Crunchy Gooey Chia Jam ( Low in sugar, high in fiber )

Chia jam is versatile and well-rounded, packed with wholesome nutrients and the refreshing and delightful sweetness.

Green Smoothie with Chia Jam

Strangely, I never like jam when I was a child. Growing up in Chinese family, there is no PB&J or beans on toast on our breakfast table. When mom first bought a small jar of strawberry jam, I tasted it immediately and furrowed. Sticky, sickly sweet, and not a trace of strawberry. Feeling disappointed by this taste test, I never found the colourful jars on the spread aisle tempting.

However, when I was doing my regular grocery shopping at Sainsbury's, the brilliant "yellow stickers"(For non-UK readers: these are the indications of price reductions due to expiry date ) on two boxes of strawberries made my eyes become heart-shaped which just like the characters in Japanese cartoon ( if you don't understand). These juicy, bright and sweet little gems are my favorite fruits. Luckily, they were still fresh enough to be enjoyed, so I put them into my basket without hesitation.

As you might have imagined, I was not going to binge on strawberries for the rest of day. At the same time, my freezer was also full which means that there was no space for me to freeze any leftover strawberries. As I found my newly-bought chia seeds in the cupboard, a light bulb went off in my head, why not make chia jam?

Oatmeal with chia jam

The classical PB & J on toast

The use of chia seeds can be dates as early as 3500 B.C. by the Aztecs in Mexico. Smaller than sesame seeds and lighter in color, these little seeds are from the beautiful flowering plants Chia which literally means "oily" for Aztecs. Chia seeds is rich in plant-based Omega-3 fatty acid (ALA), as well as containing plentiful vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin B1, B3 and calcium. These little seeds are powerful in absorbing water (hydrophilic), making them form the gel-like consistency when soaking in water. Additionally, chia seeds contain around 19% protein which are all essential amino acids for humans, and the protein from chia seeds also have surpassingly high digestibility which is similar to casein ( Sandoval-Oliveros,2013). The generous amount of antioxidants and ideal ratio of ω-3 to ω-6 make these little seeds become the star of "superfood", as well as contributing to chia seeds' potential in being anti-cholesterolemic (lower cholesterol), antihypertensive (lower blood pressure) and hypoglycemic (lower blood sugar).

Obviously, not anyone want to Google a whole list of benefits of chia seeds beforehand, but simply speaking, it is the perfect ingredient for making jam! This recipe features the crunchiness of chia seeds, the sweetness of strawberries, and the abundance of wholesome nutrients. It is easy to make, quick to prepare and delicious to taste. The jam is perfect on your toast, porridge and smoothie bowl, giving your an energy-boosting breakfast, and the jam also looks very pleasant to eyes!

Recipe: Crunchy Gooey Chia Jam (Makes a small jar)

Ingredients:

• 200 g of strawberry ( or frozen mixed berries)

• 18 g of chia seeds ( 1tbsp + 1tsp)

• 15 g of carob syrup (add more if your berries are not sweet enough or swap with any other liquid sweetener)

• a splash of lemon juice

Methods:

• Chop strawberries into small pieces and add to a sauce pan together with chia seeds

• Add syrup and heat the pan on a medium heat

• Using a spoon and a fork for smashing the berries into puree

• Constantly stir the mixture until there is a gel-like consistency (it should be taking less than 10 minutes!)

• Put into a jar and refrigerate for around 15 minutes (this helps to form the gooey texture)

• Enjoy !