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I love blackberries, and let the brambles grow wild at the end of my garden every year. Blackberries are now in season and are such a brilliant, versatile fruit. If you don’t want brambles in your garden, why not try ‘PYO’ (pick your own) at your local farm, or forage your local footpaths and forests. Blackberries are high in vitamin C, an antioxidant which your body needs to get rid of toxins and bad chemicals. They are also great for children, as an addition to packed lunches or snack pots. One word of caution when you let your brambles grow… be on the look out for the ‘rogues’ – these are the really thick bramble branches that bear no fruit or flowers. You need to cut these out otherwise important nutrients will go to the rogues and your blackberry crop will be lessened.

Here is my TOP 10 PICK of blackberry recipes – healthy ideas and recipes for what to do with your blackberries this year – in no particular order. I have tried to source recipes lower in sugar and fat, or using sugar alternatives like Stevia:

1. Summer Fruity Porridge (Expert Dietitian) – no added sugar porridge recipe, using just the fruit to provide the sweetness. This recipe uses blueberries and apples, but simply substitute with blackberries

2. Breakfast Quinoa, Cinnamon & Berries (With Style and Grace) – a gluten free breakfast idea, using quinoa, a fab starchy carbohydrate alternative to a traditional breakfast cereal or oats

3. Scotch Pancakes (Expert Dietitian) – simply substitute the apples and cinnamon with blackberries (no need to stew the blackberries – just pop them in the pancake mixture)

4. Strawberry whip & Blackberry lollies (Expert Dietitian) – no added sugar lollies, which are the perfect blend of dairy and fruit dessert. Great for kids desserts and kind on their teeth

5. Blackberry Frozen Yoghurt (Complete Care Coaching) – made using Greek yoghurt and/or some Stevia (a natural sweetener,  made from the naturally sweet leaves of a plant native to South America). No ice cream maker required either

6. Fresh Blackberry Sorbet (Northwest Edible Life) – this looks like a delicious alternative to icecream, and has much less added sugar than other recipes available. PS your sugar doesn’t have to be organic like the recipe suggests – normal sugar is fine! Personally I would also omit the Cointreau, especially if I’ll be serving it to my kids

7. Baked Blackberries (Creative Gourmet) – using normal fresh blackberries are fine for this. Serve with some low fat natural ir Greek yoghurt, or some vanilla ice cream

8. Blackberry Scones (Savvy Housekeeping) – scones made with fresh blackberries – a nice kid’s dessert alternative, or a lower sugar alternative to blueberry muffins

9. Blackberry Jam, made with Stevia (Home Joys) – a no added sugar jam, using Stevia, a natural sweetener instead of sugar. I am definitely going to try this one! I love lashings of jam on my toast but always feel guilty about the high sugar content

10. Apple & Blackberry Oatmeal Crumble (Pan Gravy Kadai Curry) – a twist on the traditional apple and blackberry crumble. Adding oats instead of flour decreases the glycaemic index, making it slower release – keeping you fuller for longer. Adding seeds to your crumble topping is also a great idea to keep you fuller for long, increase the protein content, and pack in extra iron

The post Top 10 Blackberry Recipes appeared first on Expert Dietitian.

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Annemarie Aburrow

Annemarie graduated from the University of Southampton in 2003 with a first class honours in Physiology with Nutrition. She went on to study a Postgraduate Diploma in Dietetics at Cardiff Metropolitan University, leading to registration as a Dietitian. Between 2005 and 2013, Annemarie worked for the NHS in a wide variety of clinical and community roles. More recently, she has specialised in health promotion and prescribing support. She has particular experience in obesity management (both adults and children), diabetes, nutrition for the under 5s and nutritional supplement prescribing. In 2013, Annemarie left the NHS to set up her private practice 'Expert Dietitian'. She now works as a freelance Dietitian, offering private consultations in Hampshire, telephone and Skype appointments, corporate nutrition consultancy and bespoke training. She has a growing portfolio of project work, including working with her local council to provide nutrition training and expertise to Early Years settings, article writing, work with schools and running training/workshops. Annemarie is a member of the British Dietetic Association (BDA) and is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).