How about something super simple, delicious, and healthy to spread on your toast in the morning that uses ingredients you probably already have? Blueberry Chia Jam with Thyme checks all your boxes! A little sweet, a little tangy, and a little herby; plus no added sugar.
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Using frozen blueberries makes this recipe accessible any time of the year, and we love it for that. Plus it's really easy, and freezer friendly. No canning needed.
If you love making sugar free jam, be sure to check out our Sugar Free Strawberry Jam recipe, and pair either of these delicious jams with these Buckwheat Biscuits.
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How Is Blueberry Chia Jam Heart Healthy?
Blueberries are some of the healthiest fruits out there, and most readily available, so I started there. They're naturally sweet, so no sugar or other sweeteners needed here. The fact that we're using whole, unprocessed foods that are nutritional superstars themselves makes for a delicious, heart healthy spread!
Blueberries are high in phytochemicals, perhaps most notably, anthocyanin, which is responsible for the rich color of blueberries. Moderately consuming blueberries is known to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, as well as improving cardiovascular markers in people with heart disease (1, 2).
The chia seeds are used to thicken the jam without pectin. Chia seeds are also high in phytochemicals (as are most plants), and are notable for their omega-3, fiber, calcium, and iron content. They are similar in nutrition to flaxseed, and, similarly, their nutrition availability may also be improved by grinding (3, 4). This is one reason we are using ground chia seeds in our healthy blueberry jam (the other reason is simply textural).
Ingredients
Only four ingredients are needed for our sugar free blueberry jam!
- Frozen blueberries (fresh may also be used)
- Fresh thyme
- Lemon juice
- Ground chia seeds
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
You'll love how easy it is to make blueberry jam with frozen blueberries! Here's a step-by-step.
Add the frozen blueberries, lemon juice, and thyme to a small saucepan.
Heat over medium-low heat, and mash the blueberries as they thaw.
Continue to cook the mixture down, stirring and mashing, until the mixture simmers. Simmer for 3-5 minutes.
Remove from the heat, and take out the thyme sprigs with tongs.
Carefully pour the blueberry mixture into a blender.
Blend on high until the mixture is completely smooth.
Pour the blueberry puree into a bowl, and add the ground chia seeds.
Mix completely. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until chilled.
Hint: if you have one, use a smaller blender for this, or double the recipe. This makes it easier for your blender to handle.
Variations
Want to try something slightly different? Try these variations:
- Sauce - to make blueberry thyme sauce, simply leave out the chia seeds
- Simple jam - leave out the thyme for a simple blueberry chia jam
- Sweeter - we purposely made this a sugar free jam, but if it's not sweet enough for you, you can add 1-2 teaspoons of your sweetener of choice (Tip: only add enough to suit your taste and no more)
Equipment
You need a blender for this jam. We keep the fiber high in it by blending all the peels and seeds into the jam instead of straining them out. I like my Vitamix* for the job, but any you have will work fine.
You also need a masher of some kind to mash the blueberries. The back of a large spoon can work in a pinch. You probably want a masher like this potato masher*, that is flat with smaller openings to more easily mash the berries.
Otherwise, you aren't going to need anything other than a measuring cup and spoons to have a delightful homemade sugar free blueberry jam!
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Storage
Store the jam covered in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
This blueberry jam can also be frozen for up to 6 months.
Pro tip
Grind your chia seeds using a coffee grinder for best results. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge, as they can go rancid more easily when they are ground.
FAQ
Blueberries can have slightly different water contents, so if you find your jam isn't as thick as you'd like, add a little more ground chia, about ¼ - ½ teaspoon at a time, allowing an hour or two in between additions.
If you truly don't want to use chia, for whatever reason, you could use an apple. Apples are high in pectin, and will help thicken the jam naturally. Peel and core the apple, and dice it up. Add it to the pan with the frozen blueberries, and follow the recipe otherwise.
Related
Looking for other healthy spread recipes? Try these:
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📖 Recipe
Blueberry Chia Jam with Thyme
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups Frozen Blueberries
- 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
- 4 sprigs Fresh Thyme
- 1 tablespoon Ground Chia Seeds
Instructions
- Add blueberries, lemon juice, and thyme to a sauce pan, and cook over medium-low heat, mashing blueberries as they thaw.
- Simmer for 3-5 minutes, until blueberry juices are released, and the thyme is fragrant.
- Remove from heat, and remove the thyme sprigs from the blueberries, using tongs.
- Pour blueberry mixture into a blender, and blend on high speed until smooth.
- Pour into a bowl, and add the ground chia seeds. Mix well.
- Chill the jam. It will become a little thicker as it cools. Stir again before using.
Nutrition
*Nutrition information is an estimate, and will change based on the brand and individual ingredients and amounts you use. This is provided for your convenience only.
Food safety
Safety is our top priority in the kitchen! Always keep these tips in mind.
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands before touching food, and after touching raw meat, your hair, face, pets, etc.
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for longer than 2 hours (or 1 hour if the weather is hot)
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Liz Cipriano
It looks really great that you don’t have to have sugar when you’re not allowed sugar to have safe ingredients and recipes to make
Susan Field
Can this be processed in a water bath the same as you would a regular jam for preserving? Thank you.
Laura Yautz
Hi Susan! I am not knowledgeable enough about canning to be able to say for sure, but the recipe has not been tested for safety in canning, so I wouldn't recommend it. It can be frozen though, for longer storage. Hope this helps!