Chia Berry Jam

Today is a rest day which also means it's a fuel day for my long run tomorrow.  My half marathon training plan calls for 11 miles and I'm hoping to bust them out bright and early before it heats up tomorrow.  I'm playing around with fueling options before long runs to try to find what works best for me.  Last week, I was able to bust out 13.1 miles after a pizza dinner the night before.  Today, I'm trying out chia seeds throughout the day, since so many runners swear by them, and am planning on incorporating a sweet potato into my dinner tonight, probably in the form of this yummy-looking recipe for sweet potato black bean enchiladas.   Hope I can  make it to the store for some green chilies, garlic and lime so I don't have to tweak the recipe. I'll let you know...

This morning's incorporation of chia seeds into my meal came in the form of a chia berry jam inspired by this post from the blog eatingbirdfood.com.  

I combined the following ingredients:

• 2 cups frozen mixed berries
• 3 tablespoons chia seeds
• A splash of water, probably 3-4 tablespoons

I simmered the berries in the water on the stove until they were no longer frozen and mashed them as they thawed.  Then, I added the chia seeds to the berry mixture, continuing to mash the berries before I poured the mixture into this lovely jar and placed it in the refrigerator.

I let it sit for about 30 minutes before enjoying it on an whole wheat english muffin.

It was pretty yummy if I may say so myself.  It's so much better for you than store-bought jam and super easy to make.  If you like your jam sweeter, simply add some raw honey or maple syrup to the mix before refrigerating.

I'm off to spend some undivided attention on my boys.  We've had a long week and they need some loving.  

Make it a great day!