An apple a day is good, wild blueberries are better

These are very dark times for local food lovers, vegetally speaking. We are still months away from farmer's markets with fresh produce. Many of us will succumb to the temptations of imports (oh, Mango, seduce me with your satiny ways).

But this month's edition of Health Magazine reminds us that there is still great hope to be found in the hypokinetic depths of our freezers. Wild Blueberries have been named to list of the Top 10 Superfoods for Women in the January/February edition of Health Magazine for their role in improving motor skills, preventing memory loss, lowering blood pressure, and fighting wrinkles.

Maine is the leading producer of these pearls of phyto power, which Tufts University researchers at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging found to lead the disease-fighting antioxidant activity of 40 fruits and vegetables. Study results indicate that the benefits of eating just one serving of Wild Blueberries equaled those of eating two to three servings of other fruits and vegetables, such as spinach, apples, and broccoli. An apple a day may keep the doctor away but blueberries can fight off an entire HMO.

Frozen wild blueberries retain all of the nutritional elements and flavor as well as most of the texture of the fresh version, allowing us to enjoy its benefits year round. A recent recipe from Sherry Yard of Spago Beverly Hills printed in the New York Times blends wild blueberries with black forbidden rice for an enlightened take on the classic rice pudding.

"Forbidden rice" is a favorite for vegans and vegetarians as it is high in iron and important amino acids. It's been cultivated for millennia but it's a recent discovery in our household. It is packaged by Lotus Foods and sold locally at Whole Foods and Hannaford; $5 a pound. 1/2 cup.

Forbidden rice (Chinese black rice)

1 cup water

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup low-fat milk or rice beverage

1 cup unsweetened low-fat coconut milk

1/4 cup mild honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup blueberries

1. Combine the rice, water and salt in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer 35 to 40 minutes, until all of the water is absorbed.

2. Add the milk, coconut milk and honey to the rice, and stir together. Bring to a boil, stirring, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring often, for five to 10 minutes, until creamy. Add the vanilla and blueberries, and continue to simmer for another five minutes.

3. Scrape into a bowl or into individual serving dishes. Cover and chill for at least two hours before serving.

Yield: Serves six.

(Note: This recipe is soupier than I prefer, so next time I make it I plan to add a little arrowroot or tapioca starch, rather than eggs, which are a traditional thickener in rice pudding.)

(Margo Mallar is a Portland resident and Daily Sun contributor.)