In Utah, we are celebrating the entrance of the Pioneers into the Salt Lake Valley 1847. It is a family heritage that is remembered every 24 of July. These ancestors brought their culture and traditions into the barren desert to start a new life for them and their families. When trying to farm in the desert and prepare for winter, many traditional practices were used. Drying meats, canning vegetables, and preserving fruits as jam.
Little did they know - before the days of Nutella, easy cheese, and "I can't believe it's not butter"- jam can be a tasty, sweet addition to a meal while not a negative addition to our health. Simple homemade jam preserves fruit to last for months or even up to a year. All the benefits you can get from fresh, ripe fruit can serve you just as well in the winter months as in the summer.
Berries are commonly used in making jams. They are high in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. What does that mean for our health? It means that berries can decrease the effects of aging and help prevent chronic disease like diabetes, cancer, obesity, and arthritis. They can also improve the health of your hair and nails!
That is some of the benefits of what is in jam. Some of the benefits come from what is not in jam. Jam does not add to high cholesterol levels in our bodies. It helps curb cravings and aids in weight management. Health benefits will be the most potent when making fresh jam yourself! Summer months are the most opportune time to make jam when all the summer fruits are ripe. This is when fruit is the most nutritious. It has the most vitamins and antioxidants, it is the sweetest, and it will be soft for smashing up into the perfect jam.
The fewer ingredients in jam mean that there are going to be less preservatives, less high fructose corn syrup, and more natural fruit to benefit your health. Jam does contain a lot of sugar and should be eaten in moderation.
Quick n' Easy Red Raspberry Freezer Jam
Preparation time: 1 hour
Total time: 1 hour + 24 hours to set
Yield: 7 cups
Ingredients:
Directions:
*Recipe from Christine Christensen
Little did they know - before the days of Nutella, easy cheese, and "I can't believe it's not butter"- jam can be a tasty, sweet addition to a meal while not a negative addition to our health. Simple homemade jam preserves fruit to last for months or even up to a year. All the benefits you can get from fresh, ripe fruit can serve you just as well in the winter months as in the summer.
Berries are commonly used in making jams. They are high in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. What does that mean for our health? It means that berries can decrease the effects of aging and help prevent chronic disease like diabetes, cancer, obesity, and arthritis. They can also improve the health of your hair and nails!
That is some of the benefits of what is in jam. Some of the benefits come from what is not in jam. Jam does not add to high cholesterol levels in our bodies. It helps curb cravings and aids in weight management. Health benefits will be the most potent when making fresh jam yourself! Summer months are the most opportune time to make jam when all the summer fruits are ripe. This is when fruit is the most nutritious. It has the most vitamins and antioxidants, it is the sweetest, and it will be soft for smashing up into the perfect jam.
The fewer ingredients in jam mean that there are going to be less preservatives, less high fructose corn syrup, and more natural fruit to benefit your health. Jam does contain a lot of sugar and should be eaten in moderation.
Quick n' Easy Red Raspberry Freezer Jam
Preparation time: 1 hour
Total time: 1 hour + 24 hours to set
Yield: 7 cups
Ingredients:
- 6 cups ripe red raspberries (3 cups crushed)
- 5 1/4 cups sugar
- 1 package MCP Premium Fruit Pectin
Directions:
- Crush raspberries. If desired, press half the crushed fruit through sieve to remove seeds.
- Use dry measuring cup to measure exact amount of prepared fruit into large bowl.
- Measure exact amount of sugar into large bowl with dry measuring cup. (Do not reduce the sugar or use sugar substitutes since this will result in set failures.)
- Stir Fruit Pectin into fruit. Mix thoroughly. Set aside 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to dissolve pectin thoroughly.
- Stir in sugar gradually. Stir constantly until sugar is completely dissolved and no longer grainy.
- Pour into prepared containers, leaving 1/2 inch space at top of each for expansion during freezing; cover and seal with lids.
- Let stand at room temperature 24 hours or until set. Refrigerate up to 3 weeks. Or, freeze up to 1 year. If frozen, thaw in refrigerator before using.
*Recipe from Christine Christensen
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