Blueberry Chia Jam

Blogging Marathon# 55: Week 3/ Day 3

Theme: Kid's Delight -- Healthy Breakfasts

Dish: Blueberry Chia Jam

Bread and jam is such an universally accepted and appealing breakfast. I guess this is the most easiest and the most convenient to have on a busy morning. Add a nut butter like peanut or cashew or almond butter to that toast and you have yourself a filling and delicious breakfast that keeps you going till lunch time.

For today's 'Kid friendly Healthy Breakfast', I made an easy and nutritious Blueberry Chia jam. I bought chia seeds on a whim from Trader Joe's, but I haven't used it much yet except in smoothies.
Chia is the Mayan word for strength and these seeds are revered by ancient civilizations throughout Central America. They are packed with digestible plant proteins and high in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and dietary fiber. They have a unique ability to absorb anout 10 times their weight in water. The resulting gel can be used as an egg substitute in baked goods as well as a thickener for puddings and jams etc.

This jam recipe is from Vegetarian Times magazine. Adding the chia seeds makes the jam thick and glossy. Jam is sweetened with maple syrup and little goes a long way in this recipe. It is super simple to make and needs about 20~25 minutes hands-on time. It stays fresh in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

My kids and I have been eating this jam with just about everything -- bread, roti, over cereal and so on. Swirl it into yogurt and it makes an excellent breakfast or an afternoon snack.
Sending this over to Healthy Breakfasts for Kids event hosted by lovely Lavina. Kid's Delight is the brain child of our lovely organizer Valli.

Recipe adapted from Vegetarian Times:
Ingredients: Makes about 1¼cups

Fresh Blueberries - 2½cups
Pure Maple Syrup - 1tbsp, plus more for taste
Vanilla Bean - 1, seeds scraped and pod reserved
Chia Seeds - 4tsp

Method:

• In a small saucepan, combine blueberries, maple syrup, vanilla bean seeds and pod. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 7~10 minutes or until the berries burst and the mixture is juicy. Remove from the heat.
• Stir in the chia seeds into the blueberry mixture, making sure to distribute the seeds evenly and not clump them together. Pour mixture into a wide mouthed jar or bowl.
• Stir the mixture once it has stopped steaming, you will notice that the jam starts to thicken by this time. Let the mixture cool completely. Taste and add more maple syrup, if desired and remove the vanilla bean. I added about 2~3tbsp more maple syrup.
• Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

 

Lets check out what my fellow marathoners have cooked today for BM# 55.