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Blueberry Grape Thyme Jam

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Blueberry Grape Thyme Jam has no added sugar and is perfect for breakfast

~ raw, vegan, gluten-free, nut-free ~

I get excited when I make jam because it means pulling out my collection of mason jars and selecting thee right one for that particular jam.  And once filling the jar it beams like a rich glowing beacon… a ray of sunshine that is sure to brighten any dismal day.

Made completely from 100% whole ingredients, using local fruit, picked at peak condition and turned into raw jam, this recipe is a gentle way to gather and preserve an essence of summer.

Raw jam doesn’t last as long as cooked jam, but that would be the only drawback I can think of… You could freeze them which gives a longer “shelf life.” The other amazing benefit to raw jam, outside of retaining all the nutrients, is that it will taste much more like the fresh berries or fruit used, the color is more like the true color of the fruit, it takes little time to make, but you use less sugar since it isn’t needed as a preservative, just as a sweetener (sometimes getting away with no added sugar)….*stops for a breath*.  That was one heck of a run-on sentence. hehe

Not all fruits are high in natural pectin that is why many people mix various fruits together, giving aid to the weaker pectin ones.  Pectin is actually a carbohydrate found mostly in the skin and core of raw fruit.  In nature, it functions as the structural “cement” that helps hold cell walls together.  Once blended into a liquid state, the pectin has the ability to form a mesh that traps liquid, sets as it cools, and, in the case of jam, cradles suspended pieces of fruit.

Apples, berries, peaches, apricots, cherries and grapes are very good sources of pectin (assuming you eat them with their skin).   Even citrus fruits and bananas are a good source.   If you jam isn’t as thick as you desire it to be, we raw-fooders have a trick up our sleeves called chai seeds!  Flax seeds, psyllium, Irish moss can be used as well, but I tend to lean towards chai seeds myself.  You can leave them whole, which in berry jams just mimic the aesthetics of berry seeds but you can also grind them into flour before adding to the recipe to give it a smoother texture.

Adding additional sweetener is completely up to you.  It will all depend on your sweet tooth and how ripe/sweet the fruit is that you are using. So make sure to taste test along the way.   Lastly, before I let you go… thyme… this, of course, is optional but if you like thyme, I ask that you trust me on this one and give the recipe a try as is.

Some of you may be scratching your heads, “Why thyme?”  It is a  fragrant herb with a minty, warm and peppery flavor with a hint of cloves. Thyme extracts floral elements in fruits so I felt that it would be a good pairing.   It even tastes good sprinkled on bananas.  If you can’t find fresh thyme you can use dried but remember that dried herbs are much more concentrated than fresh.

A general rule of thumb is that 1 teaspoon of dried herbs equals 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs.  Use fresh whenever possible.  When using fresh pull the leaves from the sprig in the opposite direction they grow – there’s no need to chop.   You can also use the sprigs whole if you wish but I minced mine to basically bruise them to release more of their oils and flavor into the jam.

Blueberry Grape Thyme Jam displayed with raw bread and fresh fruitIngredients:

Yields 2 cups

Preparation:

  1. You can use fresh or frozen blueberries.  If you choose frozen, allow them to thaw first and use the juice that it creates in the recipe.
  2. In the food processor, fitted with the “S” blade, combine the blueberries, grapes, lemon juice, chia seeds, sweetener, thyme, and salt.  Process for about 10 seconds.  If you want a completely smooth texture, I would use a blender.
  3. Pour into some nice mason jars, tighten the lid, place in the jar and let it come to a nice chill before serving.  Will last about 1 week in the fridge and several months in the freezer.    If you freeze it, make sure you use freezer-safe jars or containers.
  4. Note:  As the jam sits in the fridge, it will release some watery liquid from the fruits… just stir back together when ready to use.
  5. This jam tasted amazing served on my Raw Rosemary Coastal Bread.

8 thoughts on “Blueberry Grape Thyme Jam

  1. Beth says:

    ohhh, that looks so so yummy – what bread are you serving it on?

    • amie-sue says:

      Good evening Beth… I served my jam on a Raw Rosemary Coastal Bread… I will be sharing that recipe real soon.. great pairing! amie sue

  2. Amity says:

    This looks amazing Amy. I am running out to the store now to get some red grapes so I can have this ready for breakfast in the morning, If I can wait that long. I love love love raw jams and haven’t bought a jar since learning how easy they are to make. My kids had a PBJ at a friends house recently and told me flat out their jelly tastes funny and not very good. Out of the mouthes of Babes, it is nice to know I am doing something right. Thank you again for all you do!

    • amie-sue says:

      I know what you mean Amity… nothing like making it fresh with in season fruits. I hope you enjoy it, please keep me posted and have a blessed day, amie sue

  3. Kathy says:

    What a perfect compliment to so many things. Love that your recipe requires so few ingredients. To me your Jam looks like a beautiful sparkly faceted jewel…like a beautiful garnet. I am also admiring your precious hand painted tea cup complete with it’s very own garden of violets.How lovely! Thank you for sharing your beautiful post you made my day!

    • amie-sue says:

      Thank you so much Kathy… You are such a delight in my life. :) I love the way you write. I hope you are inspired to give the recipe a try and would love to hear what you think. That little tea cup belonged to my great grandmother. I am the sentimental one in the family so I got quite a few of your pieces. I just love them. Have a wonderful weekend. amie sue

  4. karalh17 says:

    Hi there. I used to can Jelly with my mom. I know we are not supposed to heat above a certain point to keep it “raw”, but would it destroy the flavor or the jam itself if I were to put this in hot water to seal it for storage?

    • amie-sue says:

      Good morning Karalh17,

      I’ve never tried canning this particular recipe so I can’t really comment on how it will affect the flavor or texture. I wish I had a better answer for you. The only thing I can suggest is to test a jar’s worth out and see how it does. blessings, amie sue

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