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This Strawberry Chia Jam is ready in 15 minutes! Made with only 4 ingredients, it’s the perfect healthy alternative to conventional strawberry jam!
My grandmother would always make homemade preserves to serve over homemade biscuits for breakfast! Yum! But I must admit it wasn’t the healthiest recipe.
But this Strawberry Chia Jam is made with all whole healthy ingredients so you get that homemade taste with the added health benefits!
How to Thicken Strawberry Jam?
There are two main ways to thicken jam:
- Pectin. This is the most common method. Pectin is a starch found in fruits and vegetables. Read What Is Pectin in Jams and Jellies? to learn more about this ingredient.
- Chia Seeds. This is my preferred method! The have both soluble fiber and it’s outer shell is hydrophilic so it attracts and absorbs a lot of water. This is where their thickening properties come from. They are even great in homemade puddings like my Chocolate Chia Pudding!
How to Preserve Chia Jam?
There is no canning required for this so preserving is simple! So how long does chia jam lasts?
- Refrigerator. Put in a mason jar with lid closed tightly, and store in fridge for 2-3 weeks.
- Freezer. Put in a mason jar (or any freezer safe container) and store it in the freezer for 2 months. When ready to eat, defrost it in the refrigerator overnight, and use it the next morning! The consistency will still be good!
DO NOT store your strawberry chia jam in your pantry!
How to Make Strawberry Chia Jam?
*Please read detailed and printable recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions.
Prep Your Strawberries
- Chop your strawberries into small piece and add to a pot. (Photos 1 & 2)
- Stir until liquid starts to release. (Photos 3 & 4)
Thicken With Chia Seeds
- Use a potato masher to break down any large pieces in you strawberry puree. (Photo 1)
- Add agave nectar, lime juice, and chia seeds and stir until it starts to thicken. (Photos 2 & 3)
- Transfer into you mason jar for storage. (Photo 4)
Substitution, Cook, and Storage Tips:
- Want a smoother jam? Grind your chia seeds first and then add them to your strawberry puree. You can also use an immersion blender instead of a potato masher for a smoother jam.
- Use different berries. This recipe works with all types of berries; blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, or even a mixture of berries! Feel free to get creative!
- Make when strawberries are in season. Local strawberries that are in season are sweeter and it will help lessen the amount of external liquid sweetener to use in your jam.
- Frozen berries will also work with this. Read recipe notes in recipe card.
- Use for breakfast or dessert toppings! Want to know how to eat chia jam? Homemade vegan biscuits, peanut butter and jam sandwiches, toast, on top of waffles, french toast, or pancakes, and even to make homemade strawberry oatmeal bars!
- Again when storing your jam, make sure your lid is closed tight on your mason jar. It will keep in the fridge for 1 week and in the freezer for 2 months. Be sure to date it. DO NOT store at room temperature.
Vegan With Curves Star Ingredient:
Chia seeds is the Vegan With Curves star ingredient of this recipe. Chia seeds is high in calories making them a calorie dense foods. One cup of gluten free flour has 96 grams of “curvy” carbohydrates.
To make this more weight loss (waste/weight release friendly) you could:
- Lower the portion serving.
- Use a sugar substitute like monkfruit or erythritol.
- Treat this dessert as an occasional treat not a weight loss meal. 😉
It’s never been more easier to make homemade jam that’s healthy too! Get creative and mix and match your berries! Enjoy!
MORE STRAWBERRY RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
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Strawberry Chia Jam
Ingredients
- 1 pint fresh strawberries
- 3 tablespoons agave nectar
- 1 tablespoon squeeze lime juice
- 3 tablespoons chia seeds
Instructions
- Rinse your strawberries and begin to remove stems from berries
- Then proceed to chop your strawberries in small pieces. Grab a medium size pot and add your chopped berries over medium high heat.
- Stir your chopped strawberries until liquid from the berries start to release.
- Once the strawberries begin to breakdown, grab your potato masher to break down any remaining large pieces. NOTE: You can also use an immersion blender for this for a smoother jam.
- Next add your agave nectar, lime juice, and chia seeds. Stir until your jam starts to thicken over medium low heat.
- Remove from heat and transfer your jam into a clean sterile mason jar. Make sure the lid close tightly.
- Allow it to cool at room temperature for an 1 hour. While it sits, your jam will thicken.
- Use immediately in homemade vegan biscuits, toast, pancakes, or waffles. (Or whatever else you would normally use jam on).
- If not using immediately store in the refrigerator for 5 - 7 days or in the freezer for 2 months.
Video
Notes
- To make a smoother jam, grind your chia seeds before adding them to you strawberry puree. You can also use an immersion blender instead of a potato masher.
- This recipe works with all types of berries. When using blueberries, raspberries or blackberries, there is no need to chopped them as they are already small.
- To make these with frozen strawberries add directly to a pot over medium high heat until they start to soften and the liquid is released. Then proceed with the recipes as stated.
- Use for breakfast or dessert toppings! This jam is good on vegan biscuits, peanut butter and jam sandwiches, toast, on top of waffles, french toast, or pancakes, and even to make homemade strawberry oatmeal bars!
- This jam will keep in the fridge for 1 week and in the freezer for 2 months. Be sure to date it. DO NOT store at room temperature.
Nutrition
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