Its been a rather damp August bank holiday, but as us British know only to well that is no surprise! However its has been a very lovely, relaxing and most enjoyable three days, dog walks, snuggling up, candles lit and the family popping in an out. I also managed to pick some blackberries and make some jam.
I love to make jam, I love even better to make jam with foraged fruit and blackberries have to be one of my favourites by far, I love that it has always been a family tradition and that we have tales to tell of the many adventures that we had whilst picking them. I also absolutely love the smell of them cooking away becoming all jammy on the hob.
Now I know that jam is really really yummy, but it is also full of sugar and not that healthy, yes making your own is always going to be better than shop brought but I wanted to find an even healthier alternative that I could possibly eat guilt free and that is why I decided to try this chia seed version.
Now you may or may not of heard of chia seeds, you may be sick of hearing about chia seeds, but just incase you haven’t below is a little nutritional information on this tiny little superfood that is currently making headlines.
Chia Seeds have been claimed to be the healthiest food on the planet, an extremely bold claim maybe, but a 100-gram serving is a rich source of the B vitamins thiamine and niacin and a good source of the B vitamins riboflavin and folate. The same amount of chia seeds is also a rich source of the dietary minerals calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and zinc. So maybe not so bold after all.
So health benefits aside, this jam is delicious. Obviously it is not so sweet and sticky but at least you can put it on your scones or toast and fill your cakes with it and know that you have done a little to improve your health and reduce your sugar intake and that has to be good to know.
Buon appetito
450g / 1 lb blackberries, fresh or frozen
2-3 tablespoons pure maple syrup (depending on how sweet you like your jam)
3 tablespoons chia seeds
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a medium-sized pot, bring the blackberries to a low boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the berries soften, about 5 minutes. Lightly mash the blackberries with a potato masher or fork. Leave some berries in chunks for texture.
Stir in the maple syrup and chia seeds. Cook the jam on low until it thickens, about 5-7 minutes. Make sure you stir the jam so it doesn’t stick.
Remove the jam from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Let jam cool to room temperature. Pour in a glass jar or air-tight container and store in the refrigerator. The jam will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Note : You can sweeten the jam with honey, agave, or another sweetener that you prefer.
You can freeze the jam in an air-tight container.
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