Paleo Black Forest Chia Jam

This Paleo Black Forest Chia Jam is well… uhhh… jam packed (cringe) full of nutrition, flavour and more importantly is low on sugar!

It is perfect for kids and adults alike – in fact my whole family seems to enjoy this a lot more than real jam itself.

Chia seeds are incredibly hydrophilic – basically a posh word for ‘loving water’ and in layman’s terms this means that chia seeds will soak up as much water as possible making them a great baking tool to have in your arsenal as well as for helping to keep you feeling fuller for longer thus staying trim. Not to say that they are all filler and nothing else though; chia seeds are high in dietary fibre, high in good quality protein, & high in omega-3 fatty acids. What isn’t there to love about them?!

Chia seeds were also used by the Aztecs as a running fuel as they helped to keep them hydrated and running harder, faster and for longer. If you’re wanting to up your athletic performance and stamina I couldn’t recommend them anymore!  So this jam is great as a pre-workout breakfast or snack.

If you want a smooth and lump free jam you can place it all into a blender at the end if you wish but I think it works best with some nice lumps of fruit in it.

It is best slathered on to some of my Paleo Granary Bread or Paleo Crumpets!

Yields: Roughly 2.5 to 3 cups

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups of frozen/fresh cherries, grapes, blueberries, blackberries, & blackcurrants
1/3 cup raw honey or maple syrup
Juice of 1/2 lemon
3/4 cup milled chia seeds

Method:

1.  Place your fruit, honey and lemon juice into a medium sized pan. Place the pan on a medium heat.
2. Stir the mixture frequently until the honey has melted and bring the mixture to the boil.
3. Reduce the heat and crush the fruit with the back of a wooden spoon until soft. It is upto you to determine the texture of the fruit that you want in your jam. Leave to simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat and whisk in your milled chia seeds. Transfer to an airtight mason jar or into a jam jar. If using a jam jar be sure to use cellophane and wax discs to help keep the jam airtight! Store the jam in a cool dry place and use within one week of making – although it really won’t last that long!