Have you heard of chia seeds before? I am sure you have as they have become a health craze and been classified a superfood. Let me tell you some reasons why chia seeds are superfood and catching so much buzz in the health and fitness world.
Chia seeds (ounce per ounce) have:
- 100% more potassium than bananas
- 200% more iron than spinach
- 100% more fiber than bran flakes
- 500% more calcium than milk
- 700% more omega 3 than salmon
- 1400% more magnesium than broccoli
- 500% more protein than kidney beans
- 800% more phosphorus than whole milk
- more folate than asparagus
- more antioxidants than blueberries
If those facts don't scream superfood qualities, I don't know what does!
The best part of this little seed is everything you can do with it! Some of them include:
- Chia Eggs
- Adding them to smoothies
- Chia pudding (recipe coming later this week!)
- Homemade energy gel
- Use them for a thickener...
...Which leads me to today's recipe, Raspberry Chia Seed Jam! It is refined sugar free, easy to make, and the best part... DELICIOUS! If you aren't fond of raspberries, you can use any berry or grape you would prefer.
Raspberry Chia Seed Jam
(makes about 1 cup of jam)
Ingredients:
2 cups of frozen or non-frozen raspberries (preferably organic)
1/4 cup water
2 tbslp honey or maple syrup (3 tblsp if you want a sweeter jam)
2 tbslp chia seeds
Method:
1. If you are using frozen raspberries, allow them to defrost in the refrigerator first.
2. Add raspberries, water, and honey/maple syrup to a pot and bring to a boil.
3. While waiting for it to come to a boil, use a potato masher or fork to mash up the raspberries.
4. Once it is boiling, turn the heat down and simmer uncovered for 5-7 minutes, or until the mixture begins to thicken.
5. Once it starts to thicken, turn off the heat and stir in the chia seeds.
6. Allow the mixture to cool down for 10-15 minutes, pour into a mason or canning jar, and place in the refrigerator overnight.
The jam will last up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Will last a shorter amount of time if using organic ingredients!
Enjoy! xo
