One of the best parts of summer are the fresh blueberries available. When it comes to low acid and bladder friendly foods, you can’t go wrong with recipes that are focused on this luscious yet light and flavorful fruit! Here are some of our favorite blueberry recipes!

Blueberry Breakfast Casserole (Julie Beyer RD)

Ingredients:

  • 12 slices homemade-type white bread
  • 16 oz. cream cheese, cubed
  • 1 c. fresh blueberries
  • 12 large eggs
  • 1/3 c. maple syrup
  • 2 c. milk

Sauce Ingredients

  • 1 c. sugar
  • T. cornstarch
  • 1 c. water
  • 1 c. fresh blueberries
  • 1 T. unsalted butter

Instructions:

Prepare the night before:

Remove crusts from bread and cube bread into 1-inch pieces.
Layer ingredients in a buttered 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish:

Half of the bread cubes (the bottom)
Cubed cream cheese
Blueberries
Other half of the bread cubes
In large bowl, whisk together eggs, syrup, and milk. Pour over bread/blueberry layers. Cover, and chill overnight.

In the morning:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cover casserole with foil and bake for 30 minutes or until puffy and golden brown.

For blueberry sauce:

Stir sugar, cornstarch, and water in small saucepan. Cook mixture over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Mixture will thicken. Stir in blueberries and simmer the mixture, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes or until berries have “burst.” Add butter and stir the sauce until butter is melted. Serve casserole with sauce.

Pear French Toast With Blueberries (Bev Laumann)

This healthier take on a classic replaces acidic jelly and calorie-laden syrup with fiber rich fruit and nuts for a lighter breakfast.

Ingredients

  • 2 ripe pears, peeled and sliced
  • 2 tsp. honey
  • 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup salted cashews, chopped fine (optional)
  • 2 egg whites (from large eggs)
  • 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 4 slices whole wheat bread (see note)
  • butter, canola oil spray, or spread
  • handful fresh blueberries

Puree the pears in a blender or food processor. In a saucepan, heat the pear puree, honey, and 1/4 tsp. cinnamon until the mixture bubbles. Set aside and keep warm.

In a bowl, whisk egg whites, salt, and 1/4 tsp. of cinnamon with the milk. Melt butter in a skillet or spray with oil, being careful not to burn. Dip the bread slices in the milk mixture, then fry over low to medium heat. Remove to serving plates and pour pear puree over the toast. Sprinkle with chopped nuts and/or fresh blueberries if desired.

NOTE: The make-or-break ingredient in this is the bread. One sure-fire way to ensure it is preservative free is to make it yourself with a bread machine. If you haven’t the time for baking, then shop around for artisan bread. Typically it doesn’t contain problematic substances, and is often found at farmers markets, natural food grocery stores, and small cafés. Both your body and your taste buds will thank you! With a bit of experimentation you may find that, by taking Prelief with breakfast, you can also treat yourself to very ripe mango, blackberries, or even white peaches in this recipe.

Summer Fruit Milkshakes (Jill Osborne)

There’s nothing quite so satisfying as an ice cold vanilla milkshake on a hot summer afternoon. The challenge? Aside from often insane calories, many of the milkshakes available from fast food outlets are filled with extra ingredients that can irritate, such as preservatives, colorings and flavorings. I find it better to make my milkshakes at home, using high quality products and low acid fruits. The good news is that you can add ice to reduce calories and dilute the residual acid of the fruit. Lactose intolerant?? Simply use coconut or almond milk products. Don’t forget to use an acid reducer, especially if you’re using a more acidic fruit like strawberry! My personal favorite is coconut with ice cold berries on top! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup low fat milk (substitutes: coconut milk, almond milk or lactose free milk)
  • 2 or 3 scoops vanilla ice cream (substitutes: coconut milk ice cream, almond milk ice cream, or frozen yogurt)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • Sugar to taste (substitute: 1/2 a frozen banana can add sweetness and thickness.)
  • Your choice of fruit or fresh herb (1/2 cup of shredded coconut, blueberries or blackberries. You can even use a few fresh mint leaves!)
  • 1 scoop of ice is you prefer an icier drink (optional)
  • Whip cream (optional)

Place all ingredients in a blender and mix until proper thickness. Top with whipped cream and enjoy!