chia jam

Strawberry Chia Jam

Lots of my recipes have some kind of story behind how they were created – this strawberry chia jam recipe includes one of those stories!

I was getting ready to fly to Iceland. 

After going through the fridge the day of the flight, I saw that there was an untouched container of fresh strawberries we had forgotten about.  I just wasn’t in the mood for strawberries.

But I’m Italian. I hate wasting food…

a number of strawberries in front of a jar of home-made jam portrait format

Earlier that week, I had tried chia seed pudding for the first time, LOVED it, felt inspired and went out to buy my own massive bag of black chia seeds.  Once they made it to my cabinet, I realized what a huge commitment I had made:  what does one do with a bag of chia seeds that big?  How much chia pudding can one person eat?!

Where is this going?  Well, now that I had committed to that massive bag of chia seeds, I needed to figure out what to do with them.  I was browsing the internet for chia seed recipes and came across a recipe for blackberry chia jam.  

Benefits of chia seeds

Chia seeds have been around for a long time but they flew completely under the radar until pretty recently. 

Chia seed nutritional value

They’re high in fiber, heart-healthy fats, and antioxidants. 

Chia seeds for constipation

Soaking chia seeds in water for just a few minutes helps to activate the fiber, which adds bulk and roughage.  The fiber in chia seeds also swells turns into a mucilagenous gel (lovely, I know) – and it helps the stools to pass more easily through the gut.

Chia seeds for diabetes

Chia seeds make a great functional food for diabetics:  their fiber and essential fats help to reduce the glycemic index of a food by slowing down the time it takes for the sugars/carbohydrates to turn into blood glucose. 

What does this mean?  More stable blood sugar levels, satiety, and sustained energy.

Getting innovative

I may not have had any blackberries or peaches on-hand, but I did have LOTS of strawberries, chia seeds, and raw honey.  I was feeling creative and decided to experiment before it was time to head to the airport.  It seemed like a better alternative to throwing out a perfectly good container of strawberries!

Without further ado, here’s my impromptu strawberry chia jam recipe!

chia jam

Strawberry Chia Jam

Jenna Volpe, RDN, LD, CLT
A tasty, sweet and healthy whole-food topping for your toast or even on its own!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups fresh strawberries (hulled)
  • 2 tbsp chia seeds
  • 2 tbsp raw honey (or other liquid sweetener of choice, such as real maple syrup or coconut nectar)
  • 1 tsp or 1 squeeze fresh lemon/lime juice

Instructions
 

  • In a small pan over medium heat, combine the berries and citrus juice.
  • As the fruit begins to bubble, mash with the back of a fork for about 3 to 5 minutes.
  • Sweeten the mashed fruit with 1 to 2 tablespoons of honey,to your liking.
  • Add the chia seeds and stir, then remove from heat immediately.
  • Let the jam set for about 5 minutes to thicken. Cool and transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.
  • Jam will last for 2 weeks in the fridge. Enjoy!

Notes

2 tablespoons of jam = 1 serving fruit, or 1 fruit exchange
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!