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I have no shame in telling you that I am an out of control fruit addict. Seriously, I can’t get enough. And while there are far worse things to be addicted to, I still have to watch how much fruit I gobble down daily – fruit has many benefits, but it can also add up quickly in sugars and calories.

That said, it is the most wonderful time of the year for us fruit lovers. All of the favorites are juicy and ripe and in season, so I thought I would talk about a few of them, along with good uses for each. First up – blueberries!

Ahhhh blueberries, I seriously guzzle them by the handful. Recently at Kroger they have been as cheap as ONE DOLLAR for an entire pint, so I’ve been buying like five at a time. This week they were from Michigan, and they are giant and juicy! As soon as we get to North Carolina, I’m hoping to find a local u-pick place so I can stock up and freeze them before they are gone.

A few recommended methods of blueberry consumption…

1. Oatmeal – you saw this coming, didn’t you? Everything goes better with oatmeal! Recently I’ve started eating slow-cooked steel-cut oats (more on that in another post). I used to always add frozen blueberries to my oatmeal, but the fresh ones are much better! Once you stir them into the hot oats, they get warm and gooey and explode, leaving a fabulous fruity purple path all over your bowl. How can you not have a good day if it starts with a purple breakfast?

2. Greek Yogurt – if you’re not a greek fan, regular old yogurt will suffice. (But if you haven’t tried greek I would hiiiiiggghlly recommend it.) Personally, I like mine plopped on top rather than mixed in, but either way is good. I round out the bowl with some high-fiber cereal for a good balance of protein, fiber, and carbs – YUM!

3. Jell-O – make mine sugar-free! Despite all my healthy living and dietary changes, I still struggle with the temptation of the evil late-night-snack. Rather than go insane avoiding the kitchen, I typically give in to a bowl of SF Jell-O, topped with blueberries. One good thing about blueberries is that they really go well with any flavor – lemon, strawberry, raspberry, maybe not lime (I hate lime)…

4. Smoothies - if you’re pressed for time, a smoothie is a great snack (or even meal) that can be taken on the run. They are also a nice way to cool down during these hot summer months. Blueberries are great in smoothies mixed with other fruits (strawberries, raspberries, etc.) or my personal favorite – mixed with cocoa powder (or chocolate protein powder)! Sometimes I’ll make a big blueberry-chocolate smoothie (blueberries, cocoa powder, almond milk, and ice) and I will sip it slowly and pretend it is a milkshake. Wild and crazy, I know.

The great thing about blueberries is that they are super high in antioxidants, potassium, and a slew of vitamins, while staying pretty low on the calorie spectrum. An entire cup of fresh blueberries runs about 80 calories – or you can eat the entire pint for 160 (it’s been done…). Make sure you check the mirror when you’re done though – blueberry teeth is not one of this berry’s best contributions!

Those are just a few of my favorite blueberry delights. What am I forgetting? Do you have any delicious blueberry eats for me to try?