clean eating, chia seed, clean eats, healthy living, breakfast, blueberry jam, diet, weight loss, sugar detox
In the Kitchen / Recipes

DIY – Blueberry Jam with Chia Seeds

DIY Blueberry Jam!

clean eating, clean eats, healthy living, breakfast, blueberry jam, diet, weight loss, sugar detox

Make my own jam? No way! My son and I both love blueberries – this seemed like a perfect way to get a sweet topping for pancakes, toast or even in yogurt! In about 20 minutes, you can make this jam. It’s super easy, that’s for sure. All you have to do is add blueberries and a bit of maple syrup into a saucepan. Bring those two ingredients to a low boil and then reduce it to simmer for about 5 minutes or so. Then just stir in the chia seeds. Simmer the 3 ingredients for another 10-15 minutes – be sure to keep stirring frequently until the mixture is as thick as you want.

The blueberries and maple syrup will seem watery at first – but keep at it! Once you add in the chia seeds and cook the mixture down, it thickens up really well!  Thanks to the chia seeds, you get jam consistency for sure! You will also be pumping up the nutritional value with healthy omega fats, iron, fiber, protein, magnesium, and calcium. No added sugars!!

I’m going to be trying this with other fruits too!! Strawberries and blackberries for sure!!

This recipe makes about 3/4 cup! Feel free to double up – I like to start small to avoid wasting.

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 cups fresh blueberries
  • 2-3 tbsp pure maple syrup, to taste (or other liquid sweetener, like Agave Nectar)
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

Steps

1. In a medium-sized non-stick saucepan, bring the blueberries and maple syrup to a low boil. Stir frequently, and then reduce heat to low-medium to simmer for about 5 minutes. Lightly mash the blueberries with a fork or potato masher, leaving some if you like a chunkier texture. (I used the Pampered Chef Mix and Chop!)

2. Stir in the chia seeds until completely combined and let the mixture cook down until it thickens to the thickness and consistency you prefer – about 15 minutes. Make sure you stir pretty frequently so it doesn’t stick to the pot.

3. Once the jam is thick enough, remove the pan from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. You can mix in more maple syrup to taste if desired.

The jam should keep for at least a week in an air-tight container in the fridge. Let me know what you think!