Lemon Blueberry Chia Jam + South End Open Market

Happy May! I can’t believe how fast this year is flying – and my favorite season (summer) is upon us. It’s been so gloomy and cold in Boston lately, but with the start of our local outdoor market this past weekend, I’m beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

The South End Open Market is the highlight of my Sunday every weekend I’m in town from May-October. I love chatting with incredibly talented makers and learning about their stories, sampling the most amazing foods (hot sauces, candies and chocolates, the list goes on and on), and often leaving with something new. I always take my out-of-town visitors and highly recommend it to anyone visiting Boston! At the market, you can find food trucks with almost every cuisine you can imagine (two favorites of mine are Bon Me and Roxy’s Grilled Cheese!), a farmers market featuring stands with fresh and seasonal produce, meats and seafood, pasta, baked goods, honey, candies, hot sauces, beer, coffee, flowers, etc., handmade (and often one-of-a-kind) jewelry, art, clothing, candles, soaps, and other goods. The list goes on and on. It’s a fun experience and a great way to spend a Sunday morning or afternoon.

This past Sunday, I got to help out my talented friends over at Whipped Urban Cupcake Co. They make delicious mini cupcakes free of artificial colors and flavors. (Try the coffee! It’s my favorite!)

This past weekend, I also made the easiest, freshest tasting jam – lemon blueberry chia – which I’ve been eating every day this week. I’ve heard about chia jams (see this recipe from Apartment Therapy that was my inspiration), and honestly expected it to be an inferior healthier version of your traditional jam. It is so much better than I would have expected. Also, it’s significantly lower in added sugar than most jams you’d buy at the grocery store. Win, win. I am really looking forward to adapting this recipe and using other fruits.

So far, I’ve eaten it on french toast and regular toast, with yogurt and ice cream, and simply by the spoonful. It is seriously that good.

Lemony Blueberry Chia Jam

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

15 mins

 

This recipe is simple, easily altered to your liking (using whatever berries you prefer), and has significantly less added sugars than a traditional jam. Because it's low in sugar and made with chia, it won't last as long as a canned, preserved jam and should be eaten within 1-2 weeks (if it even lasts that long..) I've been told you can freeze it, but I haven't tried that yet.

Author: thyme & toast

Ingredients

• 2 cups blueberries (I used frozen wild blueberries)
• 2 TB chia seeds
• 1.5 TB honey
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• ½ tsp lemon zest

Instructions

1. Combine the blueberries and lemon zest in a saucepan over medium heat until it begins to bubble and becomes almost syrupy (~10 minutes). Lightly mash the blueberries with a spatula as it cooks.
2. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the chia seeds, honey, and lemon juice.
3. Let sit for ~5 minutes to cool and thicken. I prefer to let it cool in the fridge and continue to thicken for 30 minutes or so before eating.
4. Store in the fridge for up to 1-2 weeks.

Notes

I love the texture of chia seeds and don't find them to be too noticeable in this jam, but you can puree the jam in a blender or food processor for a more uniform texture if you prefer.

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