Berry Chia Jam

Berry Jam

quick and simple to make, this sugar-free chia jam makes it easy to replace store-bought processed and sugar-filled jams...

3 cups berries of your choice, fresh or frozen

(I use frozen blackberries, strawberries, or mixed berries)

1-2 tbsp Stevia* or 3-4 tbsp rice malt syrup or maple syrup

2 tbsp chia seeds

Note: chia seeds act as a gelling agent, if you prefer the less nutritional (passive-aggressive much?) option, use 2 tsp gelatine and mix with 2 tbsp water to form gel)

1. Mix berries, sweetener, and 2 tbsp water in saucepan over medium-high heat, bring to a light boil, then lower heat and leave on a low simmer.

2. Meanwhile mix gelatine with 2 tbsp water in a small bowl. Allow to sit for 5 minutes until set, then heat breifly to turn gel to liquid and add to simmering berry mix. If using chia seeds, simply add directly to simmering berries. Be sure to mix well and often. Allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes until mixture is desired consistency.

3. Remove from heat and blend thick berry sauce with a mixer until smooth (unless you like textured jam). Return to heat to thicken if needed.

4. Pour into sterilized container and seal. Store in fridge for up to a month. Yields approx 1 cup.

*Stevia is a zero-calorie plant-based sweetener (i.e. not synthetic) that can replace sugar at a 48:1 ratio (i.e. 1 cup of sugar can be replaced with 1 tsp of Stevia!). To avoid purchasing Stevia powder from a store (expensive and processed), I purchased a Stevia plant, harvest and dry the leaves, and store them in a sealed container until i need them. Simply grind leaves to a powder to use!

Happy jamming!

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