Like most people I appreciate a good ol’ fashioned PB&J from time to time, however recently I was shocked to see that grocery store jams are LOADED with sugar! Here’s a bit of perspective: the cereal that I eat has 4g of sugar per cup…the generic jam that I’ve been eating has 11g of sugar per tablespoon! Fortunately I had this healthy jam recipe saved from one of my mom’s old Oxygen magazines and decided to give it a try. This jam uses strawberries (great for quick workout energy and repairing antioxidants) and chia seeds (a gluten-free complete protein). It doesn’t taste exactly the same as your ordinary grocery store jam, but it is quite refreshing and makes a great healthy substitute! Here’s how you make it:
Ingredients:
1/2 tbsp chia seeds
2 oz water
8 frozen strawberries, thawed
2 slices healthy bread (like ezekiel or whole-grain!)
1tbsp raw natural nut butter
Mix the chia seeds and water in a bowl, whisking vigorously for 30 seconds. Set aside for 20 minutes until a gel is formed.
In the meantime, mash the strawberries with a fork.
Combine the chia seed gel with the strawberries, stirring until you’ve achieved an even consistency.
That’s it! Just spread 1tbsp peanut butter and 1-2 tbsp jam on toast and you’ve created a meal with enough fuel to sustain you for a nice long cardio session. Enjoy!
A note about chia seeds: I have been hearing about this high protein wonder for a while and never knew where to purchase it, however I was surprised to find them at the Bulk Barn (Canada) in the gluten-free section! Also, chia seeds are flavourless, so they won’t affect the taste of your meals.
