This year I discovered I have allergies. And they hit with a vengeance. Trying to figure out what is wrong and what makes me feel worse and better has led us to really look at a lot of different things. Including our diet.
I already mentioned we are eating a lot more honey these days and another very simple food we are eating more of are chia seeds.
Chia seeds are mighty little things that are packed with protein, omega-3s, antioxidents, vitamins and minerals and fiber. So adding more of these to your diet can boost skin radiance, help with digestion, lower blood pressure, boost energy levels and about a million other amazing benefits.*
You really do need these in your diet right away because who doesn’t want to feel better and look better? These can be soaked and they will absorb up to 12 times their weight in water. Since they soak up so much liquid, they can serve as a thickening agent in some recipes like this jam.
So if you want to get more Chia into your diet, this recipe is surprisingly good. I was very skeptical about no sugar in a jam- especially since this isn’t the height of berry season so the berries I used weren’t super sweet. But both of these jams were just delicious. I could easily eat this straight from the jar, on toast, in yogurt or even drizzled over ice cream.
This jam takes about 15 minutes to make and you can use any berry or berry mixture that you like. I choose classic strawberry and blackberry.
- 2 cups fruit of your choice, fresh or frozen (I used strawberry and blackberry)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice or lemon juice (or pure vanilla extract)
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (or substitute honey)
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- Add fruit and lime or lemon juice in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Simmer for about 10 minutes or until fruit releases all its juices and smells fragrant. Stir frequently.
- Gently mash fruit up with a potato masher.
- Add maple syrup and chia seeds and cook for another 5 minutes on medium-low, stirring frequently.
- Careful the fruit does not stick to the bottom and watch the heat so the fruit still has some liquid and doesn't become dried out.
- Remove from heat and pour into a jar.
- Allow to cool and place in fridge for up to 2 weeks.
*Be sure to talk to a Doctor about any dietary changes or specific health benefits of certain foods.
And that it is! The strawberry was my favorite but I am looking forward to trying more flavors. This really was very simple to make and a very painless dietary change.
If you give this recipe a shot, please come back and let me know what you think or tag me on social media @frugaladventure.
And here are a few other recipes you might enjoy:
Mango Green Smoothie (I have one of these every single day- do good!)
Crispy Peanut Butter Protein Balls
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