I don’t know if I will ever get over the fact that prior to like 3 years ago, my only experience with chia seeds were those funny chia pets from when we were kids. Cha-cha-cha-CHIA! People really didn’t have a clue they were amidst such a super food!

Not only are chia seeds loaded with amazing nutrients, they are also so versatile. I like added them to homemade granolas, smoothies, you can make pudding with them and yes, you can even make simple homemade jams simply by adding chia seeds.

This amazing Blueberry Rosemary Chia Seed Jam is full of so much flavor, it’s thick and flavorful and literally you have homemade jam in less than 25 minutes, and the bonus is that it’s loaded with amazing health benefits, too! Chia seeds have a high density of omega-3 fatty acids, they are high in protein, they are full of antioxidants and minerals, like calcium (surprisingly up to 3 times more than a serving of milk), and they are naturally anti-inflammatory.

So get some of the end-of-the-season blueberries, or whatever berries you’d like and make this simple and delicious chia seed jam.

This recipe was originally shared on the Free People BLDG 25 blog as part of my ongoing series.

[print_this]Blueberry Rosemary Chia Seed Jam

Makes about 2 cups of jam

• 4 cups fresh organic blueberries, about 1 1/2 lbs
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 3-4 tbsp local honey or pure maple syrup, to taste (or other liquid sweetener)
• 1/4 cup chia seeds

In a medium-sized pot, bring the blueberries, rosemary and 3 tbsp of honey or maple syrup to a slow boil, stirring often. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low-medium to simmer for about 5 minutes. With a potato masher, a fork, or the back of a wooden spoon, lightly mash the blueberries – I like to leave some whole for a nice varied texture.

Add the chia seeds, stirring until thoroughly combined, and simmer the mixture until it thickens down to your desired consistency, about 15 minutes. Stir often so it doesn’t stick to the pot.

Once the jam is thick, remove from heat. You can add more sweetener to taste, if desired. Let cool.

Enjoy on your favorite gluten-free toast, English muffins, on top of oatmeal, breakfast bars, tarts, smoothies, and more.

The jam should keep for up to 2 weeks in an air-tight container in the fridge.

NOTES:

You can use frozen blueberries as well.

Try a mix of your favorite berries and play with different herbs.

This jam can be frozen in an air-tight container.

[/print_this]