Chia and Berry ‘Jam’
Use it on toast, on pancakes and waffles, with overnight oats, and to sweeten plain yogurt. Fruits that work well in chia jam: Berries (strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries), cherries, peaches, apricots, plums, pineapple, kiwi...basically any "juicy" fruits.
Keep in mind that different kinds of fruit will yield different textures, flavors, etc. So taste and adjust your jam as needed. For example...
- Some fruits may need more sweetener than others. (Ex. Raspberries are much more tart than blueberries.)
- Some fruits are juicier than others. (Ex. Pineapple will make a much juicier/thinner jam than strawberries.)
- Feel free to nix the lemon juice if your fruit is already tart.
Chia and Berry ‘Jam’
from https://www.bhf.org.uk/
Simple to make:
Soak around 20g (2 tablespoons) of chia seeds in 4 tablespoons of water
Mix with 150g (2 cup) of your favourite berries or cherries, then blend.
Decant into a jar or bowl, cover and refrigerate.
The seeds provide protein without the added sugar that you usually get in jam.
Berry Chia Seed Jam
This easy chia seed jam recipe is made with defrosted raw blueberries and raspberries (no cooking required)! Eat more nutritious berries with this healthy jam. Recipe yields roughly 2 2/3 cups.
10 to 12 ounces (around 2 1/2 cups) frozen raspberries, preferably organic
10 to 12 ounces (around 2 1/4 cups) frozen blueberries, preferably organic or wild
1/4 cup chia seeds
2 tablespoons orange juice (about 1/2 medium orange, juiced)
Up to 4 tablespoons maple syrup (optional), to taste
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the frozen raspberries and blueberries, chia seeds and orange juice. Cover and let the mixture defrost for about three hours at room temperature, or overnight in the refrigerator (the front of the bottom shelf in the fridge is the ideal spot for defrosting, since it’s generally the warmest area).
Once the berries are defrosted and soft, use a potato masher (or the back of a big spoon or serving fork should work) to mash up the mixture to your desired consistency. I like some texture in my jam, so I don’t mash it much.
Taste, and if you’d like a sweeter jam, stir in some maple syrup, to taste (keep in mind that you can always just drizzle maple syrup or honey onto your jam later, if you prefer). If the chia seeds aren’t nice and plump yet, let the mixture rest for about 20 minutes to let them absorb some more moisture.
I love this jam on toast/pancakes/waffles/bagels, with yogurt and granola, and in chia seed pudding. Store leftover jam in the refrigerator, covered, for about 5 days.
Yields roughly 2 2/3 cups
10-Minute Chia Seed Jam
from https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/
This 10-Minute Chia Seed Jam recipe is my fave!! It's super quick and easy to make, thickened with chia (instead of tons of extra sugar), totally delicious, and made with real ingredients you can feel great about.
2 cups fresh or frozen fruit (see suggestions above)
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1 tablespoon freshly-squeezed lemon juice
1-2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup (only if needed)
Heat fruit in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the fruit is heated through and begins to break down and bubble. Use a spoon or potato masher to mash the fruit to your desired consistency.
Stir in the chia seeds and lemon juice until combined. Then taste, and stir in 1 or 2 tablespoons sweetener if needed.
Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes. (The jam will thicken considerably as it cools.)
Give the jam one final good stir. Then serve immediately, or transfer to a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Optional add-ins:
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- lemon zest (to make your jam a little more tangy)
- a pinch of spices (such as cinnamon, ginger, or nutmeg, etc.)
