A healthier bubble tea drink that you can make at home. Frozen wild blueberries replace tapioca pearls in this nutrient packed Wild Blueberry Boba Smoothie recipe.
By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by the Wild Blueberry Association of North America and I am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.
Berry Different
Did you know that there are two kinds of blueberries?
The ones you’re used to seeing refrigerated in the produce section of the supermarket are regularly cultivated. They grow on tall plants (6-8 feet) into plump blueberries.
The other kind is wild. Instead of being planted, these lowbush plants grow (up to 2 feet) naturally in cold barrens and fields in Maine and Eastern Canada.
Why choose wild blueberries?
Frozen at harvest
99% of the Wild Blueberry crop is frozen at harvest locking in their nutrition and taste.
Size & flavor
Wild blueberries are smaller than conventional blueberries. These “pea-sized” berries have a more intense flavor than regular blueberries with an extraordinary mix of both tart and sweetness.
2× antioxidants
Their rigorous growing conditions cause Wild Blueberries to have twice the antioxidant capacity of larger cultivated blueberries. A growing body of research shows the potential health benefits of Wild Blueberries including gut health, diabetes, cancer and brain health.
Nutrition
1 cup of wild blueberries contains only 80 calories and 25% daily value of fiber.
Where to purchase wild blueberries
Wild Blueberries can be found in the frozen fruit section of your local grocery store. Check for the packages that state they are “Wild.” I had luck finding them at a Trader Joe’s and in a local natural foods supermarket or use this to help you find them too.
Bubble tea
Boba, aka Bubble Tea, is a sweet drink that is typically made with flavored tea, milk and tapioca pearls. The tapioca pearls have a soft, chewy and gummy like texture to them. You’ll need a large straw to be able to drink them.
Healthy boba tea
For a healthier boba drink experience, replace the tapioca pearls with whole wild blueberries. Their small and “pea like” shape makes them perfectly fit through a smoothie straw.
Making this drink at home means you can customize it with your favorite flavor of tea (like this cold brew iced tea recipe). You can also scale back on the amount of sweetener added or make it dairy free with a milk alternative.
Or, switch it up entirely and add “boba” to other drinks…such as smoothies. Like this one here.
Making a blueberry boba smoothie
Unlike the real version, this recipe is packed with different fruits and vegetables. Ingredients you might already have in your kitchen. (No need to go on a supermarket search for tapioca pearls!)
What you’ll need
Produce: wild blueberries, apple, cucumber, avocado
Herbs & Spices: fresh mint leaves & cinnamon
Dairy: milk & cottage cheese
Nuts: walnuts
What to do
Add ice and blend into a smoothie. Pour into a glass filled with some more wild blueberries at the bottom. These will act like the “boba” in bubble teas.
All that’s left is to grab a smoothie straw and enjoy this blueberry boba drink.
Wild Blueberry "Boba" Smoothie
A healthy and satisfying way to enjoy your own version of bubble tea at home.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (1 oz) walnut halves
- ¼ avocado
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves
- 2 tablespoons 2% milk (or your milk preference)
- 2 tablespoons cottage cheese (used 4% California style)
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 apple (gala/pink lady/your favorite), cored and roughly chopped
- 1 Israeli cucumber, roughly chopped
- 1¼ cup frozen Wild Blueberries, divided
- 2 cups ice
Instructions
- Place the first six ingredients into a blender. Blend together to a smooth consistency, scrapping down the sides as needed.
- Add the apple, cucumber, 1 cup of frozen Wild blueberries and ice to the blender. Blend again to a smoothie like consistency.
- Fill two serving glasses with the remaining ¼ cup of wild blueberries followed by the smoothie. Enjoy immediately with a smoothie straw.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 175Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 67mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 8gSugar: 12gProtein: 4g
