Hellobee

I don’t even want to know how much money I’ve spent on individual yogurts. They’re so convenient to throw in the kids’ lunches or for grab-and-go snacks, but wow they’re expensive. Also, it’s hard to find brands that check all my boxes: full fat, low sugar, organic, and, if we’re really lucky, made with grass-fed milk.

With a little advanced prep, though, I can make beautiful, delicious, and wholesome chia jams to layer with our favorite yogurt. I can pull them together on a Sunday, so they’re ready to fill out lunches or hurried morning breakfasts throughout the week.

The trio of recipes I’m sharing today – strawberry, peach, and blueberry – are endlessly adaptable, so feel free to use whatever fruit you prefer or have on hand. They’re especially convenient because I usually use frozen fruit, and this style of jam is super easy to make since the chia seeds give it the proper consistency.

Each recipe has its own special touch: orange for the strawberry, lemon for the peach, and balsamic for the blueberry. You can mix and match these add-ins, or add your own acidity, spices, or herbs to make the jams more interesting. Kids love flavor too! We also like trying different combinations of fruits, like peach with blackberry, mango with peach, or mixed berry.

Strawberry Chia Jam

2 cups (1 10-ounce bag) frozen strawberries
1 tablespoon honey
zest of half an orange
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 tablespoon chia seeds

Add the strawberries to a small pan over medium heat and cook until the strawberries begin to soften. Use a potato masher or the back of a large spoon or fork to smash the strawberries so they release their juices, and stir in the honey. Cook for about 5 minutes until the strawberry liquid reduces by about a third.

Pour the strawberry mixture into a blender or food processor and add the orange zest, orange juice, and chia seeds. Process until smooth. Move the mixture to the fridge for at least an hour to chill and allow the chia seeds to firm it to the consistency of jam.

Peach Chia Jam

2 cups (1 10-ounce bag) frozen peaches
1 tablespoon honey
zest of one lemon
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon chia seeds

Add the peaches to a small pan over medium heat and cook until they begin to soften. Use a potato masher or the back of a large spoon or fork to smash the peaches, and stir in the honey. Cook for about 5 minutes until the peach liquid reduces by about a third.

Pour the peach mixture into a blender or food processor and add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and chia seeds. Process until smooth. Move the mixture to the fridge for at least an hour to chill and allow the chia seeds to firm it to the consistency of jam.

Blueberry Chia Jam

2 cups (1 10-ounce bag) frozen blueberries
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 tablespoon chia seeds

Add the blueberries to a small pan over medium heat and cook until they begin to soften. Use a potato masher or the back of a large spoon or fork to smash the blueberries, and stir in the maple syrup. Cook for about 5 minutes until the blueberry liquid reduces by about a third.

Pour the blueberry mixture into a blender or food processor and add the vinegar and chia seeds. Process until smooth. Move the mixture to the fridge for at least an hour to chill and allow the chia seeds to firm it to the consistency of jam.

Each recipe makes about 1 cup of chia jam.

Layer with yogurt at your desired ratio.

It’s nice to know when life gets really crazy I can grab packaged yogurts from the store, but when I can plan ahead these yogurt parfaits are a great-tasting, healthy option that’s thankfully easier on my wallet.