Blues aren’t always bad.
Unlike pink… 
I’ve been going through a blueberry phase. One that has resulted in some Strange But Good creations throughout the day.
Breakfast:
This was a new take on my Maple TVP Oatmeal. I have been craving more savory foods for breakfast lately, and had just purchased fresh rosemary. Why not with blueberries and a lemon twist?
Rosemary-Lemon TVP Oats
- 1/3 C TVP
- 3/4 C water (or milk)
- 1 T fresh rosemary, chopped
- 5-6 drops lemon liquid Stevia
- Juice from 1/4 lemon
- 1/4 tsp ginger
- 1/2 C egg whites (optional)
- Blueberries
Add first 6 ingredients (everything before the egg), stir, and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Cook about 10 mins, until mix thickens.
Pour in egg whites. Allow to cook for 2-3 more mins, stirring frequently so that the egg doesn’t form chunks. The mixture should be silky smooth. Swirl in blueberries.
Scoop into bowl and add additional berries to top.
Note: For a vegan option, add a flax egg, protein powder, or simply leave the egg out.
Lunch:
Again, I was feeling the sweet + savory. I had made a bison burger as part of my Sunday food prep. I crumbled it up, mixed in some BBQ sauce and red pepper flakes, and warmed it in the microwave. Then I stirred in the blueberries.
These 3 “Bs” sound strange. The pic isn’t pretty. But I SWEAR its delicious. My BBQ sauce is a sweet & spicy, and the sweet hint complemented the berries perfectly.
Dessert:
I have a thing for sweet potatoes, even at midnight. This midnight snack had me sleeping like a baby. Until I had to get up to pee at 3am because I drink a TON of water. I digress.
Sweet potatoes are also part of my Sunday prep. I roast them in the oven to have on hand for a quick, healthy carb. I heated this one up and topped it with no-salt cottage cheese, cinnamon, bacon “sprinkles” (thank you, Heather for my new favorite term), and blueberries. Sweet, creamy, and a teensy bit of salty bacon goodness.
Strange doesn’t get any more delicious than this!
_______________________________________________________________________________________
So what’s strange but good in YOUR ‘hood?
The link up rules can be found here or by clicking on “Strange But Good” in the menu bar above.
In short, I want to see what concoctions have earned you weird looks from co-workers, family and friends! Post your Strange But Good creations, grab the logo below for your blog, and link up here.
Remember to use #strangebutgood in any Tweets and Instagrams of your creations. 
***
All these berries... I just bought strawberries yesterday (on sale for $3 at Whole Foods!). I must be craving spring...
Do you like fruit with traditionally savory foods? I love it with salmon!
Are you a savory or a sweet breakfast person?
61 comments
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Lisa
March 1, 2013 at 12:27 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Count me in on this trend, it looks lovely to me.
Blueberries and sweet potato?! Why have I never thought of this…I mean I love sweet potatoes and nut butter, oh my gosh I wonder what it would be like with nut butter and blueberries or jam. Hm, I may have created some sort of monster out of myself with this thought thanks to you;)
Laura
March 1, 2013 at 12:30 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Yes! I think that would be the jam. LOL!
Michelle @ Eat Move Balance
March 1, 2013 at 5:21 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Oh, how I love blueberries. I have to buy them in bulk when they come in season from Costco. And I’m the only one eating them. Usually they end up in my oatbran . . . but I also just snag handfuls throughout the day.
One of my favorite dishes that I really should blog about, but haven’t gotten around to it, is a pork tenderloin dish with a blueberry sauce. It’s incredible!!
Laura
March 4, 2013 at 10:34 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
That dish sounds wonderful! I love fruit with pork.
Sarah @ The Smart Kitchen
March 1, 2013 at 6:45 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
This reminds me of my many ventures into the land of the blues. I swear, it’s Trader Joe’s fault for having such delicious blueberries in the middle of winter! Hello Bluberry Mango Chili? And the pairing of blueberries, salsa, and hummus (with some nooch) is one I will always hold near and dear to my heart. (Stomach?)
The way you are with sweet potatoes is the way I am with winter squash, which, sadly is going out of season…which I only really know because the prices are skyrocketing. Sad Sarah. SUPER sad Sarah.
Sarah @ The Smart Kitchen
March 1, 2013 at 6:48 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
aaaaaand I just misspelled onion.
Please fix that if you can.
[I have a 'smart' name to uphold!]
Laura
March 1, 2013 at 8:55 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Reputation = Protected.
lindsay
March 1, 2013 at 7:37 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
i love the rosemary in this. I am a ROSE and MARY whore. LOL!
Laura
March 4, 2013 at 10:35 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
HAHAHA! I heart Rose and Mary.
Linz @ Itz Linz
March 1, 2013 at 7:47 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
i need to get to whole foods now – berries are never on sale during the winter!!!
Parita @ myinnershakti
March 1, 2013 at 8:02 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I’m going to make TVP oatmeal tomorrow for breakfast! Will report back on how it turns out!
Laura
March 4, 2013 at 10:37 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Yay!!! Welcome to the dark side.
Danielle
March 1, 2013 at 8:11 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Love that oatmeal combo! I’m curious about the TVP combo I’ve never tried it but you have me so wanting to!
Laura
March 4, 2013 at 10:38 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
It’s really good! TVP is such a neutral flavor you can add anything to it.
Kierston
March 1, 2013 at 8:20 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Rosemary is so delish!
kirsten@FarmFreshFeasts
March 1, 2013 at 8:45 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I’ve got the Blues here still. At least in terms of blueberries on a Friday Night Pizza Night pizza.
Last Friday I was all set to make Heather/Kiss My Broccoli’s strange but good blueberry & hummus concoction, and not 10 minutes before I went to take it out of the fridge to spread on my crust my
wonderfulspouse polished off the last of the hummus.So I went in a different direction, with Penzey’s Raspberry Enlightenment, and will blog about yet another savory blueberry pizza when it’s blueberry season. Or at least when the blueberries on sale come from somewhere around these parts.
Tonight it will be more blueberries (put up last summer) and chicken and red onion and if he touches the hummus before I’m done with it . . . well his co-workers read my blog and it won’t be pretty.
In any event, since Dr Seuss’ birthday is coming up and I loves me some Sneetches, I’m linking up Green Eggs No Ham. If you don’t have Icelandic School Cheese you can still make this.
Thanks, Laura–I love this link up!
Laura
March 4, 2013 at 10:40 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
You ARE on a berry kick! I loved your green eggs. I’ll be making my benedict again soon and you better believe it will be green!
Christine @ Love, Life, Surf
March 1, 2013 at 8:57 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
oh my, blueberries and sweet potatoes?? How come I never thought of that before? Two of my favorite things!
Laura
March 4, 2013 at 10:41 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Just after rain drops on roses and whiskers on kittens, right?
Haley @ fullnfit
March 1, 2013 at 9:44 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
mm mm good. I can’t wait for summer time and BB are super cheap! Your sweet potato looks delicious!… obviously I have never thought of putting BB on em.
Laura
March 4, 2013 at 10:42 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Me too! Our spring market started this weekend… but it was too cold for me to want to go!
Alex @ therunwithin
March 1, 2013 at 9:58 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I am digging this link up, I keep seeing amazing recipes from you and other bloggers that I would never even think of pairing together
Laura
March 4, 2013 at 10:46 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Thanks, Alex!! I get a TON of inspiration from the links.
Ed
March 1, 2013 at 10:39 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
You arn’t kidden that you are in the blueberry stage…looks good!
Laura
March 4, 2013 at 10:47 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Thanks, Ed! Craving spring!
Tamara
March 1, 2013 at 10:55 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Love the idea of savoury oats! Pinning this for a rainy day (although it’s rainy today, I’ve already eaten breakfast!)
Laura
March 4, 2013 at 10:49 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I could go for some sunshine…
Amanda @ Diary of a Semi-Health Nut
March 1, 2013 at 11:30 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Blueberries…I want to like berries, but I think I’ve just been scarred eating them out of season when they were tart and gross. I only have berries when they have been frozen to put in a smoothie. I will have to give them a try again.
Thanks for the fun link-up!
Laura
March 4, 2013 at 10:52 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Don’t be scared! I know what you mean though… I always look for the biggest, juiciest ones to try and avoid the pucker.
Carol @ Lucky Zucca
March 1, 2013 at 11:57 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Hmm. I like savory /and/ sweet breakfasts. I always want a little bit of both. I do like fruit with *some* savory foods like fish. I tried to make a mango, pineapple and shrimp Asian dish earlier this week but I couldn’t get the flavors right. :’[
Laura
March 4, 2013 at 10:53 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
That sounds like a really good idea! I can’t get on board with shrimp, but I’d eat that combo with amberjack and cilantro.
Heather (Where's the Beach)
March 1, 2013 at 12:08 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Love blueberries and I still need to try the TVP breakfast trick. FIrst I need to get plain TVP though. And lunch sounds really interesting. I wonder if I could sort of replicate with tempeh….
Laura
March 4, 2013 at 10:54 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I bet you could! I love tempeh. Maybe steam it to use with fruit though to take out some of the bitter.
Meg
March 1, 2013 at 12:14 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I love the bacon sprinkles on the cottage cheese and sweet potato! how amazing! I did a sweet potato stuffed with ground beef, blueberries, and cinnamon. It was great, but I was going to do it again with bbq sauce! you kind of beat me to it!
love ya
Laura
March 4, 2013 at 10:56 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
BBQ and fruit were MADE for each other.
Sarena (The Non-Dairy Queen)
March 1, 2013 at 12:39 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I go through phases when I crave certain food colors too. I’m thinking your body needed the blues! This has been one heck of a crazy week. I haven’t had time to eat any strange foods (unless we are counting the amount of kabocha I’ve put down this week)! I’m gonna have one next week though!
Tony’s gone for the weekend, so all bets are off in the kitchen!
Have a great weekend my friend!
Laura
March 4, 2013 at 10:58 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
All of your kabocha pic on FB/IG look soooo good! I loved the one with the protein “sauce.”
Lift, Sleep, Eat
March 1, 2013 at 1:09 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Im also on a major blueberry kick at the moment I got 4 huge tubs of them for £1.20 at my local fruit shop..thats like 70c!! Cheap or what!
So now I need loads of ideas to try and do things with them haha…think blueberry protein muffins will be a must!
I’m definitely more of a sweet tooth lover for breakfast;yum!
Laura
March 4, 2013 at 11:01 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
70c??? That’s incredible.
I need to get on it with blueberry protein muffin. That sounds delicious!
Heather @ Better With Veggies
March 1, 2013 at 1:42 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
We’ve been enjoying blueberries recently too, they were on sale and Kirk actually notices those things.
They made excellent loaded cereal toppers all week!
Laura
March 4, 2013 at 11:03 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Haha – I normally don’t look but I realized this winter I paid $7 for strawberries so I thought I’d be wiser to keep it slightly in check.
Laura @ Mommy Run Fast
March 1, 2013 at 2:00 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I think I could link up every week with my daughter’s strange but good combos. She’s much more creative than I am. Yesterday, she tried wrapping up her lunch inside a piece of turkey- it was turkey wrapped banana, peas and raisins.
Laura
March 4, 2013 at 11:05 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I think your daughter could be mine. LOL! That sounds really good!
Allie
March 1, 2013 at 2:26 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Aaaand now I’m craving blueberries, thanks
Why is spring so far away?? I’ll get (almost unlimited) baskets-full from the family farm, but until then, I’ll just eye your blueberries, and dream of salmon and berry combos 
PS–Why are sweet potatoes such the best snack? Roasted a bunch this AM for the first time in ages, and I’m re-in-love.
Laura
March 4, 2013 at 11:06 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
They were actually really good, despite being so early in the season!
[email protected]
March 1, 2013 at 2:47 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I really don’t know about the oatmeal, blueberries, rosemary and lemon. I really don’t know. lol. Skeptical x1000. The burger looks good though.
Jody - Fit at 55
March 1, 2013 at 2:56 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Always strange but tasty! I stay away from soy.. what would you use instead of TVP? I guess oats….
I LOVE blueberries & sweet potatoes – what is not to love!
Laura
March 4, 2013 at 3:29 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
LOL! Oatmeal…
Or quinoa!
Khushboo
March 2, 2013 at 2:58 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Fruit with savoury is definitely a favorite..more specifically fruit with cheese
Laura
March 4, 2013 at 3:30 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
And wine. Doesn’t that count as fruit?
Holly
March 2, 2013 at 12:32 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Blueberries and bbq sauce? now that’s strange. Although I could totally see a sweet potato and blueberries working together. Sweet potato kind of goes with everything.
Laura
March 4, 2013 at 3:30 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I sat here trying to think of something SP wouldn’t go with… and I can’t!
Heather @ Kiss My Broccoli
March 2, 2013 at 6:13 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
You had me at BBQ sauce and blueberries! Gah, is there ANYTHING that a little BBQ sauce doesn’t make better? And I’m loving you for throwing in the bloobs with the bison burger! I’ve had so many ideas lately that I’ve been toying with for fruity burgers! Ahhh, so many ideas..so little time…SO little DAYLIGHT!! Thank God daylight savings time is next week! Oh yeah, this is one happy girl right here!
Can you believe it’s snowing right now?! It was JUST 60 degrees 6 days ago! Eff you winter…EFF you!
Laura
March 4, 2013 at 3:34 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I have you to think of my BBQ sauce addiction. I didn’t think I liked it untilI sasw you put it on that sandwich… then my strange but good curiousity got the best of me! So thank you.
I had no idea it’s almost daylight savings! Thank god… I’m OVER winter.
Meghan@CleanEatsFastFeets
March 2, 2013 at 6:39 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I love all the blueberries. Seriously you managed to work them into every single meal, or at least three of them. Dammit, you win. I’ll prepare my concession speech although don’t expect me to like it. Grumble, grumble.
Laura
March 4, 2013 at 3:35 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
LOL! It would have been more, but I only get a fruit at 3 meals.
Courtney @ Star Systemz
March 3, 2013 at 12:35 AM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Blueberries and bison now that is interesting
this week I had a salmon salad with pineapple and it was out of this world! I never knew what TVP was and I finally clicked on your link and cant wait to see how my body reacts to it! Thank you for sharing. Hope your weekend rocked! Love + Shine Courtstar
Laura
March 4, 2013 at 3:37 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Salmon is awesome with tropical fruits!!! I need to try baking it with pinappple slices… mmmm!
Let me know how it goes with the TVP!
Brittany @ Delights and Delectables
March 3, 2013 at 2:35 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Now you have me craving blueberries!!
I have been making stir fries with pineapple and eggs. I love the combo!
Laura
March 4, 2013 at 3:38 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
That IS a good combo! I haven’t thought about that in a while… maybe breakfast soon!
Carly
March 3, 2013 at 3:23 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Seeing your blueberry bison burger reminded me of this awesome blueberry turkey burger i’ve made before; heres the link(: http://www.1fitfoodie.com/2009_09_16_archive.html
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