Strawberries make me feel like a kid for some reason. I remember my parents playing their Beatles records when I was young (yeah, records), all of the their songs from the square ‘Love Me Do’ to the tripped out ‘I Am the Walrus’ or ‘Strawberry Fields’ and of course all of John Lennon’s solo stuff. So maybe this is why when I eat strawberries I feel small and innocent and like the world might just be all right, like there’s nothing to ‘get hung about.’ How could you in a strawberry field?

Living is easy with eyes closed
Misunderstanding all you see
It’s getting hard to be someone
But it all works out
It doesn’t matter much to me

Let me take you down
Cause I’m going to Strawberry Fields
Nothing is real
And nothing to get hung about
Strawberry Fields forever

And how can you not feel like a kid when you eat jam? It’s sweet and gooey and makes just about anything taste better. You can mix in into yogurt or porridge, spread it on a sandwich with nut butter, eat it on buttered toast, top waffles with it, and on and on.

I’ve personally never made ‘real’ jam, although I admire folks who have. I don’t know how to ‘can and preserve’ and I’ve never used gelatin in my life. And, no, I’m not here to go all vegan on you about gelatin. I eat regular jam sometimes and don’t. even. flinch. (sorry to disappoint).

The truth is I’ve never been so in love with jam as I am now that I’ve made this chia variation. It’s got waaay less sugar – just a couple tablespoons of maple syrup. And the chia, oh the chia, the gelatinous-sticity (is that a word?) and tons of health benefits to boot. You just can’t go wrong with those little seeds! Saying goodbye to the gelatin feels pretty wise too (although I can’t promise I won’t cheat with other jams once in a while – you did see my previous note on my inconsistency right?).

The beauty of this recipe is in it’s simplicity.

Strawberry Chia Jam: 

This recipe makes a small jar of jam.

Ingredients:

• 1 box or bag (about 1 cup) of frozen organic (super important as strawberries are one of the worst when it comes to pesticide absorption) strawberries
• 2-3 Tbs of maple syrup
• 2 Tbs chia seeds

Directions:

1. Place frozen strawberries and maple syrup in a saucepan on a medium high heat.

2. Bring to a gentle boil and let cook for five minutes.

3. Mash the strawberries with a potato masher or fork until fairly smooth.

4. Add in chia seeds and reduce heat. Cook for 10 – 15 minutes or until you reach your desired constancy.

5. Let jam cool and then scoop into a air tight glass jar. Store in refrigerator up to a week.

Enjoy!