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Rhubarb Chia Seed Jam

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Who’s the most influential man when it comes to nutrition? A household name. Someone with their own afternoon TV show. And books…galore. Does Dr. Oz come to mind?

I always enjoy talking to supermarket dietitian and personal friend, Gina, about the inquiries she receives at the store. She can almost pin-point based on a customer’s request if it is something Dr. Oz touts as the next best food that will save your life, cure cancer, or reduce cellulite. Or heck, all of the above! *eye roll*

I don’t know Dr. Oz and his claims well enough to determine their credibility, but I do know he speaks fondly of chia seeds, and rightfully so.

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Chia seeds are an unprocessed whole grain (seed) that offer up a great source of omega 3 and loads of fiber (11 grams in 2 tablespoons!) and antioxidants. A lot of people have heard of these powerful seeds, but may not know exactly what to do with them.

Unlike the very similar flaxseed, chia seeds do not need to be ground in order to receive their nutritional benefits. In fact, chia seeds are unique in that they act more like a gelatin and absorb water and other liquids readily. Outside of adding chia seeds to smoothies, or sprinkled on oats, jam seems to be a natural fit for chia seed use. The seeds are generally considered tasteless and take on the flavors they’re combined with perfectly.

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When my student shared stalk after stalk of fresh rhubarb from her backyard, I was happy to accept (thanks, Nicole!). With the move upcoming, I wanted something I could keep for a week and use in simple meals. I was also steering clear of the oh-so-0bvious choice of desserts. (Nicole made a killed rhubarb pie for our picnic!)

Though rhubarb most certainly requires a sweetener of some sort, I opted for a natural sweetener (honey) and kept it at a minimum. If you’re looking for something sweeter, just add to taste. Agave or maple syrup would work great, too. 🙂

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Rhubarb Chia Seed Jam

4 cups rhubarb, finely diced
3/4 cup honey
1/2 cup chia seeds
2 cups of water

Directions:

Bring all 4 ingredients to a boil, reduce heat and simmer about 10 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid burning. Pour into jars and allow to sit at room temp for 1 hour before refrigerating.

Yield: ~5 cups (40 servings; 2 tablespoons each)

Nutrition Information (per 2 Tbsp): 37 calories; 0.9 g. fat; 0 mg. cholesterol; 2 mg. sodium; 7.2 g. carbohydrate; 1.3 g. fiber; 0.6 g. protein

Result: A subtly sweet rhubarb jam that is simple to make and goes great on everything from oats to toast. For a sweeter jam, increase the amount of honey or add sugar, to taste. Chia seeds are the perfect way to make jam packed with nutrition. Feel free to switch out the 4 cups of rhubarb for the fruit of your choice. Berries, perhaps? Mmm! Enjoy!

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I think we’ll check out the farmer’s market this morning and cross our fingers for some beach weather. Only 1 more day without a bed!!! And still, plenty of chores to be done. I even have an assigned book to read about management before starting my job on the 9th! I should probably zap out of vacation mode and get on that!

Be well,

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13 Comments

  1. Kate
    June 30, 2012 / 6:47 am

    I think I can say that I’ve never heard any of Dr. Oz’s advice!

  2. Erika - The Teenage Taste
    June 30, 2012 / 11:07 am

    I think Dr. Oz is a little overrated but I do love chia seeds! I first started buying them when I read that the runners in Born to Run ate them. I usually use chia seeds in overnight oats, but I bet they’d be great in jam! Great idea, Nicole! ๐Ÿ˜€

  3. Biz
    June 30, 2012 / 11:34 am

    I’ve never even watched 5 minutes of his show! Question – where the hell do you buy chia seeds? Only at places like Whole Foods?

    Have fun at the farmers market and fingers crossed beach weather is on tap for you today!

    • Nicole, RD
      Author
      June 30, 2012 / 4:59 pm

      I usually get them on Amazon! Cheaper ๐Ÿ™‚

  4. Saguna
    June 30, 2012 / 3:03 pm

    I’ve just discovered the wonders of chia seeds and recently tried them in a peanut butter banana chia batch of cookies! You can check the recipe out over at http://fictionsfactsfractiousness.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/peanut-butter-banana-chia-cookies.html

    I love chia- they’re such good fuel for running, plus I can justify eating my cookies as pre-run snacks ๐Ÿ™‚ I’d love to try this chia seed jam- such a great idea and possibly a way to use up the masses of strawberries I have laying around! Thanks!

  5. Heidi @ Food Doodles
    June 30, 2012 / 8:05 pm

    Hah, I don’t even watch Dr. Oz and he kind of drives me a little crazy.
    Love this! I’ve been meaning to try a chia seed jam. I was thinking strawberry, but now I’m thinking strawberry rhubarb. Yummy ๐Ÿ˜€

  6. Cara
    July 1, 2012 / 1:58 pm

    Jam is an awesome way to make use of chia. I have been talking to a lot of people about chia lately – I’m glad to see you helping bring it to the masses! I think it is an awesome food.

  7. patricia
    July 6, 2012 / 11:10 am

    One place to find quality chia seed at reasonable prices is http://www.azchia.com. There are over 100 free recipes available as well. If you are purchasing seed from your local grocer, there is information on the site to be sure you are buying quality seed.

  8. Rob
    July 6, 2012 / 6:36 pm

    One of my breakfast staples has been PB&J on a homemade oatmeal pancake (I make up a batch, freeze and re-heat in the toaster). I didn’t like all the added sugars in the store bought jams so I started making my own using chia like you show here.

    My first batch was blueberry, I’ve also done strawberry, and black cherry (the first two were from fresh fruit, the cherries were from frozen). I typically use about a pound of fruit and bout 1/4 cup of chia and a bit of ime or lemon juice. No other added sweeteners.

    My most recent batch was strawberry-rhubarb.. love it.

  9. chia seeds
    July 21, 2012 / 2:15 am

    this recipe is nice by using Chia Seed…………….. i like it….i like to know more recipe……. pls share more informations…
    ๐Ÿ™‚

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  11. Adina
    June 1, 2015 / 3:04 am

    Hi. Great recipe! I changed it a little and used agave syrup and orange juice instead of honey and water, we really loved it. I had 4 small jars last week and only 1 left today. ๐Ÿ™‚

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