Oh HAI spring – I’ve been waiting ever so patiently for this season to arrive and now that it’s officially here I am stoked.
I love this time of year – the longer, lighter days, the fresh + vibrant energy, the emphasis on new beginnings and growth, and the local produce, obvi.
One of my fave spring veggies would have to be rhubarb (yes – rhubarb is actually a vegetable, cray right?!)
A few things seriously legit about this powerful plant –
+ Tastes sweet and tart, like a fruit, which makes it a super easy to consume veggie (especially for picky eaters)
+ High in fiber and helps to ease abdominal discomfort and promote a healthy + normal digestion process (I use a digestive enzyme that contains rhubarb to promote regularity and it’s helped me so much)
+ Contains powerful free-radical scavenger quercetin, which combats oxidative stress and protects against brain disease + cancer
+ Lowers inflammation
+ Rich in vitamin K, which is essential for bone health
So yeah, this little guy packs a potent punch. And while it can be prepared in a number of delicious ways, my fave has to be in this strawberry rhubarb chia jam.
It’s just the right blend of sweet, bright and tart and JAM-packed (sorry, not sorry) with nutrients, fiber, healthy fats and protein (due to the addition of the chia seeds).
Plus it’s refined sugar-free, super easy to make and contains just five clean ingredients.
It’s also incredibly versatile and tastes good on just about everything, but I’m especially loving it spooned generously onto oatmeal, coconut yogurt bowls and gluten-free toast with nut butter (aka PB + J Elevated).
A simple, bright and not-too-sweet (read — no refined sugar) jam that adds flavor and nutrients to toast, oatmeal, yogurt bowls and elevated PB & J’s.
PREP TIME:
TOTAL TIME:
00:00 Mins
00:15 Mins
Author: Lauren Chambers
Servings: 8
Recipe Type: condiment
Cuisine: American
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup fresh strawberries, stems removed and chopped into small pieces
1/2 cup rhubarb stem, chopped into small pieces
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp chia seeds
2 tbsp honey, maple syrup or coconut nectar
Optional — 1/2 juice of lemon or 1 tsp fresh lemon zest
Instructions
Add all ingredients to a stovetop pot over medium high heat.
Stir well and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer (low-heat).
Stir and mash together with a fork frequently while simmering until mixture takes on a jam consistency, approximately 10-15 minutes.
Store in fridge for 1-2 weeks. Tastes especially good stirred into oatmeal or coconut yogurt bowls or generously dolloped on toast and my “elevated pb + j”, which is simply gluten-free toast smothered with nut butter and this jam 🙂