Chia Jam

Raw vegan chia jam

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of chia seeds 

• 2 cups of berries (fresh or frozen)

• Small amount of coconut nectar or coconut sugar (optional - only add if you like sweeter jams)

• Splash of water (or juice if you're feeling fancy)

Method:

• In a blender, combine the chia seeds and berries and blend until it's your desired consistency 

• Add in your sweetener (optional) and splash of water or juice and blend again 

• Scoop out into a jar and store in the fridge overnight. This ensures the chia seeds soak up the liquid and become a jam like consistency

• Enjoy on your breakfast, on smoothies, on biscuits/bread, whatever you usually put jam on! This is a much healthier alternative to regular jam that is laden with preservatives, artificial colours and flavours, refined sugars and many more nasties. The chia jam will store for a few weeks in the fridge, that is, if you don't eat it already! 

Benefits:

One 28g serve of chia seeds has approximately 11g of dietary fibre, which is about a third of the daily recommended intake for adults. Fibre plays a crucial role in digestive health. They're also packed full of omega-3 fatty acids which are important for brain health. Chia seeds have 18% of the recommended daily intake for calcium, so they are perfect for vegans that struggle to eat enough calcium. Calcium is needed for bone health. Chia seeds also contain manganese, phosphorus, and protein. 

Berries are rich in antioxidants which protect the body by neutralizing free radicals and unstable oxygen molecules, which can damage cells and are a major source of disease and aging. Antioxidants are great for your skin and body so I recommend eating berries daily. 

Amy.