Blueberry Soup

Now don't panic if you've never heard of putting blueberries into a soup--stay with me on this one. I found a recipe in the Anchorage Daily News years ago and read how it was popular in Scandinavian countries, particularly before alpine sports events because it's hot and filling.

Call me gullible but that was enough for me and I tried it that same week for breakfast with a few of my own variations and the rest is history. It's been on the menu ever since and Andrew will often comment how it is hot, satisfying and filling.

With all we're hearing about the benefits of antioxidants it's a great way to get more good stuff into your diet.

4 cups frozen blueberries
3 cups water
5 T sugar
3 T lemon juice
1/4 t ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
2 t cornstarch
½ t vanilla
low fat vanilla yogurt for topping
granola for topping

Combine the first seven ingredients in a saucepan over a medium-high heat, stirring well. Bring soup to a gentle boil. Reduce and simmer until the blueberries are tender, about 5 minutes.

Gently mash some of the berries with a potato masher and serve topped with yogurt and granola (I've also used Grape Nuts cereal with good results). For a slightly sweeter version, use orange juice in place of all or part of the 3 cups of water.

Technorati tags: breakfast, blueberries, soup, food, Alaska