December 12, 2018

Super Easy Raspberry Jam

Name: Super Easy Raspberry Jam
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen); 1/2 cup powdered sweetener ((e.g. Lakanto Powdered Monk Fruit Sweetener)); 1 tbsp lemon juice; 1 tsp gelatin

This recipe for raspberry jam comes together in minutes and is just as delicious as the kind sweetened with cups and cups of sugar. Instead of pectin, it is made with gelatin, which has a host of health benefits.

BENEFITS OF GELATIN

Homemade jam (including this delicious raspberry jam) is a great way to get in your gelatin. If you haven’t gotten into gelatin yet, you should! It is a protein made of a combination of amino acids that help the body build connective tissue and repair and maintain weakened cartilage. Our body produces connective tissue naturally, but after age 25 our bodies start to lose this ability and we have trouble repairing connective tissue, bones, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, skin tissue, hair and nails.

Adding 2 tbsp per day of gelatin (or collagen) to your diet helps your body repair itself like a 25 year old again.

I am talking about the good stuff though, not the pork gelatin they use in Jello! I buy this brand, which uses cows from the Andes mountains that are traditionally raised and forage on the grasslands. Their gelatin has no traces of pesticides, herbicides, steroids, antibiotics or hormones. You can also get the same benefits from hydrolyzed collagen, which is odourless and tasteless and dissolves in water (it doesn’t gel like gelatin does), so you can add that kind to any drink or food and just mix it in.

For another delicious way to get your gelatin, try my spicy cinnamon heart gummy candy recipe.

Spicy Cinnamon Heart Gummy Candy: A Healthy Alternative to Halloween Treats

Raspberry jam is my favourite because it is a bit sweet and a bit tart at the same time. And it goes nicely with both sweet and savoury foods. The classic pairing is peanut butter, for obvious reasons, but I also add this jam to a cheese tray because it is delicious on a cracker with a slice of creamy brie!

I love super simple recipes and this is a good one! It has only 4 ingredients: raspberries (frozen or fresh), lemon juice, sweetener and gelatin. If you get one of the big cans of gelatin it will last you forever and you will be able to whip up a batch of this delicious raspberry jam on a whim!

Sugar-Free Sweeteners

Since this recipe calls for a small amount of sweetener, you can use sugar and not feel too guilty about it. Or if you want a paleo version, raw honey works great.

But I usually go for one of my favourite natural sweeteners: erythritol, xylitol or monk fruit (e.g. Lakanto Powdered Monk Fruit Sweetener).

If you use erythritol, it does crystallize a little bit after sitting in the fridge for a while, but you can just stir it before using and break the crystals down. I don’t find it to be a problem.

The first step is gently simmering the raspberries on the stove to break them down and melt any ice if you are using frozen berries. Mix in the sweetener and stir until it is all combined.

Combine the lemon juice and gelatin in a small bowl and let sit until it solidifies. Turn off the heat and add lemon juice and gelatin and stir until combined.

Pour into a jar and let it set up in the fridge. It takes half an hour or so to turn to jam. Magic.

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