Cranberry Chia Jam — Melinda Lamarche

‘Tis the season! Cranberries are a quintessential ingredient this time of year. Bursting with tart flavour these little berries are great in savoury dishes and desserts. I created this Cranberry Chia Jam to smother on toast, dollop on yogurt and use as a fruity layer in oat crumble bars. I was worried the cranberries would be way too tart here but with the addition strawberries, a splash of OJ and some maple syrup, the tartness is toned down.

Cranberries are not only delicious and can be part of a star dish on your holiday table, they are also a nutrition powerhouse. Full of fibre, vitamin C and both disease fighting antioxidants and phytochemicals. Cranberries are known to help prevent urinary tract infections, but did you know they can also play a role in promoting heart health by helping to lower bad (LDL) cholesterol and increase good (HDL) cholesterol. The antioxidants and phytochemicals in cranberries can also help fight inflammation in the body and prevent certain types of cancer. With a report card this impressive why not add cranberries into some of your families meals and snacks?

Cranberry Chia Jam

2 cups cranberries, fresh

1 cup strawberries, fresh or frozen

1 cup water

1/4 cup maple syrup

2 tbsp orange juice

2 tbsp chia seeds

Directions:

Place cranberries, strawberries and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat
Simmer for 15 minutes or until fruit softens and cranberries start to burst
Remove from heat, mix in orange juice and maple syrup
Using a potato masher or pastry cutter, mash berries until they become more like a jam consistency OR use an immersion blender to make the mixture smooth (like I did here)
Stir in chia seeds and refrigerate for 2-4 hours
Jam will keep in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks and freezes well!