Northeast Ohio Parent blogger Melissa Koski Carney of “I Crashed the Web” says this recipe is so easy to make, she thinks it shouldn’t really be considered a recipe.
“It only has three ingredients and takes 15 minutes to make. If you have kids —or anyone in your family — that loves jam, I encourage you to try chia jam as a healthier alternative.”
Here’s what you need:
2 cups of frozen or fresh fruit (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, peaches or even a mix of all of them – the possibilities are endless!)
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1-2 tablespoons honey
Optional: spices or other seasonings like vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice (for sweeter fruits)
Here’s what you do:
In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat up your fruit. Stir it so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan and burn, and keep heating it up until the fruit starts to break down and mixture gets bubbly.
While it’s heating up, mash the fruit. When making it for my youngest, I like to mash it a good amount so it’s not too chunky. If it’s just for me, I don’t mind chunky jam and this step doesn’t take as long. Some fruits – like blueberries – take longer to mash and I use a potato masher to break them down.
Add in honey and continue to mix. I like 2 tablespoons, but depending on the sweetness of the fruit, you may use less. For example, I use less honey with strawberries, but more with blueberries or mixed berries.
Add in chia seeds, and mix until they’re evenly distributed.
Remove from heat and cool for 5-10 minutes. (The chia seeds will thicken the jam while it cools.)
Pour into a jar or serve immediately. (Mine typically makes a little more than 1 cup of jam.)
