Easy Strawberry Chia Jam

 

Fruit is in season which can only mean one thing. Jam season is right around the corner! Jam makes the perfect accompaniment to toast, crackers or tarts but is generally loaded with refined sugar, artificial colour and nasty preservatives. Some people venture to make their own and spend hours in the kitchen reducing fruit and boiling cans, but none of this is necessary.

What if I told you, you can have all the amazing sweetness of jam without any of the above nutritional nastys and kitchen labour. Yes it’s true, jam doesn’t have to be complicated to taste great.

My strawberry chia jam takes 15 minutes and requires no tricky canning techniques. It’s low in sugar and contains heart healthy fats and protein.

Ingredients:

4 cups fresh strawberries

1 cup water

4 Tbsp raw sugar (or honey or maple syrup)

2 1/2 Tbsp chia seeds

Directions:

1. In a sauce pot combine strawberries, water and sugar. Cook over medium low heat for 8-10 minutes or until strawberries are plump and softened.
2. Use a potato masher or fork to smash the strawberries. You want them broken up and almost resembling a purée.
3. Remove from heat and stir in the chia seeds.
4. Let jam cool and transfer to an airtight container. I like a mason jar (or jam jar) but you can use any airtight container.
5. Store jam in the fridge.

Sweet Jamming!

XO Deanna