Blueberry Syrup

Ali Segersten Aug 26, 2009 17 comments

Today I thought I would share a very simple pancake syrup recipe that is full of blueberry lusciousness. This antioxidant-rich, blueish-purple syrup is great atop freshly made pancakes and also can be used as a Phase 2 Elimination Diet recipe!

My favorite way to use this syrup is to pour it over a stack of homemade, gluten-free buckwheat pancakes. Though lately I have found a few additional creative ways to use it. You see, it is blueberry season out here, and every year we pick at least 100 pounds of these sweet, juicy morsels. That means every year around this time our fridge is stocked with fresh blueberries and a jar of this syrup. Usually I don't measure, but since I wanted to share it with you, I painstakingly took the time to measure out all four ingredients. I know, I work hard don't I? :)

For a Phase 2 elimination diet-friendly breakfast, try pouring this syrup over a bowl of cooked short grain brown rice or quinoa and top with toasted pumpkin seeds and a sprinkling of cinnamon. Enjoy!

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About the Author

Ali Segersten

Alissa Segersten holds a Bachelor's of Science in Nutrition from Bastyr University and a Master’s of Science in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine from the University of Western States. She is a Functional Nutritionist, the mother of five children, a whole foods cooking instructor, professional recipe developer, and cookbook author. She is passionate about helping others find a diet that will truly nourish them. Alissa is the author of two very popular gluten-free, whole foods cookbooks and guidebooks: The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook and Nourishing Meals. She is also the co-author of The Elimination Diet book. Alissa is the founder and owner of Nourishing Meals®.

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Comments

I am trying to can as much stuff as I am able. Does anyone have an idea about canning this? Will it work as is or does it need something else?

I've been meaning to try this recipe, but haven't gotten around to it - I'm SO glad you mentioned serving it over rice! That is just the inspiration I needed. One of my favorite phase 1 elimination diet breakfasts was (and still is) 1 cup of frozen blueberries, 1 cup of cooked quinoa, LOTS of ground cinnamon and 2 tsp agave nectar (add in order mentioned to small sauce pan) and heat over low heat until warmed (and berries pop; releasing their juice). This is also great in the heat of summer - just combine everything and skip the heating process. The only trouble I had with this was my daughter wouldn't even try it, even though she would eat quinoa porridge with rice milk and cinnamon (so I was fixing two different breakfasts). I think this syrup might just do the trick!
Thanks so much Ali!

Rose - Yes as the syrup cools it does thicken. It is meant to be used hot or warm. To use it from the refrigerator, scoop it into a small pan and heat over low heat. You could also try decreasing the arrowroot to 1 tablespoon or increasing the liquid (water or maple syrup). I like it a little thicker so this is why I use 2 tablespoons of arrowroot. If you make it again and change the recipe, let us know how it turns out. :)

I made this with agave syrup and a mix of blackberries and blueberries yesterday and it was/is delicious. It did become solid by this morning. Do you have any tips for this Ali?

Shirley - That would be great, this is the season for crisps and cobblers and everything "berries" in between! :)

Lisl - Congrats on the 22 pounds you picked today. I think this would last about 2 weeks in the fridge - though it doesn't for us. It usually gets eaten up in a few days around here. :)

Hi Ali,
This looks great! I'll try it with a portion of the 22 lbs we picked today. How long do you think this syrup would keep in the fridge?

Thanks so much!

The berry crisp recipe was made by my friend, Jennifer. I'll have to see if I can get it and post it or talk her into doing a guest post. :-)

Shirley

Debbie - Thanks, I am sure you will like this one with the arrowroot, enjoy! :)

I've made syrup much like yours, but I never thought to add the arrowroot. I will have to try that.

Like you, I never measure, so it it nice that you have done that for us! Thanks!

Kristen - Thanks! :)

Shirley - Ha Ha Ha! Funny, maybe you should try to make use of the kudzu growing on your property. Heck, the stuff that is sold here comes from Japan and is very pricy! Will you be sharing your blueberry crisp recipe on your blog? That combo with your ice cream sounds decadent! :)

Let's see ... you mean at our support group meeting the other night we could have had berry crisp, snickerdoodle ice cream, AND blueberry syrup over all? Now my group is going to feel cheated! LOL Looks terrific, Ali. :-)

I always chuckle when I read about folks using kudzu in baking. I'm in that part of the country where kudzu goes wild. It can seriously overtake everything. It's one of those organisms that was brought here from Asia for a perfectly logical reason (in this case to curb erosion, I believe), but our conditions make them proliferate beyond measure and soon everyone is trying to get rid of them. Maybe if everyone starts baking with kudzu, it will become highly marketable and it will soon be under control. We have some on our one piece of property. Wonder if I could use a mortar and pestle and turn it into a useable commodity. ;-)

Shirley

Sounds and looks delish!!!

~Kristen

Diane - Thanks! I bet this would be good over blueberry ice cream. Yum! I only measure when I am creating a recipe or testing a recipe. Other than that I never measure. It is much more fun and creative that way. :)

Emily - Yes, all of the info is in the book, page 79. Arrowroot starch/powder/flour (they are all the same thing) comes from the roots (tubers) of the arrowroot plant - a tropical South American plant. It is a fine, white powder; I like to buy mine from Authentic Foods. Kudzu, on the other hand, is the starch from the root of the kudzu plant, which is a trailing/climbing vine native to Japan. Though I hear it grows like crazy in the South Eastern part of the US. Kudzu is a white powder that comes in little chunks. It can be found in the bulk spice section or Asian section of your local health food store. I do have a few recipes in the book using kudzu - it is a bit more expensive than arrowroot. Hope that answers your question. :)

FortheloveofFood - Hope your dinner was a hit, glad I could help! :)

Lara - Thanks so much for sharing your adaptions to this recipe! I bet this was yummy over the cake! Happy Cooking!

-Ali :)

Yep, it's delicious....I made this today with frozen strawberries. It was probably closer to 2 cups worth of berries, I think. Also made your chocolate layer cake in a 9 x 13 pan to go with the sauce....or shall I say I made the sauce to go with the cake! Another fab recipe, thanks!

Perfect timing Ali! I have a box of just picked berries in our fridge just waiting to be used. I'll be making this one soon, maybe even over the teff pancakes for dinner! Thanks!

Hey Ali!

What's the difference between kudzu and arrowroot? I already have arrowroot at home but you mention the kudzu to be very healing. Where do you purchase yours and what else can it be used for? (I spose I should check your cookbook too!)

This sounds great. I have 2 pints of blueberries I need to use today. I'll be making this along with my blueberry coconut milk ice cream. I think this would taste great poured over a serving of ice cream. Oh I feel so naughty. Thanks for sharing this!
I love the comment about measuring. I don't like to measure either. I cook by sight and taste. That's often hard to share. Thanks for capturing this recipe.

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