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Strawberry & Vanilla Chia Seed Jam Recipe

An easy, low sugar and low calorie chia seed strawberry jam. Only 20 calories for 2 generous tablespoons of jam. Comes with free printable recipe.

Strawberry & Vanilla Chia Seed Jam



Chia Seed Jam


Have you heard of chia seed jam? I'm sure you have, it's been popular for a couple of years now, but have you made any?

I've been meaning to try some of this simple strawberry jam for such a long time.

I used to make a lot of different traditional jams. Strawberry and peach jam, Scottish raspberry jam, caramelised nectarine and apricot jam, which is a personal favourite and mango and orange peel jam to name a few.

Traditional Jam vs Chia Seed Jam


The trouble with traditional jam is that it has a lot of sugar. That doesn't trouble me too much because we don't eat a huge amount of jam, but I think the sugar can sometimes overpower the flavour of the fruit a bit. Have you noticed that?

Actually now I think about it Cooper does eat quite a lot of jam. Graham and I, not so much.

Chia seed jam has a lot less sugar and tastes much more fruity.


also try - Mini Strawberry Cheesecakes (vegetarian and vegan recipes)


Fresh Scottish strawberries in a colander

Scottish berries


I made this jam with the best of Scottish strawberries from M&S.

Scottish strawberries are always good, but they've been particularly good this year.

Although I'm finding the supermarket strawberries are spoiling too quickly and have to be eaten the day I buy them. so I've been buying strawberries from Marks and Spencer instead. 


If you want to use frozen berries to make jam, try my mixed berry jam.

M&S Fruit


The M&S strawberries are always delicious and they seem to have a longer shelf life. They've obviously not spent as long in storage as the supermarket berries. 

In fact year round I buy most of my fruit from M&S. Apples and bananas are fine from the supermarket, but I found the berries don't last long and the pears, peaches and nectarines are hard, hard, hard, then mush.

So I switched to buying the ripe and ready to eat fruit from M&S. I waste less and it always tastes great.


strawberries in a pot for making jam

Making Chia Seed Jam


You start making this jam the same as any traditional jam with some prepared fruit, but instead of pouring in lots of sugar, you just add 2-3 tbsp of maple syrup (some people use honey or agave nectar, it's your choice) and a little vanilla extract.

Next you heat the strawberries over a medium heat. After about 10 minutes, give the strawberries a mash with a potato masher. You can mash the strawberries completely or leave pieces of strawberry in the jam. It's a personal taste.

I let it bubble away for a few more minutes, then I took it off the heat and stirred in the chia seeds. 

Chia Seeds


close up shot of chia seeds


The chia seeds thicken up the jam as it cools, although you are still left with a soft set jam, which is my favourite anyway.

As well as thickening the jam, chia seeds are high in Omega 3 (more than salmon, which is good news for us veggies), they are a good source of fibre, protein, calcium, manganese and magnesium. They also contains some zinc, Vitamin B1, 2 and 3.



also try - Oreo Chia Seed Shake (vegan)



Sterilising jam jars



clean jam jar.




I sterilise my jam jars and jam funnel in the dishwasher. I time the dishwasher to finish when my jam will be ready, so I'm taking them out while hot.

You just have to be careful not to touch inside the jam jar or inside the lids or funnel, so they will remain sterile.

If you don't have a dishwasher you can sterilise the jam jars the traditional way in the oven.


Homemade Strawberry & Vanilla Chia Seed Jam on Scones


Fruit scones


I didn't wait until it was ready to use, I was so impatient. Cooper and I had it on some scones (rhymes with gone in case you aren't sure) and it was so, so fruity. Just gorgeous!

We had the jam on M&S fruit scones, I picked up when I was buying my berries, but my vegan readers can try my homemade buttery vegan scones, which would be divine with this jam.


Homemade Strawberry & Vanilla Chia Seed Jam on yoghurt

Strawberry jam on yoghurt


Cooper also tried some jam with yoghurt. That boy loves yoghurt! 

As you can see he wasn't keen to wait and asked if he could eat it as he'd been waiting. I'm always up for a hand shot, so I let him tuck in!

A dollop of this jam would also be good on homemade rice pudding. That was the way my mum always served me her rice pudding as a child, with a dollop of jam for sweetness. Yummy!




also try - Gently Spiced Rice Pudding (vegan)




Three ripe, plump strawberries

Nutrition and calories in a portion (2 tbsp) of strawberry chia seed jam - 20 calories

jam, strawberry jam, homemade jam,homemade strawberry jam, chia seed jam, strawberry chia jam, low calorie jam, low sugar jam, easy jam recipe, easy strawberry jam recipe, strawberry preserve, strawberry conserve
snack
American, British, vegan, vegetarian
Yield: 2 jars of jam
Strawberry & Vanilla Chia Seed Jam in a bowl

Strawberry & Vanilla Chia Seed Jam

A super fruity low calorie strawberry jam made with fresh strawberries, chia seeds and a little maple syrup.
prep time: 10 minscook time: 15 minstotal time: 25 mins

ingredients


  • 500g/2 punnets/18 oz  fresh ripe strawberries
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup
  • a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp chia seeds

instructions


  1. Wash, hull and slice the strawberries, then add them to a medium to large pan.
  2. Add the maple syrup, a squeeze of lemon juice and the vanilla extract.
  3. Cook on a medium heat until it comes to the boil. About 10 minutes, then, mash the strawberries with a potato masher and leave to cook for another few minutes.
  4. Take off the heat, then stir in the chia seeds.
  5. Pour into sterilised jars using a jam funnel, all the way to the brim, then add the lid and secure tightly.
  6. Leave the jam jars out until it cools, then pop it in the fridge. The chia seeds will thicken the jam as it cool, but it is a soft-set jam.
  7. This jam can be kept in the fridge and used for a week after it has been opened.
  8. Enjoy!

NOTES:

Calories are for a generous 2 tbsp portion of this jam.
calories
20
fat (grams)
0.4
sat. fat (grams)
0.1
carbs (grams)
3.8
protein (grams)
0.4
sugar (grams)
2.6
Created using The Recipes Generator


Try this next


summer fruit jam


Summer Fruit Jam


This is such a quick and easy jam to make and it can be made out of season too. Just substitute the fresh fruit with frozen. It has a fabulous flavour either way!



Disclosure: I created this recipe to highlight M&S berries. I was not expected to write a positive review and any opinions expressed are my own.

20 comments

  1. How great is chia seed jam! I always find it tastes much lighter and fresher than traditional jam.

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  2. Oh, wow - I haven't done chia jam in dog's years - I did it once when it was the hot new thing, but promptly forgot all about it. That's the dumb thing about trends - something can be quite good but too easily set aside for the next big thing. If you don't mind soft set, this is indeed a great jam. I've been experimenting with agar seaweed for a firm jelly, and it's quite workable!

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    Replies
    1. I just never got around to making it when everyone was raving about it Tanita. Not tried agar yet either. You are once again ahead of me.

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  3. I love homemade jams and this one really looks fabulous. I would love to be spreading this on an English muffin for breakfast right now!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks and yes it would be good on an English muffin.

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  4. This looks delicious. Definitely giving this a try, strawberry jam is my favorite!

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    1. It's a favourite in my house. All my boys want to eat is strawberry jam. Sometimes I want another flavour too.

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  5. I've never made this but now I definitely want to try! It looks so good!

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    Replies
    1. You should try it Dana,it's easy to make and so fruity!

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  6. Such a delicious and healthy jam - love that this is chock full of chia as the thickening agent!

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    Replies
    1. I know and it works so well. I've only used it as a seed up until now and not a thickening agent.

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  7. Ooh I have been wanting to make strawberry jam and I love that yours is sweetened with maple syrup! Thank you so much for the inspiration!

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    Replies
    1. That's no problem Meredith and now is definitely the time to make it, while strawberries are in season.

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  8. I've not tried chia seeds in jam. I'm thinking with strawberries they'd work pretty well as the texture of strawberry seeds is already giving the jam some variation, and the chia adds to that?

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    Replies
    1. No, the seeds go soft, so you don't get a crunch in it or anything like that. They are gelatinous when soaked in liquid.

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  9. I've been meaning to make chia jam for so long! I have an enormous bag of chia seeds in my cupboard so might actually do it this weekend :) Looks yum.

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    Replies
    1. I was the same. Yes, do try it, it's a lovely soft set fruity jam.

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  10. Oh this looks amazing! Adding chia seeds sounds so interesting. I will have to try it. Thank you

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  11. Now that's a jam of a different flavor! Can't wait to spread it over toast.

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