One of the reasons why we love the weather getting warmer is the local, fresh fruit we can buy at farmers’ markets. One of the fruits that are in season here in Georgia are strawberries, you can even go pick your own at a strawberry farm (so fun!). We decided to take full advantage of the strawberry season and made a household staple, strawberry jam! While jam can be made with many different fruits we decided to use strawberries for the obvious reason of them being in season (so fresh and so good) and because they are loaded with health benefits.
One amazing benefit of making jam yourself is that you control just how much sugar is in there. By using fruit that is ripe and in season, you will not need to add much sugar at all. This recipe has only one tablespoon of honey so it will support your healthy journey.
Another health benefit to this jam is the fruit we chose, strawberries. Did you know that a single serving of strawberries has over 150% of your daily Vitamin C needs? So these should definitely be included in any immune support plan. Strawberries are high in fiber which helps stabilize blood sugar and are rich in potassium and magnesium, both of which help lower blood pressure.
We also added the superfood, chia seeds. They are packed with Omega-3 fatty acid and prove a great source of dietary fiber. You can read more about their benefits here.
The next time you want some jam or jelly, instead of buying it at the store take a few moments and make something your family will love and you will love feeding it to them. We even are packing up this delicious jam and sharing it with our moms this Mother’s Day! So if you are fresh out of ideas for a Mother’s Day gift, revert back to your childhood days and make her a handmade gift…Strawberry Jam!
Ingredients:
2 cups strawberries, chopped
1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 T honey (if vegan, use agave or maple syrup)
2 T chia seeds
Instructions:
1.) Place chopped strawberries in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until the fruit breaks down and becomes syrupy. Mashing the fruit as you go with a potato masher or back of a large fork.
2.) Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice and honey. This is where you want to taste it to see if you want to add more lemon juice or sweetener. Then once you have it the way you like, stir in the chia seeds.
3.) Let the jam sit for about 5 minutes to thicken. If you like your jam thicker, feel free to add more chia seeds about 1 teaspoon at a time until it is just how you want it. Enjoy!
This recipe will make about 1 1/2 – 2 cups of jam. Refrigerate to keep fresh.
