Cranberry Orange Chia Jam
Can you believe it SNOWED last week in Chicago? Oh yes, it did. At first I was welcoming the first snow fall. It looked so pretty as I watched it fall from my window. It was Friday, there was a Hallmark Christmas movie on the TV (don’t judge me.. I know it’s too early), and I was working from home so the only reason to go outside was to take the dog out.
Side note: we adopted a dog a few weeks ago. Her name is Nova, she’s a 2 month old shepherd mix and I’m an obsessive work from home dog mom. Nova got to experience her first snow on Friday and while she had no idea if she should eat the snow or play in it, she had a blast.
However, little ol’ me was definitely NOT prepared for the snow. The beautifulness of it… yes. Clothes-wise… no. So what do I do as I’m carrying the dog down 10 cement steps? Fall straight on my butt/back. So I spent the rest of the day nursing my very bruised back-side on the couch but luckily I had some of this cranberry orange chia jam I made earlier that morning to snack on!
I don’t know what it is but as soon as it starts getting colder outside I crave jam. Especially homemade jam (see strawberry chia jam for reference). I don’t feel like this is normal behavior, but it happens every. single. year. This cranberry chia jam did not disappoint my jam craving one bit.
The chia jam is a little tart from the cranberries with just a touch of sweetness. You can always add more sugar if you prefer, but I think the ratio I provided has the perfect balance of sweet and tart. This cranberry orange chia jam is great on a piece of toasted wholegrain gluten free bread.
Though, I think it would also make a stellar topping for a turkey sandwich the day after thanksgiving instead of using cranberry sauce.
I also have a great recipe this week that uses some of the cranberry orange chia jam that you aren’t going to want to miss. It’s SUPER easy, gluten-free (obviously) AND vegan and you won’t need any special ingredients besides your favorite gluten-free flour blend and this awesome chia jam. So get making this jam so you’re ready to go with our next recipe!
What would YOU slather this cranberry orange chia jam on? Toast? Waffle? Maybe a turkey sandwich? Tell me in the comments! If you make this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram and use hashtag #adashofmegnut so I can see it! I love to see your creations!
Cranberry Orange Chia Jam
Ingredients
- 12 oz fresh cranberries
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice (from 1 orange)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 tbsp orange zest (from 1 orange)
Instructions
- Add fresh cranberries, orange juice, water, granulated sugar and salt to a medium pot over medium high heat. Bring to a boil, about 12-15 minutes.
- Allow to cook until cranberries start to break down and burst, about an additional 5 minutes. Crush with a spoon to break down the cranberries a bit more.
- Stir in chia seeds and orange zest.
- Cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to cook and thicken completely.
Nutrition
I’m Megan
A gluten-free food blogger from Chicago and lover of all things food, showing you gluten-free can be easy and delicious, too. Let’s make gluten-free stress free together! Read more…
This would be perfect with my morning yogurt!
Gotta love this jam!!!
I’ve got to try this! Looks tasty!
This looks amazing!
About how long will this keep in fridge?
Hi Michelle! Typically about a week 🙂