I woke up this morning and wanted to make chia jam. So, I did.

I didn’t have the patience to use a real recipe so I improvised. Traditional jam requires more cooking time, and I don’t know about you, but the last thing I want to do is wait when I wake up hungry.

This jam had a smoky flavor, not because I added bourbon (which I thought about doing), but because I burned the bottom of the pan (which I didn’t think about doing). It’s okay, though, because most of the jam was salvaged and still tasted delicious.

I used a mix of berries that I had in the fridge, but feel free to swap in ones that you have around the house.

Chia seeds are the magic ingredient: Once you add them and let the mixture sit for a few minutes, the jam thickens exponentially. It’s perfect for putting on oatmeal with a dollop of Greek yogurt and some maple syrup, or eating straight from the pan. I’d highly recommend both.
Here’s a song to jam out to (couldn’t resist).

Mixed Berry Chia Jam (from me, to you)

Ingredients

2 cups mixed berries (I used blackberries, blueberries and raspberries)
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp chia seeds

Directions

Heat the berries in a saucepan on medium heat until they start to break down and get syrupy, about 5-10 minutes. Mash the mixture with a potato masher until it’s slightly smooth but still lumpy. If you like smoother jam, just mash it longer.

Take the mixture off the heat and stir in the lemon juice and maple syrup. Then, stir in the chia seeds. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes until thickened.

Allow the jam to cool to room temperature before storing. It can be stored in an airtight container for a week. Use it for oatmeal, toast, yogurt…the options are endless. Enjoy!