Strawberry Chia Seed Jam

I have been occupying a seat on the chia seed bandwagon for the past four or so months. I put them in my Greek yogurt (on that wagon, too), oatmeal, smoothies and more. Thanks to Ryan's and Carson's hard work strawberry picking (and by that I mean hard working eating as many as they could which motivated Lauren and I to outpace their chomping with our picking), I was able to make one of my favorite chia seed recipes: strawberry chia seed jam. Since there is no pectin in the recipe, the chia seeds serve as the thickener. This jam is guilt-free and not too sweet for this pregnant mama who prefers savory food. Aaaaaand, take this declaration with a grain of sugar since there isn't any used in the recipe ... I think this jam tastes like a strawberry fruit roll-up. Both Chris and Annie deny that it tastes like a fruit roll-up, but hey, maybe this is a side effect of pregnancy: the superpower of being to think refined-sugarless jam is equivalent to a trade-able lunchbox resident. I'm not complaining.

Sidenote - Blogger and my computer need to get with the healthy living times of today because they keep telling me that chia is spelled wrong. Possible signal of a fad? 

Strawberry Chia Seed Jam
adapted from Easy Strawberry Jam via Hellobee and Strawberry Chia Seed Jam via Mountain Mama Cooks. 

2 cups fresh strawberries 
1 tablespoon honey or another sweetener 
1 tablespoon chia seeds 
the zest of medium lemon 
Yield: about 1 cup

1. Cook two cups of fresh strawberries over medium heat until the berries start to soften. Smash the berries to release the juices.
2. Add the tablespoon of honey (or another sweetener such as agave or maple syrup, but I prefer honey) and stir.
3. Cook until the strawberry liquid reduces by about a third.
4. Pour the cooked strawberries into a blender or food processor. Add the lemon zest and chia seeds.
5. Blend or process to desired consistency. Remember that the chia seeds will thicken the jam over time. Place in the refrigerator to cool and thicken.
 6. Enjoy! I love eating mine plain, mixed in Greek yogurt or on top of some leftover shortcake.