Pomegranate Chia Jam (Or Use Any Fruit You Like)

At my workshops, where I teach people how to make easy, protein-rich food, I like to set out a little table of tasty vegan snacks. Nobody should have to starve while we wait for the food to be ready.

What's on the snack table?

Fresh vegetables, freshly baked buckwheat bread that I make myself, and a whole assortment of homemade spreads.

For my next workshop this Friday morning, I think I'll bring this pomegranate chia jam along, too.

It's a jam with plenty of chia seeds and very little added sugar.

This time I made it with fresh pomegranates, but you can use any fruit you like, fresh or frozen. The supermarket had just gotten a huge shipment of pomegranates. How was I supposed to leave without a kilo or two (about 2–4 pounds)?!

I like to make this jam ahead and keep it in a jar in the fridge. In the morning, I add a spoonful to my granola or spread a thin layer on bread before heading to the office. Which is in my house. Best commute ever.

Unlike traditional store-bought or homemade jams, this one uses very little added sugar, and the whole process is quick and simple.

So What Makes the Jam Set Without All That Sugar?

Aha!

Chia! My love.

When chia seeds soak in liquid, they form a thick, sticky gel. That's what I use to thicken this jam instead of relying on sugar. Pretty good trick, right?

I also think it's a great way to enjoy chia seeds a little differently, without getting them stuck in your teeth. – Try heading into a meeting after a bowl of oatmeal with chia seeds. Awkward!

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How do you eat it?

A spoonful of this jam makes a lovely, relatively low-calorie topping for bread, oatmeal, or yogurt when you're craving something sweet.

The fiber in both the chia seeds and the pomegranate seeds can help keep you feeling full longer.

Chia seeds also provide a nice amount of omega-3 fatty acids, and pomegranates are full of wonderful antioxidants.

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Nutrition information provided by Noam Bachar (an Israeli fitness trainer and nutritionist):

One spoonful of jam weighing 30 g (about 1 oz) contains:

40 calories

8 g carbohydrates

1 g protein

1 g fat

Chia Jam

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes

Total Time 14 minutes

Yield 10 servings

Ingredients

• 280 g (10 oz) pomegranate seeds from two medium pomegranates, or the same weight of your favorite very ripe fruit, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• 2 tablespoons silan (date syrup)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Combine the pomegranate seeds, silan, lemon juice, and vanilla extract in a small saucepan. Stir well and bring to a gentle boil over low heat.
2. Continue cooking for about 5–8 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat, add the chia seeds, and stir well.
4. If you like a firmer jam, add another tablespoon of chia seeds.
5. Let cool and set for at least half an hour before eating.
6. Once the jam has cooled, transfer it to a jar and refrigerate.
7. Unlike traditional jam, this low-sugar version doesn't keep for long. Store it in the refrigerator and use it within a few days.

A Little Note From Me

You can leave out the silan entirely if you like. The chia seeds will still thicken everything, but the result will be less sweet and a little less like traditional jam.