survive. This hardiness allows them to create a nutritional kick that feeds your brain and body.
• 99% of wild blueberries are individually quick frozen after harvest, so unless you live in or visit Maine (where wild blues grow), you’ll only be able to purchase them frozen or in wild blueberry products (jams, jellies, ice cream, etc.)

Now, let’s chat about this wild blueberry smoothie!

 What ingredients do you need to make this smoothie?

• Your choice of milk (I use soy or oat milk)
• Frozen wild blueberries
• Vanilla whole milk yogurt
• Frozen banana
• Peanut butter or sunflower butter, salted and unsweetened
• Regular cooking rolled oats
• Lightly salted peanuts (for topping), or sunflower seeds

Frequently asked questions:

• Can you use any type of milk?
  • Yes, use whatever milk you have on hand – any dairy or non-dairy milk will work. Unsweetened is preferred and full fat will give you a creamier smoothie than low or non-fat milks and milk substitutes.
• Why do you add oats to the smoothie?
  • In addition to added fiber, vitamins and minerals, the oats add some texture and thickening power to the smoothie. They also give the smoothie more staying power.
• Do you need to thaw the wild blueberries before adding them?
  • Nope! Add the wild blues and banana in frozen – this will give you a thicker smoothie, which we prefer.
• Can you reduce the sugar in the smoothie?
  • This smoothie has a bit of added sugar from the vanilla yogurt – if you’d like to reduce the sugar more, you can use plain whole milk yogurt instead of vanilla.
• Can you use a banana that is not frozen?
  • Of course, but your smoothie won’t be as thick and we much prefer the texture with a frozen banana.
• What else could be added to the smoothie?
  • Often times we will add chia seeds and on occasion some greens from the garden, like spinach or baby kale.
• For those with nut allergies, could sunflower butter and sunflower seeds be substituted for the peanut butter?
  • Yes! We often add sunflower butter to the smoothie instead of peanut butter.

Here’s how to make our favorite wild blueberry smoothie recipe – it’s great for breakfast, as part of lunch or as a quick and healthy snack. This smoothie is packed with anthocyanins, protein, fiber and healthy fats.

Feel free to tweak it to make it your own by using your favorite seed or nut butter and the milk (dairy or non-dairy) of your choice.

 

What’s your favorite way to eat wild blueberries? Are you as much of a fan as we are?!

 

Looking for more wild blueberry recipes?

Try this Oyster Platter with Wild Blueberry Granita!