Crowberry and Ginger Smoothie

Today's recipe is for a classic smoothie from Iceland that uses the island's native berry, the crowberry. Crowberries are a member of the heather family that produce dark, blue-black berries similar to miniature blueberries.

They are found throughout the Northern Hemisphere and are common wherever there is marshy peatland. Though often described as insipid in flavour and watery they are enjoyed in Iceland and are commonly used in Alaska. In the UK they are more typically used to bulk-out other wild berries that grow with them, such as bilberries or cowberries.

The recipe is for a simple and healthy smoothie. If you do not have crowberries, you can substitute blueberries in this recipe:

Crowberry and Ginger Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients:

100ml orange juice (fresh if possible
1 very ripe banana, peeled
1 tsp maple syrup or honey
1 tsp freshly-grated ginger
2 generous handfuls of crowberries, stems removed
2 ice cubes

Method:

Combine the banana, orange juice and maple syrup in a blender. Process for about 10 seconds, or until smooth.

Now add the grated ginger and the crowberries. Blitz for 5 seconds then turn the blender off and allow the smoothie mix to rest for 10 minutes.

Blitz again briefly, pour into a tall glass, add the ice cubes and serve.

For more information about crowberries and for more crowberry recipes see the Celtnet Crowberry information and recipes page.

It is just coming to the end of the crowberry flowering season right now. However, the plants keep their berries almost all winter, so you should find no problems finding this fruit (as long as it grows in your area) even now.

For all the wild food recipes on this blog, see the wild food recipes page.