Beet Berry Jam
We “hide” veggies in an effort to increase the nutrients of our dishes. Not with the intent of tricking the kids. We do this by talking with our kids about what is in their food and why! For this Beet Berry Jam for example, I would say to my kids:
This jam is a great spread for your sandwiches and toast! Not only is it loaded with antioxidants from the fresh berries, but it also has beets- which are so amazing for helping you clean out all the gunk in your body! (natural detox).
I love Carla from MizFit’s approach she wrote about on her blog. She said instead of talking with her daughter about which foods are healthy or not- they talk about which foods have benefits and which ones don’t! They call them “Foods with Benefits”! (post here)
So, this is our JAM WITH BENEFITS!
We started with fresh berries. We chose raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries.
Then, we cut up a cooked beet. I placed it in the oven wrapped in foil, at 350 for about 90 minutes. Once cooked, it was easy to slice up.
We used some Sugar Free Pectin as a thickener, as well as some organic stevia to make it more sweet like commercial jam.
We mashed our fruit and beets in a food processor– The pulse setting and only a few times. We wanted our jam to stay a bit chunky. If you don’t have a food processor, you could also use a potato masher.
Then, when we had about 3 cups of mashed beets and berries, we placed it in a saucepan and brought it to a boil with 3/4 cup water. 1 packet no-sugar needed pectin, and 1 teaspoon stevia. After boiling for 1 minute, we removed from heat. At this point, just let it cool. Store in the fridge for sandwiches and toast! (Full printable recipe below)
Now, I don’t know about you, but any time I can make a common food that my kids eat a lot a bit healthier- I WILL! This jam has less sugar than the commercial variety. It’s cheaper than the “no-sugar jams” you purchase at specialty stores, and it has the added benefits of the beets! Bonus for pregnant moms- Beets are a natural source of folate!
Serve with eggs for a balanced breakfast! We’ve got fruit, vegetables, grains, and protein! 🙂
Let us know if you try it! I can 99% promise your kids will enjoy this jam as well as they like traditional jam. And you can let them know it’s extra special because it’s: Jam with Benefits!
Beet Berry Jam
Ingredients
- 3 cups mashed berries and beets i started with 1 cup each of strawberries, beets, raspberries, and blackberries
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 packet sure jell pectin no sugar needed variety
- 1 teaspoon stevia
Instructions
- Mash your berries and cooked beets by using a food processor or a potato masher. Leave it a bit chunky, not too smooth.
- Place all fruit/beets in a saucepan.
- Add stevia, water, and pectin.
- Bring to a boil, and boil for 1 minute.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Store in the fridge for up to 7 days. If you want to store it longer than that, follow the directions for canning fruit jams.
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Natalie Monson
I'm a registered dietitian, mom of 4, avid lover of food and strong promoter of healthy habits. Here you will find lots of delicious recipes full of fruits and veggies, tips for getting your kids to eat better and become intuitive eaters and lots of resources for feeding your family.
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On the beet berry jam is there a substitute for stevia? I don’t like any artificial sweetners…don’t like the after taste.
Stevia is not artificial. Stevia is a plant and is a natural sweetener. It comes in various forms like liquid extract or powdered, but you can grow it and grind it yourself too. Again, it is not artificial!
Something else you can do to skip over the pectin and make jam so much better, add chia seeds. It will naturally thicken it without the use of pectin.
Oh my gosh Rachel! That is brilliant! Of course you could. I don’t know why I didn’t think of that, as I have some chia seeds soaking this very second! THANK YOU!!
Julie- I wouldn’t substitute anything at all. It’s plenty sweet without it, and I’ve done both.
You wouldn’t even need to soak the seeds first. I make jam with chia seeds all the time and just mix the raw seeds in with the berries (I add honey), and let it soak for a couple of hours in the fridge. Perfect!
I’m confused. The recipe says 3 cups berries/beet, but from the description it seems more like 4 cups (1 cup each of strawberries, beets, raspberries, and blackberries). I want to try this but REALLY want the right ratio. I’m not a fan of beets and want it hidden from me as well as the kids. 🙂
How can I use chia seeds instead of pectin. I mean quantity, when to add. Please share. I have chia seeds and would like to make the jam without the pectin.
Would you mind explaining how we could substitute the chia seeds here? how much would be needed? I’ve only ever used chia seeds to add to smoothies.
Gargi and Jessi- here is a chia seed jam recipe for you:
http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/blackberry-chia-seed-jam/
Amy, thank you for posting the link. I like your recipe, I guess I will just try adding chia seeds in small quantities and see what works for me. Anyway, thank you for the recipes you have been posting, really appreciate them. I am also loving the hidden veggies recipes.
que es STEVIA y en la ciudad de mexico donde la compro.
Just an FYI 🙂 Stevia is natural. I actually Xylitol (which is also natural) and swap it cup for cup as sugar. Plus Xylitol is great for your oral hygiene 🙂
I have a question about the actual recipe. It states 3 cups mashed berries & beets yet you say you use 1 cup of 3 different berries plus 1 cup of beets. I only ask because of the consistency???
I have a question about the actual recipe. It states 3 cups mashed berries & beets yet you say you use 1 cup of 3 different berries plus 1 cup of beets. I only ask because of the consistency???
I’m guessing it’s the amount before mashing
Yes! After mashing, you want 3 cups total of pureed beets and berries.
I made this and it was a HIT with both my kids, so YAY!! I wanted to know, can I freeze it in a ice cube tray? I have no idea about canning and the jam was a little too much for us to finish in 7 days. Would love to have jam on hand so thought of finding other ways to store it.
Ever consider making your own pectin from apple parings/early hard apples? I usually use apples with other fruits in jams and spreads.
Oh ok thanks, appreciate the info 🙂 Am I to assume that you would use equal amounts of each to make the 3 cups or do you lean towards one fruit over another?
What is the measurement/yield of berries needed to get the 3 cups after they are mashed? Do you mix them together to total the 3 cups? Sounds so good! Thank U!
Does anyone have a good grape jelly/jam recipe? My kids are really picky and like grape jelly but I’m very intrigued with this one. Is there anyway to use grapes in this?!
Same question as above– can I freeze this? We go thru my batches of home-made jam in about a month, will this not keep for that long? I usually make freezer jam.
I haven’t tried it, but many people DO put their jam in the freezer. I’d say go for it! If you do, I’d love for you to report back.
What a great idea @thekla! I haven’t thought of it before, but it seems brilliant.
I used equal amounts Rose.
@kristin, I’m not sure which grapes are the best to use with jam. It looks like this recipe, they use grape juice, rather than grapes: http://creatingnirvanatoday.blogspot.com/2011/10/canning-sugar-free-grape-jelly.html
@Sarah- If you’ve done it before, I bet this recipe would work just as well in the freezer.
Kristin/Amy if you don’t mind my mentioning it I made grape jelly for the first time last year using Bernardin No Sugar Added Pectin and Pure Concord Grape Juice-OMG it was to die for!! And I just discovered this product then as well…love how I can control the sugar amounts! The recipe for the grape jelly and others is on the box.
Thanks Rose! I’m definitely trying it.
Help…. Made this last night and it didn’t jelly-fy! I thought it just needed to cool down (never made jelly or jam before) so I put it in the fridge over night and it is still like a thick sauce (which I think would be great over some tart frozen yogurt!). I really want jam…. Any way to fix this or is it a goner?
Amy- Did you use the no-sugar pectin needed pectin?
No, I couldn’t find that one…. I used the regular one but I only used a little sugar… Could that have done it?
From what I understand Amy- it would make a difference. Traditional pectin uses sugar to bind to the fruit, and if sugar is absent, there will be nothing to “jellify” it.
I used chia seeds and they were good enough to jellify the jam.
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actually this is a good recipe but if you want to make it even healthier, substitute the pectin for chia seeds and it will jell up that way! 🙂
where can i find the receipt for canning the beet jam.
You would want to follow the canning instructions in the pectin box. @Cathy
made this today with strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries. Used chia seeds and fresh vermont maple syrup as substitutes. Came out tasty! The kids asked for it with their yogurt and granola for snack this afternoon!
Sounds good Carrie!
The recipe states “cooked beets”… How do I cook beets? Peel, chop, boil? How long, to what consistency? Looking forward to trying this!
Lynn- just like in baked potatoes, we wrap them in foil, and put them in the oven at about 350 for maybe 45 minutes to one hour! When they are done, we peel and use the inside!
Can you use frozen berries instead of fresh??? I like to freeze my berries when they are in season to have all year long, but would love to make fresh batches of the jam in the winter.
I love using chia seeds instead of pectin to make freezer jam! It adds some omega 3s and protein
Amy, the directions says to add stevia, but it is not listed in the ingredients. How much do you use or are the direction wrong?
Thanks,
Donna
Hi Donna, thank you for catching this omission! The recipe should include 1 teaspoon of stevia. I’ve updated the post.
I love thie beet berry jam….fantastic.
Now that I have tried it, please send me the instructions for canning.
Thanks in advance
Beets are one of the absolute best veggie you can add to your body. For blood pressure and sugar leveling. People should drink a 4oz glass of beet juice every morning.