Last weekend, we went raspberry picking. The berries were so ripe we had to bag the little carton because the bottom berries were getting crushed and staining everything it touched red. Not wanting them to go to waste, I made a raspberry chia jam. Delicious.
Chia jams are my favourite way to have jam. For one, it’s so easy: you simmer whatever fruit you’d like to use, add some sweetener (honey or maple syrup), some vanilla, and then whatever spices or seasonings you want (vanilla, lemon zest, cinnamon, cardamom, etc). At the end you stir in your chia seeds, and voila!
The second reason I love it, is because it is so nutritious–chia seeds are such a super food. These guys are loaded with fibre, protein and omega-3 fats.
I will say, that chia jam is not really a jam at all, meaning it’s not a preserve. So while regular jam can chill out in your fridge (see what I did there?) for months, chia jam should be kept in the fridge and eaten up in two weeks. Or you can simply freeze it (for up to three months) in smaller batches, and pull what you need.
You can add this chia jam to your morning yogurt, oatmeal, eat in with a spoon, or make some yummy (healthy) cookies, like I did! These Paleo Raspberry Chia Jam Thumbprint Cookies are certainly a mouthful to say, but they sure are delightful to put in your mouth.
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Paleo Raspberry Chia Jam Thumbprint Cookies
Okay, on to the cookies. These simple thumbprint cookies were my jam vessel, and let me tell you: they are freakin’ good. Much better than you’d expect a paleo cookie to taste. Honestly, I love cooking with almond flour. I think people are always surprised at how cookie-like the texture can be: chewy on the outside, a crispy, caramelized outside. When it comes to gluten-free baking, I typically stick exclusively to almond flour (although I might use it as a blend with tapioca flour) over other gluten-free flours (like rice, potato, buckwheat, etc) simply because I find everything is chewier, less dry and less dense.
So yeah, you’re pretty much going to want to make these. In fact, they turned out so lovely, that the six photographed were all that could be saved! Allie and I just couldn’t resist.
In other news, I think I’d like to write a series about eating for weight loss, if anyone is interested. Lately I feel like I have a lot to say about this, so if you’re looking to eat healthier or curious about what you should actually be eating, stay tuned, because that will be happening soon!
Alright, off I go to do some more cooking + watch some Netflix. What are you watching right now? I need new shows!
Raspberry Chia Jam Thumbprint Cookies {paleo}
Ingredients
For the cookies
- 2 1/2 cups almond meal
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp grass-fed butter or coconut oil melted (I used butter for this)
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the jam
- 2 cups raspberries
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
Instructions
For the cookies
- Preheat oven to 350F, and line two trays with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together almond meal, baking soda and salt.
- In a smaller bowl combine butter, maple syrup and vanilla. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir to combine.
- Using a 1 tablespoon scoop (or measuring spoon) portion out heaping balls, and roll with your hands to form balls. With your finger press an indent into the centre of each cookie and place on the baking tray.
- Fill the holes with raspberry chia jam (recipe below) and bake at 350F until golden, about 8-10 minutes.
For the jam
- In a medium pot, add raspberries, maple syrup and vanilla. Simmer on medium-low heat until the berries have started to cook down and fall apart, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in chia seeds, and remove from heat. Allow chia seeds to expand, about 5-10 minutes.
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