A delightfully scrumptious and nutritious spread that’s gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar free.
I have spoken about the wonderful health benefits of chia seeds before, and with all the beautiful berries in season at the moment this is a great way to use them. Make sure you buy chemical free as strawberries are at the top of the ‘Dirty Dozen’ (refer previous blog), and have been shown to contain the most pesticide residue.
Chia seeds are incredibly absorbent which makes them the perfect ingredient for jam.
Chia seeds contain:
Fiber
Protein
Omega-3
Calcium
Manganese
Magnesium
Phosphorus
They also contain a decent amount of Zinc, Vitamin B3 (Niacin), Potassium, Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) and Vitamin B2.
Ingredients
- ½ cup fresh chopped strawberries
- ½ cup frozen mixed berries
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1-2 tbsp natural sweetener (if needed) such as stevia, agave nectar or honey
- 1 ½ tbsp chia seeds
Method
- Place all ingredients in a small saucepan and stir over a low heat until the berries have softened
- Puree or mash lightly, until just a few small lumps remain
- Thoroughly stir in chia seeds in small amounts at a time as this reduces the lumps.
- Pour into a jar or container and place in the fridge until thickened, at least 1 ½ hours
- Store jam in the fridge. Will keep for about 1 week.
Although cooking can deepen the flavour of the berries this jam can also be made by simply pureeing the raw ingredients and placing in the fridge overnight.