Easy Blueberry Chia Jam

Got fresh summertime blueberries? Then you are all set to make your very own easy blueberry chia jam!   That’s right…chia seeds are the secret!

When fresh blueberry season rolls around, the first thing I do is eat a whole lot of blueberries by the handful, to make up for the fact that I’ve gone a whole nine or ten months without it being fresh blueberry season.  And the second thing I do is start tossing blueberries into everything I can think of.  Snack cake.  Cobbler.  Crisps.  Don’t even get me started on the wonder that is Blueberry Boy Bait.  And one of the most magical things you can do with blueberries is introduce them to chia seeds and make your own jam.

No sterilizing of jars, no scary canning stuff – just sweet, thick, ready in a jiffy, easy blueberry chia seed jam.  You NEED this in your summer.  Let’s make it!First of all, if you are like me up until a couple of years ago, you are saying to yourself, what’s a chia seed?  The first thing that sprang to MY mind when I first heard about them were those Chia Pets that you used to see ads for on late night TV (yes, they are still around) and yes, those actually involve chia seeds.  Chia seeds are actually part of the mint family, and they turn into a kind of jelly when you combine them with liquid.

They are All Kinds Of Healthy, and I became the proud owner of my own chia seeds after I started eating them in smoothies when I was Power Souping a while back.  You can definitely get them at any kind of health food store, and my local supermarket is now carrying them in bulk.  I buy a few cups at a time and store them (of course) in one of my trusty mason jars.

I am constantly tossing a handful of chia seeds into things like soups and stews to both thicken them up and to give them a little extra protein and fiber.  But my hands down favorite magical thing to do with chia seeds is to make jam.

So! Get yourself a few cups of these beauties…

And toss them into a saucepan with some lemon juice and zest, a little vanilla, and your sweetener of choice.  I find that maple syrup works perfectly here, but that might be the Vermont in me talking.  Bring it all to a simmer until the blueberries start to break down, and then help them along by smooshing them with a spoon or a potato masher.  Simmer them for about 10 more minutes until the juice reduces a little.

Now for the chia!  Pour it in, let the jam simmer for a few more minutes, and then take it off the heat and let it cool.  As the jam cools, the chia will do its magic by turning your soupy blueberry mixture into beautiful, shimmering jam.

I recommend immediately slathering it to a peanut butter sandwich or one of my mama’s freshly baked scones, and if you have any left it will keep in the fridge for a week or two. In a mason jar.

I’ll be back in a few days to show you another wonderful thing you can do with your easy blueberry chia jam, but in the meantime…happy blueberry summer!

 

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