I came into 2013 with very high hopes of more free time and therefore more time for blogging. No, I’m not about to let you down and announce the weekly post has become a bi-monthly post, but things have changed quite a bit lately and I’m still attempting to settle into a new routine. I’m getting there, but hence the lack of posts the last two weeks.
I’ve been promoted at work you see (ooooer!), and my 4 long shifts at work have suddenly become 5 much more manageable ones (yay, I get to leave work at 4pm!). This change has meant a surge in energy and some extra time to get through my backlog of naturopathy homework. I know I’ve been neglecting my blog readers but when the urge to study hits I like to really get stuck into it!
Now, I’m not the first person to make jam with chia, but I’m also not sure anyone quite loves these fabulous little seeds as much as I do. I could harp on and on about chia seeds to you, so great is their nutritional content and health benefits (fibre, essential amino acids, antioxidants, omega 3 fatty acids!), but instead of listening to me drone on I just really want you to eat them. So here is another idea to add to your chia seed recipe collection!
While I really want to get into canning and preserving this year, nothing quite beats the speed and effortlessness in mixing chia seeds with water and fruit to make this delicious Cheater’s (Chia) Strawberry Jam. It’s been my afternoon pick me up lately and I love that it’s a homemade conserve that’s also really good for me! So try a nice big dollop of this easy chia jam on some buckwheat pikelets or crusty sourdough bread. Enjoy a generous spoonful swished through some natural yoghurt or your morning oats. You can blend your strawberries if you’re not in a mashing mood, or grind your chia if you’re not a fan of whole seeds. You could even try this jam in some Strawberries & Cream Lamingtons 😉
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp raw, organic honey (or raw agave syrup / maple syrup)
- 250g strawberries, washed and hulled
- In a small bowl mix together chia seeds, water and honey. Put aside.
- In a medium sized bowl, mash strawberries with a fork or potato masher until desired consistency.
- Pour chia mixture over strawberries and mix to combine. Pour into a 400ml sterilised jar and refrigerate for 60 minutes to gel up and thicken. Jam will keep in the fridge for up to one week, or can be frozen.
Raw organic honey: Is raw but not vegan. Enhances the flavour of strawberries, many wonderful health benefits.
Raw agave: Raw and vegan. Has a mild sweet taste and depending on brand, undergoes minimal processing to remove water and concentrate the syrup.
Maple syrup: Vegan but not raw. Undergoes minimal processing including boiling and filtering to remove water and particulates.
Comments 27
I never knew I could use chia seeds like this. My nutritionist recommended them for gut health and omega 3s so I knew they were good, but I didn’t know I could make something like jam 😀 I’m going to give it a try!
Author
They really are amazing little seeds Amanda! Have you ever used them in baking as an egg replacer? Check out the Gel Replacers for instructions 🙂
What a healthy and delicious homemade jam! The chia in this is makes it so much healthier, great recipe!
Author
I love how healthy the chia makes it too Natalie! The best part is the neutral flavour of chia, it takes nothing away from the ripe strawberry taste 🙂
Looks delicious(: will i be able to use other fruits for this instead?
Author
You definitely can Shelley! Some of my other favourites are with other juicy berries like raspberry or blackberry. I’ve also made a nice one with cherries. There’s a bag of nectarines in my fruit bowl ATM, so I’m going to give them a go too 🙂
Did you have a specific fruit in mind you were curious about?
I LOVE chia seeds too! I have only ever made pudding with chia, I’ve never tried “jam” before. I love that it is a RAW recipe too. Strawberry season is right around the corner, I can’t wait to give this a try.
Author
I love that it’s raw too, any recipe that doesn’t need cooking gives you back so much precious time as well as keeping the wonderful nutrients in the strawberry intact 🙂 thanks for the comment!
Thanks for sharing this awesome recipe Ally! I will certainly be making it this morning. I recently made some pineapple jam, but the sugar content was so high that this recipe is a wonderful find …and so easy! Plus, I LOVE chia seeds.
If you have a second, please check out our health and beauty blog called Down With Earth [www.downwithearth.com]– we focus on anything from healthy recipes to natural beauty remedies and things in between!
Thanks again–
Emily @ DWE
Author
It may have been high in sugar Emily, but pineapple jam does sound pretty fantastic – now I want to make some! I wonder if I could make pineapple jam work with chia seeds, hhmmmmm….
I will definitely check out Down With Earth, sounds like the kind of site I would love 🙂 Thanks for the comment!
This looks amazing!! Since I cut out processed sugar, I have not had any strawberry jam so I’m super excited to try this! Thanks for sharing!
Author
And thanks to you for commenting! This jam is a great choice if you’re living sugar-free, you can also use a little stevia powder or the liquid drops instead of honey if you wish too 🙂
First time heard of chia seeds, is there any specific taste or smell?
Author
The best thing about them Genny, is there have no taste or smell. They are really versatile in that they won’t change the flavour of any foods you pair them with. When you open the pack they should smell fresh and pretty neutral. If they every smell “fishy” however then take them back to the store, this means they are rancid and aren’t optimum for eating.
Alison, glorious colour there. Thanks for joining in the “jam” session. Cheers
Author
Thanks Carole, and thanks also for having me over at your site 😀
Can you freeze this recipe? My strawberry patch is producing so many strawberries that it would be nice to be able to freeze some of this jam.
Thank you.
Author
You can freeze this recipe, I’ve currently got a few jars of a raspberry variation chilling out in my chest freezer as I made an enormous batch. Later, just let sit in the fridge overnight to thaw out for the next day to use 🙂
Can you use this recipe for canning?? Or just freezing??
Author
Freezing would be best for this recipe Christi, the sugar content is too low for long term preservation and the jam mixture isn’t heated at all. This particular jam uses chia to mimic the setting effect that normal canning would achieve through heat and higher amounts of sugar. It’s the kind of spread to make when you know you’re going to eat it within a week – and want to eat some more chia seeds 🙂
help! for U.S. measurements……..I got about 9 oz. strawberries. Does that sound right? Doesn’t seem like much!?
Author
I’m so sorry, this is such a late reply (as I took time off from blogging), and I am certain you have found the answer already!
9oz would be the right amount, it’s about equivalent to one punnet of strawberries (that I buy anyway). This is a small batch recipes, enough to make about a cup and a bit of jam for short-term storage (and fast eating!).
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Thx for the recipe – Sounds great. I’ll try next week And I’ll add some cinnamon and citric acid so it can be kept a litten longer.
Author
My pleasure Sandra, I’d be interested to hear how the recipe goes with your additions 🙂
Brilliant! I can’t wait to try this! I love PB&J’s but never have them anymore after reading the ingredients on the J label. Thank you!
Author
My pleasure Alexis, I hope you enjoy the jam!