100 years of BLUEBERRIES

July marks National Blueberry Month and this year marks 100 years since the first blueberries were commercially sold out of Whitesbog, New Jersey.

Today, blueberries offer a wide variety of beneficial properties, in addition to being sweet treats for warm summer days.

They are not only a staple in the White House kitchen garden, but on chefs' and celebrities' plates around the country.

In honor of blueberries' 100th birthday, actress Alison Sweeney, host of The Biggest Loser; and Chef Joshua Murray, whose talents grace the tables at the Lodge at Sonoma Renaissance Resort and Spa in California, shared some of their favorite blueberry recipes.

Sweeney's favorite blueberry recipes Blueberry Pineapple Salsa and Savory Blueberry Pizza combine blueberries with savory ingredients to create tasty dishes that are well-rounded and exciting; while Murray has a favorite recipe that is as fun to make as it is to eat. Blueberry Salt is perfect to rim on margaritas, a rub for meat and poultry or even as an ice cream topper.

Blueberry Pineapple Salsa

Number of servings: 7

2 cups fresh blueberries

1 cup finely diced fresh pineapple

1 jalapeño pepper, seeds and membrane removed, minced

2 to 3 tablespoons lime juice, divided

1/2 teaspoon lime zest

3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1/4 cup diced red onion

Kosher salt, as needed

Combine blueberries, pineapple, jalapeño, 2 tablespoons of the lime juice, lime zest, cilantro and red onion.

Season with salt and additional lime juice as needed.

Serve with tortilla chips or as an accompaniment to fish or chicken.

Nutritional information: 40 calories per serving, .5 grams protein, 10 grams carbohydrates, 1.5 grams dietary fiber, .2 grams fat, 0 grams saturated fat

Savory Blueberry Pizza

Number of servings: 6

1 pound pizza dough

1-1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese, divided

1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

4 ounces diced pancetta (can also use bacon or ham if pancetta is not available), cooked and drained

1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion

1 cup fresh blueberries

1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil

Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Lightly flour a work surface. Pat and stretch dough into a 10-inch by 14-inch oval; place on a large baking sheet. With a fork, pierce dough in several places. Leaving a 1-inch border, sprinkle dough with half the mozzarella, the Gorgonzola, pancetta and red onion.

Bake until crust is golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes. Sprinkle blueberries and remaining mozzarella over pizza; bake until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown, about 2 minutes longer. Remove from oven; top with basil and pepper.

Blueberry Salt

Preparation time: 35 minutes

Cooking time: 1 to 48 hours

Yield: 1 cup

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

1/2 cup water

1 cup coarse salt

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.

In a saucepan simmer berries and water over medium heat until berries pop and release their juice, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Press blueberries with a potato masher or the back of a large spoon. In a fine wire sieve, strain blueberry mixture, pressing out as much liquid as possible; discard solids. Line the sieve with cheesecloth and strain out finer particles. Return juice to saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, watching closely so it doesn't burn, until reduced to a syrup thick enough to coat a spoon (2 to 3 tablespoons.) Remove from heat. Stir in salt until evenly coated.

Spread salt out onto baking sheets. Let air dry, stirring occasionally, until dry, 4-24 hours, depending on humidity. Alternatively, bake in a 150 F convection oven, stirring frequently, until dry, about 1 hour.

Chef notes: This salt can be a plate finish for cheese, smoked fish, desserts; glass rims for cocktails or lemonade; seasoning for popcorn, grilled fruit and salads.