Fruit Jam with Chia Seeds
Only three ingredients!
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, or other fruit of choice
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 tsp of raw, local honey, or other sweetener of choice
Directions
Heat the fruit in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often. You want the skins to break down and release the fruit juice.
Once most of the fruit is broken down, scoop in a small bowl and let cool. Add chia seeds and honey and mix well. The jam will need to sit for about 10 minutes for the chia seeds to swell and work their magic. I store the jam in a small mason jar for about a week.
Chia seeds contain soluble fiber, a type of fiber that expands when mixed with water and what makes chia seeds so healthy! (You can also find this type of fiber in whole grains like barley, rice, oatmeal, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds.) This type of fiber is awesome for digestive health (promotes regularity) and heart health (lowers the bad cholesterol, and protects against heart disease!). Chia seeds also contain essential fatty acids (omega 3’s!), protein, and minerals like iron and calcium. They are best added to smoothies, yogurt, or dressings, and while you can add them to hot foods, just be careful not to add them to REALLY hot foods because omega-3’s are sensitive to very high heat. (That being said you will still get a lot of the nutrients from chia seeds, but if you’re trying to eat them for omega-3’s, just eat them with cold foods.)
On my toast I used almond butter, cinnamon, hemp seeds, bee pollen, and of course this delicious fruit jam. I have to say the cinnamon was really good with the jam! I've also mixed this jam in plain yogurt which was delicious, too. It's a great way to amp up plain yogurt!
