Strawberry Chia Jam is an easy way to enjoy the sweet flavour of fresh fruit without consuming excessive sugar. Spread it onto tea biscuits, scones, and pancakes or between layers of vanilla cake.
While you're enjoying fresh strawberries, you might also like gluten free Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, Strawberry Slush and Strawberry Spinach Salad.
This "jam" is the filling that I used between the layers of Gluten Free Vanilla Cake when I shared that recipe with you a couple weeks ago. I love finding ways to enjoy treats that are nourishing and not excessively sweet!
Health Benefits of Chia Seeds
These tiny seeds are packed with nutrients! Just one ounce of chia seeds - about 2 tablespoons - contains 11 grams of fibre, 6 grams of protein, and 5 grams of essential omega-3 fatty acids. They're also loaded with antioxidants and calcium.
How do you hide chia seeds in food?
Since chia seeds are so good for us, it's great to include them in our diets wherever we can. Strawberry Chia Jam is the perfect excuse!
As chia seeds sit in a liquid, they absorb about ten times their dry weight and thicken it. During this process, they become soft and gelatinous.
Is strawberry chia jam healthy?
Strawberries are rich in vitamin C and antioxidants. Their natural sugars are fairly low to begin with. Pair that with the fact that no refined cane sugar is added to this recipe, and you have a winning combination!
Is it safe to can chia jam?
No. Don't can your chia jam. One of the things I like about chia jam is that it's so quick and easy to make. I'm very happy to not have to mess with the canning process!
Foods need a certain level of acidity to be safe for canning. Chia lowers the acid level, making the mixture less acidic.
Sugar helps to increase the shelf life of food. Another of the great benefits of this chia jam is that it is low in sugar, relying on the natural sweetness of the strawberries. However, this means that it won't keep as long, even in the refrigerator, as its sugar-laden counterpart.
How to Make Strawberry Chia Jam
Freshly picked strawberries are great for making chia jam! Just wash them, hull them, and cut larger ones into smaller chunks.
I haven't tested this recipe with frozen strawberries, but I see no reason why they wouldn't work.
Bring your berries, water, and maple syrup to a boil. Then let the mixture simmer for about 10 minutes. You don't need to be terribly particular about the timing here. Once the berries have softened, you might want to mash them. Stir in your chia seeds and lemon juice, and let it set while the chia seeds do the work.
Recipe
Strawberry Chia Jam
Ingredients
- 2 cups strawberries
- 1 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Wash and hull the strawberries. Cut the large ones into quarters.
- In a medium saucepan, place strawberries, water, and maple syrup. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce temperature and simmer on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Mash the berries with a potato masher. Stir in chia seeds and lemon juice. Allow to cool.
- Stir. Taste. Add more maple syrup or lemon juice, to taste, depending on the sweetness of your strawberries.
- Transfer to a jar and refrigerate.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Emily says
Yum! Thanks for this! I'll be making this weekend 🙂
Cathy says
That's awesome, Emily! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!