Monday 2 February 2015

Chia Seed Jam

Eating "sugar free" doesn't mean you have to give up the good things in life......good tasting jam being one of them.

Here is a recipe for very easy Chia Seed Jam that is quick, easy and will last in the fridge for up to two weeks.

INGREDIENTS
  • 500 gms berries  (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries - all work well)
  • 2 Tablespoons Chia seeds
  • A squirt of lemon juice
  • Stevia powder (if required)
METHOD

First of all place the berries in a saucepan (I chop the strawberries into quarters but raspberries and blueberries I leave whole).



Over medium heat, bring the berries to a low boil, stirring frequently.  Reduce heat to low and simmer until berries soften, about 5 to 7 minutes.  Then lightly mash the berries with a potato masher.  

Stir in the chia seed and lemon juice and sweeten with a bit of stevia (if your taste requires it).     With these strawberries I used 1 teaspoon of stevia powder as they were not as ripe as I would have liked.  Over ripe strawberries are the best to use because they are much sweeter and softer.  

Cook the jam on low heat until it thickens, about 5 minutes


Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it cool slightly.   Pour jam into a clean glass jar and leave on the kitchen bench until it cools to room temperature.  This recipe will fill one 500 ml jar.


When cooled to room temperature, place the lid on the jar and store it in the fridge, for up to 2 weeks.  I have not tried freezing this recipe because I haven't made any more than the one jar at a time.  Some variations to try are -
  •  "Raspberry and Apple" by adding 1 grated apple with a 300 gm punnet of raspberries.
  •  "Blueberry Vanilla" by adding 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence when using blueberries.



Don't forget to try it out on some home-made scones before you put it in the fridge.........enjoy



 

6 comments:

  1. Hmmm, that does look like nice jam, Sandi! When I was cleaning out my pantry my bottle of Chia seeds had wildlife in it so I had to throw it out. What a waste as it isn't the cheapest stuff to buy! I will make that recipe down the track :-)

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    1. Wildlife can be a problem in Queensland, Chel. I have a large bay tree in the yard and so I am able to have a bay leaf in all my containers in the pantry. Works like a treat for keeping out the greeblies.

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  2. wow that looks so easy, can it be made into a preserve without the sugar? i gave up sugar too & find it real hard eating or drinking anything with it in now.
    thanx for sharing!

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    Replies
    1. Selina, this recipe can only be stored in the fridge because it contains no sugar. I sweetened this batch with a bit of stevia because the strawberries I used were a tad under-ripe, usually the jam doesn't need any sweetener.

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    2. Thanks Sandi. Will soon have the RRO giving up his plain label strawberry jam! Don't let me forget to figure out how to put the little picture thingy on my posts!!

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  3. It's just "blinkin'" clever....must be far tastier too
    tfs
    xx

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