One of my favorite summer family trips is to go blueberry picking. We go early in the morning before the crowds. At that hour, the dew drops still hang on the plants and the birds sing to us. We pick a lot! We split the harvest and freeze half to dine in luxury in mid-winter. I know, it’s not seasonal then – but on top of waffles on a cold weekend – well, it’s splendid!
Jam can be such a topping-treat for toast, pancakes, waffles or yogurt. But why do we traditionally add so much sugar to jam? We have a solution to curb that craving – use fresh squeezed orange juice and vanilla instead! And the thickener for this one is chia seeds – a bonus that includes a bit of omega-3s and protein.
Recipe inspired by Amy Chaplin’s Whole Food Cooking Everyday – we adore this cookbook!
Blueberry Jam with a twist
Makes about 2-3 cups
- 4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
- ½ cup fresh squeezed orange juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Pinch of sea salt
- ¼ cup chia seeds
Bring berries, oj, vanilla and salt to a boil over high heat (watch that it doesn’t boil over like mine did – what a mess). Once boiled, cover and reduce heat to simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the chia seeds. Place in the refrigerator to thicken.
