Strawberry Chia Jam
One of my favorite things to make when I score a big stash of fresh farmer’s market strawberries is this 4-ingredient Strawberry Chia Jam.
The color is beautiful, but I also just love the way the texture looks! I’ve seen several recipes for chia jam recently and it always catches my eye.
Plus, the health benefits of strawberries and chia seeds are plentiful. When you put them together, you get a tasty jam that is rich in vitamin C, omega-3s, fiber, and packed with flavor!
Strawberries have also been shown protect your heart, increase HDL (good) cholesterol, lower your blood pressure, and even guard against cancer.
Chia seeds contain a compound called “ALA” which stands for all for alpha-linolenic acid and it’s the plant form of omega-3s.
You can learn more about the benefits of Omega-3s in my Should You Be Taking Omega-3 Fish Oil Supplements? article here, but omega-3 fatty acids have been repeatedly shown to reduce improve heart and brain health, as well as improving symptoms of anxiety and depression in studies where participants consumed 2 or more grams a day in the form of fish oil.
While ALA has different benefits than fish oil it’s still helpful for your mood! Varying your sources of fatty acids can be an integral part of naturally supporting anxiety and depression relief.
Nuts and seeds should be a part of your diet, as well as fish oil supplementation or wild fish like salmon or mackerel which contain high levels of beneficial fatty acids.
Chia seeds are a great way to add a plant-based source of omega-3s into your diet, and this jam is a delicious way to do it!
So, if the health benefits haven’t convinced you yet, one more thing I can tell you about this strawberry chia jam is this:
It’s so. dang. easy!
Plus, it’s an extremely versatile condiment to have on hand. You can make a modified version of a Monte Cristo sandwich by using ham, dairy-free cheese, and some gluten-free bread. You can top your pancakes and waffles with it. Top your coconut milk ice cream with it, or you can use it on a classic AB&J (almond butter and jelly)! I even saw a pretty, light jam layer cake a couple of weeks ago and it’s been on my mind to make one ever since – but first I need the jam!
If you’re looking for a new easy, healthy dessert with fruit, or a paleo fruit dessert recipe you’ve found a good one to start with.
You can whip this up in under 30 minutes. The longest parts are cooking down the strawberries in their own juices and then letting the mixture cool. Give it a try and let me know what you think!
STRAWBERRY CHIA JAM
Ingredients
4 cups hulled strawberries or other berries
2–3 Tbsp lemon juice, to taste
3–4 Tbsp chia seeds (add more for a thicker jam)
3–4 Tbsp honey (or stevia/monk fruit), to taste
Instructions
- Combine the berries and lemon juice in a pan over medium-low heat. Cover them and stir occasionally as they cook down.
- When the berries are soft and falling apart, remove them from the heat and add the optional sweetener and the chia seeds – I opted to add the chia seeds 1 tbsp at a time so they were easier to mix in and didn’t get clumpy.
- Mix and mash until the jam is your desired texture and allow it to cool before transferring it to jars to store in the fridge.
Notes
Eat it within 4-5 days fresh, or can for longer shelf life. You can try any berry for this if you want to mix things up!
If you want more truly healthy baking recipes right at your fingertips check out my book Paleo Sweets – it’s free, you just cover a small shipping fee. You’ll get 70+ tasty recipes for paleo versions of chocolate chip cookies, vanilla cheesecake, caramel brownies, carrot cake, mint chocolate chip ice cream, pumpkin pie and more!