Wild Berry Chia Jam: A Great Way To Use Up Overripe Berries

You see, once upon a moon ago, I was afraid to make jam. I imagined that it was a very complicated process and I would fail miserably, so I stayed away from it. But then one year, I found myself with a bumper crop of apples and decided to give it a go. The results were incredibly delicious and became my Apple Pie Jam. Although it’s far too sweet for my tastes now, the kids love to eat it on top of Greek Yogurt and I can’t blame them. It’s amazing!

Ever since then, I’ve been in love with making jam from scratch. There’s something really fun about taking blemished berries and turning them into something beautiful! This jam was exactly what I needed today and I’m so happy to share the recipe with all of you.

HOMEMADE WILD BERRY CHIA JAM

Ingredients

2 pints (2 pounds) strawberries
1, 4.4-ounce container of blueberries
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 cup turbinado sugar
1/4 cup chia seeds

Directions

Step 1: Wash, hull, de-stem, and chop up berries. Add to a deep-lipped saucepan.

Step 2: Add sugar and cook over medium heat until berries are soft, approximately 5 minutes. Note: If your child only likes smooth jam, carefully remove berries at this point and puree them in a blender.

Step 3: Carefully pour berry puree back into the pot. Add chia seeds and stir often until jam gets very thick, approximately 15 minutes. Remove jam from heat and allow to cool slightly.

Step 4: Divide jam into any kind of clean, sterilized, freezer-safe containers. When filling, make sure to leave ½-inch of room at the top for expansion upon freezing. Leave jam sitting out at room temperature until it cools down before putting it in the freezer – or refrigerator – if you plan on eating it asap.

Do you like to make homemade jam? Are you a fan of things made from scratch? Let us know about it in the comments below.

Happy jamming,