Carbohydrates per 30g serve: approx 2g

This No-Cook Strawberry Chia Jam is not quite like the traditional jam you’re used to. Traditional jam uses a huge amount of sugar for both sweetness and for setting and consistency. This recipe skips the added sugar entirely and instead uses a small amount of sweetener and chia seeds. The berries are also not cooked so the flavour and the colour is a bit different. You’ll probably find the flavour is more like fresh strawberries and the colour is brighter and pinker. 

However, those differences are what makes this strawberry chia jam so great. It’s also really easy and quick to make, especially compared to regular jam which you cook on the stove for a long time. Chia seeds are high in protein which means this version has a much higher nutritional value, plus it’s more filling. 

Why Chia Seeds?

When mixed with liquid chia seeds expand and become sort of gelatinous. This means the liquid they are in thickens. How thick depends on the amount of chia seeds you use, and it’s pretty easy to get that consistency to a jam-like one. 

Using chia seeds to get the right consistency means you don’t need sugar for it, so the need for lots and lots of added sugar is omitted, and the jam is much healthier. 

What other Ingredients do I need?

You will of course need the strawberries themselves, you can’t have a strawberry jam without strawberries! I used 2 cups of frozen strawberries. Frozen berries release a decent amount of water when they start to defrost which helps with getting this jam the right consistency and with blending them up. You could use fresh strawberries but you will likely need more water, I’d suggest adding around 1 tsp at a time until the berries are easy to blend and they’re the consistency you want.

Regardless of whether you are using frozen or fresh berries you will need a small amount of water to help the berries blend up. As mentioned above this amount will increase if you are using fresh.

Lastly, you can add some sweetener. I like using liquid in a jam which isn’t being cooked so you don’t get any granules in the finished product. I used Sugromax Liquid Concentrated Sweetener. You only need a small amount, feel free to adjust to your liking, or if you’re not a big sweet tooth you can leave it out altogether. 

How do I make strawberry chia jam?

Step One – If you are using frozen berries, add them to a blender then leave them to sit for around 15-20 mins. This will allow the berries to defrost slightly, making them easier to blend. If you are using fresh berries just add them to a blender and move onto the next step.

Step Two – Add the water and sweetener and blend until you have a fairly smooth consistency with little lumps and whole strawberry pieces. Note: If using fresh strawberries you may need more water than what the recipe calls for.

Step Three – Add the chia seeds then blend again until they are fully combined.

Step Four – Pour or spoon the jam into a sterilised jar. 

Step Five – Store in the fridge and eat within one week. 

It will thicken a little bit more once it’s in the fridge. 

How can I use this jam?

Just like you would any traditional jam – on toast, on my sugar-free breakfast cereal, or your fave muesli or granola, spooned over yoghurt or ice-cream, there are no boundaries!

Can I use Other Types of Berries?

Yes! This recipe will also work well with boysenberries, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries or even a combination of these. 

What Kitchen Tools do I need to make No-Cook Strawberry Chia Jam?

A blender (I used my NutriBullet)

Measuring Spoons

Measuring Cups

A Jar (to fit about 1 and ½ cups jam)

This recipe will make about 1 and ½ cups of jam and will last in the fridge for about 1 week. Per 30g serve there are approximately 2g of carbohydrates.