Whoa! Today's hot topic on my Facebook Page is the Refrigerator Jam recipe I posted last night.
It's been seen by over 54,000 people and shared almost 1400 times (that includes the see/shares from my affiliate network page, Nourished Living Network, where I posted it, as well).
For the numbers I'm used to seeing, that's gone viral!
(Tuesday morning update, numbers are approaching 102,000/3,000... whoa.)
(Wednesday morning update, now over 350,000/10,500... holy moly!)
(Thursday afternoon update, 850,000+/25,000+... WHAT?!!)
So... since it apparently has much popularity, I figured I'd share it here, too.
Here are the players...
And the recipe...
* No REFINED sugar. The white granulated stuff.
)
Can you believe how easy (and healthy)! And it is sooo good!
I had it last night on two pieces of toasted homemade bread. Mmmm. Hit the spot!!
Strawberry-Rhubarb Refrigerator Jam
(Pectin-free and no REFINED sugar added)
(Pectin-free and no REFINED sugar added)
1 + 1/3 cup strawberries - raw
2/3 cup rhubarb - raw
2 T raw honey (or to taste)
2 T chia seeds
Process all ingredients in a blender, transfer to jars and
refrigerate overnight. The chia seeds will
gel, thickening the fruit puree. No need to cook the fruit.
Add additional diced fruit if you like it chunky.
Enjoy.
UPDATE: Many people have asked whether this can be frozen. Yes, it can. I had one of those jars frozen for about a month and it thawed beautifully.
*One of my readers/commenters pointed out that it's not truly sugar-free... since fruit and honey have sugar content. So, a truer statement is "no refined sugar or artificial sweeteners added."
Linked to: Traditional Tuesdays
90 comments:
Sounds wonderful! What is the shelf-life?
It'll last about a week to 10 days, depending on how fresh your fruit is. I put one of those jars in the freezer (with the lid off till solid to allow for expansion).
Can you use different kinds of fruit?
Also does it have to be fresh or can you use frozen fruit's?
Can you use diffenrt kinds of fruit's and also can you use frozen fruit?
Have you tried it with Raspberries? I make raspberry freezer jam and don't like all the sugar you have to use.
Renee, you can use any kind of fruit you like. One reader tried it with blueberries and loved it (our blueberries are just coming into season... I'm going to try it, too.) I think frozen fruits would be fine, as well, since you're going to puree them anyway-and frozen fruits tend to be mushier.
Heather, I haven't tried raspberries yet. Like our blueberries, they're just now coming into season up here. I'm going to give it try, though. i think it will be delicious!
Do you have to cook down the rhubarb first?
Sounds delish! Why the Chia seeds? Can we make it without them?
Is there any way to have this in a printer friendly setting instead of printing the whole picture?
Helena, besides being super good for you, the chia seeds are what gives the fruit puree it's jam-like texture because they gel in liquid. I'd recommend using them, if you can.
The recipe image says "No sugar added"? You add honey to it! Honey is fructose and glucose. These are sugars. You could say "No PROCESSED sugar added," but that's not NEARLY the same thing. I think accuracy is important.
Sara, I've added the recipe as text so you can print it.
I make this and freeze it in ice cube trays, without the seeds (I don't have any)That way it doesn't go bad in the refridge,
You can then use them as you need them, I float the cubes in Martini's, fruit smoothies, sauces, and jam's. I especially like to make vitamin water and float them it it for extra flavor.
Victoria, that's a great idea to freeze it in ice cube trays. I love the way you use them.
You bring up a good point, ANONYMOUS. When I think of sugar, the white granulated stuff is what comes to mind, and not every form of "fructose, glucose, and sweeteners of every kind, processed or otherwise." I concede, though, and agree that accuracy is important.
I'm going to try this over the weekend. I think I'm going to take my family Peach and Raspberry jam recipe and make a batch this way!
What is the life of this if you freeze it?
Seriously no need to cook the fruit? this seems simple enough going to try it now!
Blackberries sound like it would be great - will try it! Thanks!
What size jars does your recipe call for? Thanks. George
Frozen, this should last a couple of months.
No need to cook the fruit first, just puree.
The size jars used are 1/2 pint... typical jelly jars.
Is T teaspoon or tablespoon
what part does the rhubarb play? I am not a big fan of rhubarb can I make it without?
Hi Becky,
The rhubarb is just there because it makes the strawberries so happy. ;-) You can certainly omit it and substitute anything you like, or just use all strawberries.
woo hoo! That is exciting! Blackberry and raspberry jam here we come!!!!!
Hi! I found this recipe on FB & jumped onto your blog to see if you needed the rhubarb (not a fan of it) & you answered the question for someone else. :) Picked up a 1/2 flat of strawberries at the farmers market today for fruit leather & am going to use some for this jam. Thank you for sharing.
I found your site via all those shares for this recipe. What a marvelous idea. Your a genius! I'm going to try it with my blueberries. THANK YOU!!!! And God bless you!
I found this picture going around on Facebook and am glad I did. Your blog is so beautiful. This jam seems like something you could easily whip up for breakfast. I might just keep some fruit handy in the freezer and surprise my family sometime.
Thank you for sharing this! I made it yesterday and found it still soupy this morning. Also much too tart for our taste. Can I add more honey and chia seeds at this point? Or should I start a fresh batch and increase those amounts at the beginning? All the best!
Hi Elizabeth,
I actually love the sweet-tartness of this recipe - but that's not for everyone.
I'd say go ahead and keep tweaking it with more honey and chia seeds until you love it, and don't think you need to start over.
Pam, I have made your simple and simply delicious recipe! I am doing a post on it and linking back to you! Hope you get even more traffic! Thanks for sharing it with us all!!
Blessings :)
That's terrific! Thanks, Jacqueline... and I'm so glad you like it!
Is T a tablespoon or Teaspoon?
Hi, I wanted to thank you for sharing your refrigerator jam recipe. I found it at Deep Roots At Home yesterday and can't wait to try it. Thanks also for your input there. It's great to know the jam will freeze well. I'm going to try it out with blackberries.
Thanks, again!
For Anonymous - T=Tablespoon (t=teaspoon)
Is the photo shown actually the jam you made? Mine came out much lighter in color and very smooth. I had to thaw my rhubarb on the stove and I used a VitaMix blender so maybe those things affected the outcome. Also it is more like a sauce I'd say, not thick enough to be a jam. It tastes DE-licious though and I think it would be especially good on some homemade vanilla ice cream. Maybe I needed more chia seeds? I followed your recipe (added another T of honey though, and maybe a few more strawberries to get the taste I wanted). Thanks for sharing this!
I'm going to fix this tonight for tomorrow. I saw it on Pinterest but wanted to come to the source! Thank you for sharing. Can't wait to try it!
I just used fresh cherries-2 cups. I will see how this works out in the morning.
Thanks for sharing this so freely. Love it!
Can u can it?
Is it okay to share this on the Vitamix Enthusiasts Yahoo Group? Your blog name is still at the bottom so people can find you. Thank you! It looks wonderful.
Yes, nativetexangirl, you're welcome to share it as you described.
I made this according to recipe and it seems too soft not tight enough? more like a puree than a jam. Did I blend it too much?
That's a possibility, Sylvia. Could also be that your fruit was just very juicy. I've had batches that required a bit more chia seeds. If it still doesn't gel enough, it would also be terrific poured over your waffles and pancakes instead of spread on your toast! ;-)
Thanks for sharing this post i had a great exp with this refrigerator each n every thing stay fresh in this refrigerator
Thanks for sharing this brilliant recipe! I am trying it out today with my box of strawberries. I will let you know how it goes :) Found it at DEEP ROOTS AT HOME :)
My recipe for rhubarb uses: rhubarb, entire orange (except bitter white parts), all of peeling as zest, xylitol to sweeten, & psyllium husk powder to thicken. I cook ingredients & add uncooked strawberries when serving as sauce or pie/tart...never cooking strawberries w/rhubarb...I just tried same w/persimmons/cranberries instead of rhubarb(out of season). Xylitol is my new passion since diabetics can eat it, it has fewer calories, & xylitol also prevents cavities, ear infections & sinusitis...& tastes closest to sugar. I love your chia seed tip...but find psyllium powder even better tasting...(& better fiber). Thanks for your recipe...but I LOVE mine even more!! Gr8er longevity w/cooking too. <3<3 OOXX(heartsinfinitytimes)
Where can I find chia seeds as well as Xylitol? I don't even remember seeing rhubarb in store of course might have just overlooked it. As for freezing did you put glass jars with tops on in freezer?
captainaction1958@yahoo.com
Could you can this? Or no since the fruit isn't cooked? Stick to freezing?
Hello Pam! Does the rhubard have to be cooked first I or just chopped up well with the other ingredients? Thank you.
There is no need to cook the rhubarb. Everything is raw.
I do freezer jam every year in very large quantities to last for us & extended family for the entire year since we use local fresh strawberries & they have a very short growing time where we live. I love the idea of no added sugar. My questions are can this recipe that you shared with the Chia seeds be frozen for a year plus & can it be done with just strawberries IE: changing it to 2C of strawberries instead? Does anything different have to be done if it is long term freezable? Thank you.
Hi ADL,
You can use whatever fruit you like; 2 cups of strawberries (omitting the rhubarb) would be great. I would just start out with a tad less honey and see how you like it. The rhubarb is so tart that without it, you might not need as much sweetener.
As for the freezing, I'm afraid I'm no help. The longest I've frozen it is one month; and that thawed fine. To go a full year, I'd be afraid of freezer-burn, but I guess that depends on your method/vessel for freezing.
Thanks for your comment and best wishes with your monumental strawberry jam project! :-)
I saw a few people ask if you can can this jam, but I don't see an answer. I was wondering too...can you can it?
Is it freezable?
Yum! This is such a great idea! I was dubious about raw rhubarb, so I went ahead and simmered it with some cranberry juice (I was already doing another batch that way). I also added some raspberries I had sitting around. I will definitely use this with all kinds of fruit!
Hi,
Did you freeze it the jam jar?
Thanks so much.
I am excited to try this as I don't make jelly/jam because of the processed sugar. I had a question, however, do you think that ground flax seeds would work instead of chia? I use the ground flax seed to make my vegan/fake eggs as it thickens nicely and replaces eggs on all of my baking.
Thanks!
Awesome! Thank you. I made it. I knew what you meant by no sugar.
Dear Pam
If any fruit is useable , then its 2 cups for any fruit we use or 2 cups total if we mix fruits??
I have just tried it and wondering. Pat
I found your recipe on a friend's post on Facebook. I am definitely going to try this. I have bought organic chia seeds from our local co-op that I use in yogurt and salads, so am going to give this a whirl since I have strawberries, blueberries, and soon gooseberries :) Thank you so very much for posting this recipe for free! You rock sista :)
How are you measuring the two cups of fruit - when they are still whole, or after they have been processed (blended)?
Oh my goodness - I have just made this now, it hasn't even set yet and I just want to go ahead and drink it straight out of my jam jar! My five year old son keeps asking if he can just try a little bit more too ... I don't see it lasting until morning :D
I was a bit dubious about the raw rhubarb & had no idea you could eat it this way, wow have I been missing out. I also used agave syrup instead of honey.
Thanks for your wonderful recipe!
I will have to try it with Stevia instead of honey (to make it OK with a low-carb ketogenic diet).
Waiting to make ... does T stand for TSP or TBSP. Anyone who has made this jam can answer me. Best honey to use is Raw (local farmer) not pasteurized. Honey helps with allergies.
Thank you
Found my answer no need to respond ty again for sharing this recipe.
What does the T stand for teaspoon or tablespoon
Love the original recipe 😎
Would just like to make a warning note to Joan'Ruth Lawson and anyone else who uses xylitol:
Although xylitol has many great qualities it is DEADLY TO DOGS‼️‼️ just a few grains may be enough to kill a small dog, a teaspoon can kill a large dog so if used in cooking, any food (even crumbs) should be kept well out of reach of pets.
I made this exactly as the recipe said. The next morning when I opened the jar it oozed up and over the sides of the jar spilling on to the counter. It had fermented! Do you know what might have gone wrong?
I am wondering if you think I could make this with peaches- and if so what would I have to do to prepare the peaches?... just read some of the comments. Do you think using frozen peaches would make it work? I'm NOT great in the kitchen.
Someone asked about using ground flax seed in place of chia seeds. I didn't notice any kind of response to this question; so curious me went on a search for the answer. Ground flax seed will also turn to gel when put into liquid...so the answer is YES you can use ground flax in place of chia seeds.
Reference:It isn't the subject this time around but the content located toward the bottom of the page under TRY FLAX SEED!
http://ibs.about.com/od/constipation/a/SelfcareIBSC.htm
Flaxseed is a bit of a wonder food. When ground, flaxseed contains a mix of both soluble and insoluble fiber. As ground flaxseed absorbs water, it forms a gel-like consistency that not only softens stool, but also seems to be soothing to the intestinal lining. Flaxseed is also an excellent source of Omega 3 fatty acids, which have a wide variety of health benefits, including good anti-inflammatory qualities. To get the maximum benefit of flaxseed for constipation, it is essential that you drink plenty of water.
Process all ingredients in a blender, transfer to jars and refrigerate overnight. ... 2vitamixblender.blogspot.com
Hi Pam, thanks for what looks to be a great recipe! I've always wanted to find a 'sugar-free' jam recipe. Do you have time to answer a quick question? I'm wondering how you measure your strawberries- whole or diced? I imagine it makes a pretty significant difference so wanted to ask before I try making. :) thank you again!
Hi Angela! Dice up those strawberries before you measure. Hope you love it!
Thank you so much Pam! Love bloggers who take time to answer questions! I sure appreciate it! :) blessings to you
Wow I am so excited to try this!!! I have pinned it!
Pam, I used your picture on my webpage. I then described the modifications I made for myself. the link is included. Please let me know if you are alright with this type of sharing. I gave you credit and posted a link to your blog as well. http://www.healthy-living-academy.com/jam-without-pectin.html
Thanks for considering ... Dana
That's perfectly fine, Dana. Thanks for sharing... and thanks for letting me know! :-)
I'm curious. If one wanted to process and can this raw jam in a water bath or a steam canner, would it keep as well as traditional jams do? I like to make large batches and give as gifts. Some gifts are local, but some must be mailed. If this one would not keep after processing, I obviously do not want to risk making a HUGE batch and then have it go bad. It sounds very good, and I am eager to try it, being as I, too, try to avoid using pectin. I have a friend who cannot eat refined sugars, so this would be great for him, if it can survive standard processing and mailing. Thanks!
I'm afraid I don't know, Paula. I've never tried canning it. Sorry I couldn't help.
Hi Pam
Winter's begin where I live so I'll try this next season. Thanks for the concept. I heartily commend you for your patience and politeness answering everyone's questions. :) I hope you make well deserved dough from your jam, recipe :) Diana <3 xx
I can't wait to try this jam. My daughter has been looking for a jam like this for my granddaughter, as she is trying to start feeding a new generation with no added refined sugar. Bought sugar free jam is so expensive!
This is very easy to make and hope the taste will good. This is very healthy jam because it is a sugar free. Diabetes can eat without any worries.
we can make yummy Sugar Free Jam by using all kind of fruits.
Calorie count for this recipe if anyone is interested.
For 1 tbsp servings:
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 10 g
Amount Per Serving
Calories 9
Calories from Fat 2
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0.2g
0%
Cholesterol 0mg
0%
Sodium 0mg
0%
Potassium 17mg
0%
Total Carbohydrates 1.8g
1%
Sugars 1.4g
Protein 0.2g
Vitamin A 0% • Vitamin C 6%
Calcium 3% • Iron 2%
Nutrition Grade A
* Based on a 2000 calorie diet
Good sharing, chia seeds are one of the world’s richest source of plant-based Omega-3s, and it is known to deliver the Omega-3 which is equivalent to 275g of wild salmon in just two tablespoons. For detail visit:
http://kidbuxblog.com/chia-seeds-for-heart-health/
Best Regards,
Split Queen Box Springs or split queen box spring
Gorgeous and oh so delectable - love strawberries when they are in season!
Life Coach Sydney
Thanks,
Bren
T is always Tablespoon
t is always teaspoon
Please can someone tell me if this can be made with blueberries and bananas? That's what I've been using in smoothies and it has proven helpful.
Thank you SO much for this recipe. I made it today and it's Delicious~! My husband's favorite is Strawberry Rhubarb so it was Perfect~! I missed making jam, I made it for 20 years but gave it up about 15 years ago because of all the sugar. This is the BEST of both worlds AND it's PROTEIN with all those Chia Seeds :*) Win Win I say.......... Oh and I ran out of honey and used Coconut Nectar that I had on hand and it worked GREAT :*) God bless and THANK YOU again, so very much`! ;*)
Tammy
Happy Jam Maker Again :*) hee hee
T is Tablespoon
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