Simple homemade blueberry ginger jam. Spread of over a toasted goat cheese crostini it’s an irresistible snack.
In the past 48 hours I’ve picked blueberries straight off the bush, researched local farms to start buying organic grass-fed meat from and eaten wild blackberries on the side of the bike trail.
I’m still showering, I swear.
It’s funny how it’s not until you start explaining those type of things to other people who don’t even think about that kind of stuff that you realize how crazy you sound. Saturday night over Mexican, Ulysses stared at me like I had 4 heads when I was trying to articulate how buying meat from the regular grocery store literally gives me a guilt trip the entire time I’m there. I have to mentally talk myself into throwing it in the cart. I will literally stare at a cut of steak and imagine some poor pathetically corn-gorged cow who probably moved all of 20 feet his entire life covered in his own shit (a few too many Netflix documentaries perhaps?). That’s not normal, I know. But, I throw it in the cart anyway because finding organic, grass fed anything where I live requires an excessive amount of effort and time. So I made a decision this weekend to finally buck up, make the time and spend the extra few dollars to find food that doesn’t give me a guilt trip anymore. I’ll just refrain from talking about it in public to avoid the crazy stares.
One of the interesting side effects of the CSA I’m doing this summer is that it’s made me want to celebrate the food more. First I talk buying meat from a farm and now I’m celebrating blueberries…I promise I’m not drinking while writing this.
There’s something about picking the fruit from the bush, knowing exactly where it came from, knowing I don’t have to wash off some crazy pesticides that just makes me want to do something special with it. I buy blueberries all the time from the store. Usually, they just end up in or on my breakfast every morning. But these blueberries (blueberries I picked with my own hands!) seemed too good for that. They’re too perfectly sweet and ripe to just throw in a normal breakfast and be gobbled up without thought.
Simmering them with some ginger and lavender though sounded better.
Spreading that over a goat cheese crostini sounded perfect.
If that makes me a crazy “crunchy” food lady, I’m fine with it. Just don’t expect me to share.
Blueberry Ginger Jam and Goat Cheese Crostini
Ingredients
- 1 heaping cup blueberries
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 tablespoon ginger minced
- zest of 1/2 a lemon
- 1/2 tablespoon lavender chopped
- pinch of salt & pepper
- 1/4 cup goat cheese for spreading or more as needed
- 1 whole wheat baguette sliced
Instructions
- Combine everything except goat cheese & bread in a small sauce pan.
- Simmer over medium heat for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally to help the blueberries breakdown.
- Once thickened, remove from heat and set aside.
- Toast sliced wheat bread and spread goat cheese on top.
- Top with blueberry jam and extra lavender for garnish.
Nutrition Facts
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For the most precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator based on the actual ingredients you used in the recipe.
Gina Matsoukas is the writer, founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients as much as possible. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
Blueberry Ginger Jam « First Cherries
Sunday 12th of August 2012
[...] as is, right out of the bowl. I got the idea to put blueberry jam on a goat cheese crostini on this blog via Foodbuzz, but the jam recipe is a bit of a combination of [...]
kathysohiokitchen
Friday 3rd of August 2012
I love blueberry jam on quiche.....yummy!
Crystal
Sunday 29th of July 2012
This sounds amazing and it looks just as good! Thanks for the awesome idea!! I'm trying to find ways to slip in more of this super food!
Deanna Segrave-Daly
Saturday 28th of July 2012
This recipe sounds phenomenal and your photos are just plain gorgeous!! Recipes like these always taste better when you know exactly where your food came from - no brainer :)
Jen
Tuesday 10th of July 2012
I live in Hopewell, also. We have several good options. Adams in Fishkill sells local grass fed(it has a green label on it). Also on Laurer Road, Sprout Creek Farm sells their meats and cheeses (go to the end of Robinson Lane and make a right). And Fishkill Farms also has a meat freezer.
Running to the Kitchen
Tuesday 10th of July 2012
I didn't realize adam's had it! I've only been there once or twice since I seldom go over that way for food and didn't see it. I'll definitely check that out. I've been to Sprout Creek many times though for their cheeses and have bought meat a few times. I thought they only sold lamb though? Am I wrong? Fishkill Farms is where I'm doing the CSA so I'll check that out this week when I pick up, thanks!