Blueberry Balsamic Short Ribs

It's blazing hot here in scenic Middle America, so I decided that Saturday Dinner should involve some meat, some beer and plenty of patio time.  Hubs and I were in Lawrence a few weeks back and did some balsamic vinegar & olive oil tasting at Extra Virgin... I was instantly addicted to their Blueberry Balsamic.  Problem was, up until now I had no idea what to use it with other than drizzling it over some toscano cheese every now and again.  Cue an "aha" moment when I was contemplating what ingredients to use with some delicious short rib and jalapeño mashed potatoes... sweet blueberries just sounded fantastic.  Anyways, here's the recipe:

Ingredients
3 pounds boneless short rib, cut into 3 inch sections
2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, sliced
1 fennel bulb, sliced
1/3 cup blueberry balsamic vinegar (or another high quality BV)
1 TBSP light agave syrup
2 C veal broth (or veggie... just DON'T use beef broth... it just tastes terrible.  You can find veal broth at boutique butcher shops - if you're in KC, McGonigle's has it)
2 C red wine (cab or dry red but ALWAYS cook with a wine that you will drink!)
1 TBSP minced garlic
1 TBSP dried rosemary
1 bay leaf

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
2. Heat 1 TBSP of olive oil over in a dutch oven on the stove
3. Brown meat on all sides, set aside and remove any remaining oil from the pan
4. Add fennel and shallot, cook until opaque.  Add garlic and cook for another minute
5. Add broth, balsamic vinegar, wine, remaining spices and agave syrup to the dutch oven and bring to a simmer
6. Place the browned meat into the dutch oven, cover and place in the oven for about 3 hours.  Check the meat often to make sure the liquids do not burn off  -  this is very important so that the meat stays moist and fork tender
7. Serve with your choice of sides (and the remaining red wine)

Rosemary Chicken with a Blueberry Balsamic Reduction

I took two things I really love - balsamic vinegar and blueberries - and put them together for a delicious sweet and savory sauce.  The blueberries take a bit of the zing out of the balsamic vinegar and it really pairs well with the rosemary in the chicken.  You could also use this sauce over a white fish or even salmon.

Ingredients
For the sauce

• 1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp local honey
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• black pepper to taste

For the chicken

• 2 boneless organic chicken breasts
• 1 tbsp grape seed oil
• 2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Take out a glass baking dish and place aside
2. Heat grape seed oil in a large sauté pan
3. Rub dried rosemary on both sides of the chicken breasts. Set aside while you start the blueberry sauce
4. Pour balsamic, honey, garlic and salt into a small sauce pan and bring to a boil.  You should start the chicken as you wait on this.  
5. When the sauté pan is hot, add the chicken and sear both sides for approximately one minute each side
6. Remove the chicken from the pan and place it in the baking dish.  Set in the oven and cook for 7 minutes
7. While the chicken is cooking, your sauce should be coming to a boil.  Reduce heat and cook the sauce for a few minutes.  Once the balsamic is cooked off a bit, add blueberries (and pepper, if desired). Stir intermittantly over low heat while you prep the chicken.
8. At 7 minutes, your balsamic should be cooked off enough so that it is a thicker sauce consistency. The blueberries should also collapsed at this point and added a gorgeous deep blue/purple color to the sauce.
9. Take the chicken out of the oven and pour the balsamic sauce over the chicken.  Place back in the oven and cook until chicken is done (approximately 4 minutes - until internal temperature reached 170 degrees)

I made this dish with a sage honey glaze butternut squash.  Super easy... take a small butternut squash, skin it, remove the seeds and cube it.  Place it in a plastic bag and add 1 tbsp honey with 1 tsp sage.  Place it on a baking sheet in your preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes (about how long it takes to cook the recipe above!).

Streusel Topped Blueberry Coffee Cake

Here's a favorite breakfast food- coffee cake.  I always loved the strusel topping that brought a slight crumble and crunch to the breakfast cake.  In order to make this more belly-friendly, much of the fat and sugars have been replaced with lower calorie and non-dairy options.

Cake

1 cups whole wheat flour

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup quick-cooking oats

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1/4 cup agave nectar

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

3 tablespoons canola oil

1/4 plus 1 tablespoon cup non-fat yogurt (plain)

1 1/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Streusel Topping  

1/4 cup quick-cooking oats

3 tablespoons whole wheat flour

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons soy butter (ie: Earth Balance)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. CAKE: In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat the egg, milk, agave, yogurt and oil. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in blueberries. Spread evenly in to a 9" round glass baking pan.
3. TOPPING: In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, oats and flour; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over batter.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes (utilize toothpick test). Cool on a wire rack.

Nutrition Data

12 Servings: Amount per serving - Calories: 170 (total fat 5.4g, sugars 13g, protein 4g)