Making Chia Seed Jam with Kids

One of the highlights of Summer for us is berry picking.  Whether it’s blueberries and strawberries from our garden, wild strawberries from our yard or blackberries and raspberries that we find along our local nature trail…we love them all.  In previous years, we would make a few jars of jam but with the high amount of sugar involved, we ended up abandoning that habit.  This year, when we were picking our rhubarb in the garden, our youngest asked if it was possible to make jam with rhubarb.  After a few minutes doing research, we discovered that it was indeed possible and as a bonus, we stumbled upon a way to make “healthy” jam with chia seeds and natural sweetener. Chia seeds are filled with healthy omega fats, iron, fiber, protein, magnesium, and calcium!

We just had to give it a try!

No special trips to the grocery store for ingredients, no white sugar and no special jars required!

We love that only three ingredients are needed and the recipe can be created with any variety of fruit and berries.  The secret to the gel-like consistency lies in the chia seeds themselves.  Once they absorb the liquid from the fruit, they plump and swell and the result a perfect jam-like texture!

The girls love to make this, so be sure to include your littles.

Let them create! The flavor combinations are endless really, so let them go wild!

Blueberry Vanilla, Rhubarb Strawberry, Lemon Blackberry…the list goes on.

We used the maple syrup we made earlier this spring to add a little sweetness but you could also use honey, stevia, agave or other sweeteners.  Feel free to adjust the amount for your family’s needs!  Okay, here we go!

EASY CHIA SEED JAM

INGREDIENTS

2 cups of fruit (rhubarb, berries, peaches etc)

2 Tablespoon of sweetener of choice (maple syrup, honey, agave etc)

2 Tablespoons of chia seeds

Squeeze of fresh lemon (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Add fruit and sweetener to a small sauce pan, bring to a low boil and cook down over medium heat. 

(This will take longer if you are using rhubarb as oppose to strawberries)

Feel free to mash fruit as you go until it is all the same consistency.

Remove from heat.

Add chia seeds, stir and allow to sit for at least 5 minutes.

Spoon jam into a sealed container.

ENJOY!

The jam can be stored for at least a week in the refrigerator.

(If you prefer a smoother texture, you can give the jam a turn in the blender to blitz the chia seeds).

Voila!  Healthy jam that you can add to your toast, pancakes, waffles, yogurt or baked goods! 

I hope you give this easy recipe a try with your kids this week!  Let me know what you think!

Sue 

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