Chia Jam

Chia jam is so quick and easy to make, I’m scratching my head wondering what took me so long to make it! This version is naturally sweetened with a touch of maple syrup and whipped up in under 5 minutes (not including setting time): that’s my kinda…well, jam!

Mother Nature sure hit it out of the park when she invented chia seeds.  Is there anything these little things can’t do?  Chia seeds are SO healthy and versatile!  They are a good source of fibre, plant-based protein and omega-3 fats called ALA (alpha-linolenic acid)… in fact it is the highest out of any of the seeds and nuts (including hemp, flax etc).  We throw them in everything that we can including using them as a sub for eggs in baking (for each egg, just mix 1 tablespoon of ground chia seeds with 2 1/2 tablespoons of water and let it sit for 5 minutes before using).  They act like little sponges, soaking up liquid and thickening it up through a gel-like action.

I’ve always wanted to make chia jam but just never got around to it… if you have 3 minutes to spare and a few simple ingredients you can make this and leave it to work it’s magic in the fridge!  I’m borderline allergic to canning (I’m sure I’ll eat my words one day): with two busy kids and everything else it just never seems to be a realistic thing for me to tackle?

You can use any sweetener you like including sugar if you prefer but I wanted to see how it tasted using maple syrup; we loved it!  Speaking of the sweet factor, you can add as much or as little of the maple syrup as you wish to get the sweetness you like, everyone is different!  You can also make it thicker if that’s your jam (no pun intended) by adding an additional tablespoon of chia seeds.  I tried it with a bunch of different kinds of fruit but preferred the look of the ones that already contained seeds as you otherwise see the chia seeds. We put this on toast, fresh baked biscuits or ice cream. Ohh, but pancakes ^[1] would be good too! Any other creative ideas for using chia jam?