Blackberry Chia Seed Jam

File under: WTF Are Chia Seeds And How Do I Eat Them??

A couple of things before we get started here:

1. The book Born to Run by Christopher McDougall completely changed my life. It’s the story of the world’s best distance runners, the Mexican Tarahumara Indians, and I blame credit my final decision to become an endurance athlete to the inspiration & science of this book. The first few chapters are kind of slow, but once you get into the heart of the story, you won’t be able to put it down.

2. Born to Run gave me my first look at chia seeds, the ancient “superfood” used by the Tarahumara to sustain their energy over 100+ miles of running (100+ MILES, YOU GUYS). Since then, I’ve been researching and taste-testing chia seeds, and they’ve become a daily staple in my diet.

3. Super tiny, crunchy, and mild in flavor, chia seeds are easy to add to salads, oatmeal, peanut butter toast, etc., and a little goes a long way. With more omega-3 than salmon, more antioxidants than blueberries, more fiber than bran flakes, more iron than spinach, and plenty of other essential minerals such as potassium and magnesium, it’s no wonder people call it a superfood.

4. When eaten dry, chia seeds are crunchy and, well, seed-like, but when added to liquid, they absorb 9-12 times their volume and create a thick gel. These gelling properties are what allows us to make jam without the usual addition of pectin or other thickeners. Pretty cool, huh?

Blackberry Chia Seed Jam

Ingredients
2 cups fresh blackberries
1 1/2 tbsp chia seeds
1 tsp Stevia Powder (I’m building a diet free from added sugar, so I use Stevia, a natural sweetener, instead)

First, get out your blender or food processor (either one is fine), and add the berries. Then, pulse/blend in short bursts until combined, but not fully liquified, being careful because this will happen very quickly. Next, pour the blended fruit into a container, stir in the chia seeds and Stevia, cover the container with a lid, and let sit overnight in the fridge to thicken.

Uh, that’s it.

I KNOW RIGHT??

 

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