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Alex Caspero is a Registered Dietitian, New York Times Bestselling Plant-Based Chef and mom of two. She aims to cut through the nutrition noise by providing real-life, nourishing tips for body and mind. Learn more about Alex.
Raspberry Chia Jam made with frozen berries! This no-sugar jam takes less than 10 minutes to make and tastes amazing!
Frozen raspberry chia jam! If you like raspberry jam (yes!) but want to have a lower-sugar option (of course) and also want it to taste delicious (duh!) then this is the recipe for you.
I’ve now introduced TWO money-saving, life-changing DIY recipes this week. That’s right friends– my homemade oat milk recipe for those of you like me who love oat milk in their morning bowl of cereal but do not want to spend $5 on a carton.
And, for those of you like me who also love the idea of making jam without sugar but don’t have the time (or patience) to whip up homemade jam on the regular. I present to you: frozen berry chia jam. Chia seeds act as a binding agent like pectin in regular jam and take just minutes to prep for a fresh, homemade jam that lasts all week.
I’m a mom now! Quick, easy food is all I know.
I did not alter the color! That’s really how it looks. Amazing, right?
I recommend using frozen berries because they are typically much cheaper than fresh berries and as the texture doesn’t matter, it’s likely not worth the extra expense. Contrary to some belief, frozen berries have the same, or often higher, levels of nutrients like antioxidants as fresh berries. This is become frozen fruits (and veggies) are frozen at the apex of ripeness, which is also when nutrient concentration is at its peak. Nutrient density decreases with less and over ripe fruit.
We always have chia seeds in my fridge to add to smoothies, waffles, yogurt bowls and more. As predominantly plant-based eaters, I try to incorporate a serving of omega-3 fatty acid rich seeds like chia, flax or hemp daily. (Head here to learn more about omega-3 fatty acids for plant-based diets).
If you are new to making jam from chia seeds, the chia seeds expand in liquid– in this case, a mix of mashed frozen berries and orange juice, to create a gel that haas the same viscosity as raspberry jam!
For this simple chia jam, you’ll need just a handful of ingredients:
This raspberry jam is so easy to make, no heating required! You don’t necessarily even need a blender, but I think it helps to break down the thawed from frozen raspberries quickly. As an alternative, you can use a potato masher to mash the berries before adding in the other ingredients.
I recommend thawing your berries overnight in the fridge before using. If you want to make this now and don’t have frozen berries, then I recommend either simmering them for a few minutes in a small saucepan on the stove to warm through slightly, or microwave until thawed. While you can use frozen berries without thawing, you’ll need to give them some extra time in the blender to break down.
Add the raspberries to a blender or food processor and pulse a few times to break up. I like my jam to be fairly chunky, so I leave lots of whole berry pieces in. If you want a smoother raspberry chia jam, then pulse it more to break up the berries.
Add to a bowl along with the orange juice, chia seeds, vanilla and stir to combine. I find that this raspberry jam recipe is perfectly sweet with just the orange juice, but feel free to add in maple syrup if you prefer a sweeter jam.
Place in the fridge for 15 minutes to just set, then stir and place back in the fridge for 2-3 hours, or until gelled. The consistency should be similar to traditional jam– not too runny and not too thick. That’s it! Enjoy on everything.
Raspberries are my go-to pick because I love the color (and raspberries contain an additional 8g of fiber per cup) but any fruit will do. Strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, peaches and mango will all work following the same directions.
Orange juice is chosen both as an acid and also for gentle sweetness without using any refined sugars. I don’t recommend subbing in another tart acid, like lemon juice or lime juice, but other fruit juice like apple or mango will work.
If you haven’t made chia jam before, you are going to be blown away with how easy, simple and delicious it is to put together. Can’t wait to hear what you think of this one!
This chia seed jam will keep for about a week in the fridge. However, you can freeze any leftovers! To do this, I recommend freezing the finished jam in silicone ice cube trays, then popping out a square (or two) as needed to defrost.
I’ve been making a batch of this almost weekly to spread onto toast or waffles. Sometimes I’ll make it extra thick and give it to Vander like a pudding! Or, stir it into oatmeal or yogurt for him as a snack– he loves it and I love giving it to him. Chia seeds are a nutritional powerhouse, with 10g fiber, 5g protein and 180mg of calcium per ounce.
Raspberry Chia Jam made with frozen berries! This no-sugar jam takes less than 10 minutes to make and tastes amazing! Only 30 calories, 1g protein and 2.5g fiber in 2 tablespoons! No Sugar Added!
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(4 comments) leave a comment
How long will this keep in the fridge? Can you freeze it once its made and then just thaw what you need? Thank you!
It will keep about 7 days in the fridge; you can easily 1/2 or 1/4 the recipe and I don’t know if you can freeze it as I haven’t tried that yet.
My daughter has a possible citrus issue. Is there anything one could use in place of OJ?
Hi Rosey- yes, just skip it. The OJ makes it sweet and allows the berries to blend easier. If you need your berries a little thinner (depending on the power of your blender) then add a little water. You may need to add some maple syrup if it’s not sweet enough.