Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

Last year, I went a little rhubarb crazy. There were drinks, there were cakes, there may have been ice cream, and at some point there was pie. Now this year, we've also established my recent fascination with chia seeds and the two passions combined to make this jam.

Initially, I was going to make some raspberry chia jam and then, there I was. Standing in the grocery store produce section staring at rhubarb. And I wondered "would rhubarb and raspberry taste good?" but prophetically, strawberries were to the right. So we got some strawberries and some rhubarb and some raspberries (for snacking).

Jam to me falls into the category of canning and sterilizing jars and boiling things but this recipe (again, adapted from Oh She Glows), requires none of that. Well, there is some boiling. The strawberries and rhubarb(s) are piled into a saucepan and heated until it breaks down. You can also add some maple syrup for sweetness, it depends on how tart the strawberries are (and how tart you like your jams).

Once the fruit is a little mushy, you can use a potato masher (or a fork if you really can't find the masher like me) and squish it to the consistency you want. You could also use an immersion blender. Add the chia seeds and stir to combine. Let everything simmer for 5 more minutes before jarring and refrigerating.

I eat this on plain yogurt and in oatmeal but it would be great on toast. Alas, I have no toaster and no counter space for one. But waffles or pancakes....would be divine.

Recipe

• 3 cups of assorted fruits (I did 50/50 rhubarb and strawberries but you could do mixed berries or blueberries or raspberries or black berries...)
• 2 Tablespoons chia seeds
• 2-4 Tablespoons maple syrup (to taste, depends on your preference)

1. Chop up your fruit and add to a medium saucepan with syrup over medium heat.
2. Cook the fruit for 10-15 minutes or until it has softened. The water and juices in the fruit will seep out and begin to boil.
3. Use a fork or masher to smoosh (technical term) the fruit to desired consistency.
4. Stir in the chia seeds. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes longer.
5. Pour jam into a container and refrigerate until cooled.
6. Add to your desired delicacy and enjoy. 

Chia Pudding

Chia is one of those food buzzwords that has me raising just one eyebrow in a quizzical manner. Seems like a fad to me! But I was enticed by a pudding at a cafe recently that looked remarkably like tapioca but was actually chia.

Investigations were made. Pudding was bought. Twice. But on separate occasions. It took me awhile to find chia at the grocery store because it was in the earthy natural food aisle that is seldom frequented by yours truly. This might change. (Side note, does anyone else think the milk bubbles in this picture are smiling? I see a face).

Like quinoa, a little bit of chia goes a long way. So while I initially balked at the $8 a bag price tag, I think it will last awhile and will certainly be better than purchasing at that little cafe. Plus, I can add all kinds of tasty things to this (and try more recipes).

We can add this to that chocolate smoothie I've been testing or make a pudding or put on salad, the options are pretty endless. For the first round, I kept it simple and made the chia (is that the proper verb, 'made' chia?) with almond milk.

Does anyone else just think of chia pets whenever I say chia? No? Just me? Okay (ch-ch-ch-chia!). The chia and milk are whisked together with a little vanilla. You can also add some maple syrup or agave syrup for sweetness but I like it plain. Although this should set in a couple hours, I found that the chia actually sinks to the bottom of the bowl so I had to re-whisk everything to break up the gelatinous mass of chia at the bottom. Once that was done though, I got a nice even pudding consistency.

Voila! Health in a bowl. The package even advertises that it's the superfood of the Aztecs! They were wrong about that whole 2012 thing but may have been onto something with chia.

Recipe

• 3 Tablespoons of chia
• 1 cup of non-dairy milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• Agave syrup or maple syrup to taste (optional)

1. Whisk the ingredients together.
2. Cover and refrigerate overnight. If you want to eat the pudding the next day, check to see how everything is congealing. 
3. If the chia has sunk to the bottom and formed a jelly mass at the bottom (very technical term), use a whisk to break it apart and mix more with the milk.
4. Serve with fruit or jam and enjoy!