Sometimes you just want something special. That is exactly what happened to me this week when I went to make pancakes for the kids.  Since they have been out of school, pancakes seem to be a quick ‘go-to’ breakfast meal that will provide a couple of hours of satisfied hunger after early morning football conditioning.

We are lucky to have fresh maple syrup from a local provider, but this time, I wanted to add a little fruit to their pancakes. Strawberry season has passed us by, and that only means one thing – fresh blueberries are here!  Instead of just adding blueberries to the pancake mix, I wanted to ensure that the wonderful summer time blueberry flavor could last all year long.  That is why I decided to make Blueberry Syrup.

But don’t just add this to your pancakes or waffles.  You can use this syrup to mix with your favorite yogurt, as a topping for desserts (my favorite – cheesecake), smoothies, and of course – an ice cream topping.  The possibilities are endless – and best of all – you can make it without refined white sugar.

Blueberry Syrup Recipe

Ingredients:

*Makes approximately 3 half-pints and a little extra for sampling.

1. 5 cups of fresh or frozen blueberries

2. 1 cup of water

3. 1 lemon (zest and juice)

4. 1 cup of Azucar Morena sugar (or equivalent sweetener of your choice)

**Azucar Morena is an all natural sweetener produced from the crystallization of fresh sugar cane juices.  It is unrefined, all natural and pressed straight from the sugar cane plant. Once the freshly squeezed sugar cane juice is extracted from the rest of the plant, it undergoes gentle vacuum evaporation, which preserves the nutritional values of the cane plant. It also produces golden, sweet and unrefined sugar crystals that taste like fresh sugar cane. It can be used as a direct one to one substitution for white sugar.

**Sugar Free Option – Reduce water to 3/4 cup and replace sweetener with 3/4 cup of Agave Nectar.

Instructions:

1. Wash blueberries and place them in a medium pot – add the water.

2. Mash blueberries with a potato masher.

3. Heat to boiling, then simmer for 15 minutes – mashing the blueberries as they heat.

4. Remove from heat – pour into a sieve or food mill over a pot to strain out the skins.

5. Add 1/4 teaspoon of finely chopped lemon zest and sweetener – Stir to combine.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

6. Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice – bring to a light boil for 2 minutes.

7. Canning option- water bath for 10 minutes.

8. Fresh storing: cool and refrigerate for up to 3 months or freeze for up to 9 months.

Enjoy!

Mary and Jim

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