Raw Blueberry Lavender Jam

This summer my husband and i took a trip to Harriman state park (New York) with a day of hiking planned. Just a few minutes into our hike we stumbled across endless stretches of wild blueberry bushes. Taking advantage of one of nature's most powerful miracle foods we had so much fun feasting on the berries. We did very little walking that day but returned home with an abundance of wild blueberries and raspberries.

I particularly like this raw jam because it uses chia seeds as a stabilizer rather cooking the berries. This preserves all of the health giving properties of the berries while adding important omega 3’s to the jam. This creates a sour-sweet addition to any dish, just remember that it needs to be refrigerated and has only as short shelf life.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup/150g blueberries (wild is best)
• 1-2 tsp honey depending on your taste
• 2 tbs lavender flowers
• 4 tbs water, boiled
• 1 tbs lemon juice
• 1-2 tbs chia seeds

Method:

Bring the water to a boil and remove from heat. Add the lavender and steep for 5 minutes. Remove the lavender.

Once the water has cooled add 2-4 tbs of the lavender water to the honey and stir to dissolve. This amount can be adjusted for individual taste and more can be added later if necessary. Add all ingredients to a food processor and process until your desired consistency is achieved. Allow jam to sit in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours for the chia seeds to absorb the liquids.

This recipe can be adjusted using different herbs and berries to suit your taste and the season, I encourage you to get creative and play!

I’ve more recently been experimenting with an Ancient Grain Banana Bread of which i’m coming very close to completing the final recipe. I was definitely in need of a healthy spread to accompany this breakfast loaf and this blueberry jam fits the bill perfectly!

Enjoy the sweetness of life,

Vicky