The strawberry chia seed jam in this post is perfect for upping your PB&J game or spreading on your morning toast!
After waiting anxiously the last few weeks, strawberry picking season is finally upon us here in Massachusetts! I couldn’t wait to take my son on his first strawberry picking experience. Last week, we headed over to Tougas Family Farm in Northborough, MA. Although it’s a smidge pricier than some of the other local farms, I love that it has a giant playground for kids and bunch of farm animals to look at in addition to their fruit picking and farm store.
Despite his cranky mood in the morning (see photo below) – he actually really perked up while we were out picking.
Probably because he realized there was an unlimited supply of his favorite food and he could eat to his heart’s desire. He definitely looked a bit zombie-esque afterward from the red juices streaming down his little chin, but he loved devouring those beautiful red strawberries.
When all was said and done, we picked about 5 pounds of strawberries. Which was perfect, because I had big plans for these – think strawberry smoothies, cakes, French toast, salads, and more. But one of my very favorite thing to make with strawberries is fresh strawberry jam.
Not that super sugar laden stuff though. Nope. This strawberry chia seed jam uses just 2-3 tsp of maple syrup to sweeten it. That’s it.
Here’s how: there’s no pectin used in this jam. Pectin + sugar, when heated together, normally gel up and create the thickness of the jam. But instead, you’ll use the chia seeds to thicken up this jam.
The result? An incredible tasting homemade jam that is naturally sweet, healthy and delicious.
If you’re worried about making this properly or are scared off by the chia seeds, don’t be. This is really easy to make. And it’s only 3 ingredients – strawberries, maple syrup, and the chia seeds. That’s it. Very simple. I love that two of those ingredients can be bought locally. My strawberries came from Tougas farm and the maple syrup I used came from another farm in Auburn, MA.
I hope you’ll take your own trip to a local farm and grab some sweet ripe berries to make this tasty strawberry chia seed jam. Spread it on your whole wheat toast, English muffin, or perhaps even on top of a little ice cream 😉
[Tweet “Got fresh strawberries? Try this healthy 3 ingredient strawberry chia seed jam!”]
Strawberry Chia Seed Jam
Ingredients
- 2 cups chopped strawberries
- 2-3 tsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
Instructions
- Place the strawberries in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries have started to break down and release their juices.
- Mash the strawberries with the back of a fork or a potato masher. (You can decide how smooth/lumpy you’d like it to be – I like mine with some lumps of strawberries still in there).
- Stir in the maple syrup, cook for another minute or so, and then remove from heat.
- Mix in the chia seeds and let sit for 5-10 minutes. The jam will thicken up. Store in the fridge for up to 4-5 days (but trust me, you’ll find yourself wanting to use it on everything!).
Share with me: What’s your favorite way to use your fresh-picked strawberries? Have you ever made strawberry chia seed jam before?
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Ohhhhh the chia seeds I bet thicken the deal x 1000! YUM! 😀
Yep! They are such a good substitute for the normal pectin you’d use! And it’s sooo tasty! 🙂
I love strawberry jam/preserves! I’ve never gone strawberry picking though, it looks fun! Your little guy is too cute! I’ll need to try this recipe!
Strawberry picking is the best because, well, you get to eat as many as you pick! 😉
I’m so happy chia jam exists! I just can’t justify eating that much sugar in traditional jams. Unless it was made by my oma. Because all of her treats don’t count for cals 🙂
Treats made by grandparents never count for calories! 😉
hey! how long does this jam typically last?
Hi Anne – It’s a fridge jam, so best used within 5 days. 🙂
Yay for fresh strawberries and chia seed jam!
It’s definitely something to celebrate!
What a great little recipe! I’m totally trying this! Your son is adorable too.
Aw, thank you – he is pretty cute, even if he’s currently refusing to take a nap, haha.
I am a sucker for all things chia seeds! I will definitely have to try this recipe!
I hope you try it and love it!
Great recipe! I used to love having jam on my toast but now it seems there are too many “things” in the jams I was buying that my daughter says are not good for me. Your recipe is nice and clean. The only picking I’ve ever done was apple picking but would love to pick my own berries! What a fun family day and productive too 🙂 I hope your husband has a wonderful Father’s Day and happy training for your upcoming bike ride!
Thanks so much Diane!! You should definitely give the chia jam a try – it’s really easy and I love that it’s only 3 ingredients. And I hope you all had a nice Father’s Day as well 🙂