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My kids like peanut butter and jelly. I’ve long been out of our freezer jam because of it. Apparently I need to stock up more this summer. I also don’t like how much sugar most brands use, especially since it is a staple in my children’s diet.
Of course it took too long to realize I should be trying to find an alternate recipe until summer fruit picking again! A lot of what I found online still contained too much sugar (personal preference) so I combined a few recipes and ended up with all the kids enjoying this concoction!! I used frozen cherries because they are sweet yet tart, a change to the normal flavors we eat, and I can buy them in bulk at Costco!
I like using real ingredients and simple recipes 🙂 The four ingredients I use are frozen cherries, lemon juice, chia seeds, and maple syrup- ironically all bought at Costco.
I use maple syrup, but feel free to use granulated sugar or even honey! As a family we watch our sugar intake because it causes inflammation and it’s hidden in so many foods, so feel free to add more sweetener if you like!
Cherry Chia Jam
Ingredients
- 1 cup frozen cherries
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
Instructions
- Add frozen cherries and lemon juice to small sauce pan and bring to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally.
- Continue with a gentle boil while stirring and smashing the cherries with the back of your spoon, until desired consistency. For a smoother consistency you may blend after cooling and before adding chia seeds if you wish.
- Remove from heat and let sit to cool for 5 minutes.
- Place in desired container, then mix in chia seeds and maple syrup. Mix thoroughly.
- Best refrigerated overnight, but can be eaten after 2 hours in the fridge. Taste test before eating, and add more maple syrup to your taste preference.