My naturally sweetened Strawberry Jam is more like a preserve as it has lumps of fruit in it. It's not only delicious as a spread but it can be used as a topping for pancakes, dairy-free ice cream and coconut yoghurt or it can be used as a filling in a flan or tart. This is a great recipe to use up your overripe strawberries.
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Wash the strawberries in a bowl of water with the vinegar (the vinegar helps preserve the strawberries for longer and also washes off any sprays). Pat the strawberries dry with paper towels and then roughly chop.
Add the strawberries and lemon juice to a saucepan and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Spoon in the honey and stir through. Simmer for a further 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, add the 2 tablespoons of water to a cup or small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the water, allow to sit to soften for one minute. Now add 2 - 3 tablespoons of the hot strawberry liquid from the saucepan to the gelatin mixture and mix well to dissolve the gelatin. Add to the saucepan and stir through quickly for 1 - 2 minutes and turn off the heat.
Allow the jam to cool before spooning into sterilised jars. The jam will thicken once chilled.
Store the strawberry jam sealed in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. The jam can also be frozen in sealed glass containers or in serving sizes in ice block trays for up to 3 months (place frozen ice blocks in sealed bags).
Strawberries are loved for their aroma, bright red colour, juicy texture and sweetness. They are easy to grow in your home garden. Strawberries freeze well, use frozen in smoothies and desserts. They are an excellent source of vitamin C, contain folate and potassium, high in fibre, plus they provide anticancer bioflavonoids. To keep your strawberries fresh for several weeks, wash in a bowl with water and 1 tablespoon of vinegar, don't rinse, lay on paper towel to dry and place in a seal container in the fridge. Organic is best.
Use freshly squeezed lemon juice. Most store bought lemon juice containers preservatives.
Use unrefined or raw honey. It is the most common natural sweetener in my recipes. It's best to buy local unprocessed honey as it has wonderful health benefits and can help with allergies. Generally honey sold in supermarkets has been processed. Honey possesses antiseptic and antibacterial properties.
Ensure you use unflavoured grass-fed gelatin in my recipes. ‘Great Lakes’ is a good brand, it's made from Kosher grass-fed beef. When using gelatin to thicken desserts, use the Great Lakes red carton. The green carton (which is cold water-soluble and does not thicken) I use to add to smoothies and drinks for extra protein. Another brand I like is Zint which I purchase online from iherb. Gelatin is pure collagen protein, which is good for bone and joint care. It is also excellent for skin, hair and nails (helps the wrinkles from the inside).
I feel it's much better for our health if we filter our water. Our tap water contains disinfectants, chlorine and chloramine. Also floride is add which I believe is toxin to our bodies.