FREE Blackberry and Mint Jam

Who doesn't like something for free eh? You may have noticed there is an abundance of blackberries around at the moment. The hedgerows and ditches are laden with them. You may even have some in your garden like us. We had so many I decided to make some jam. But I didn't want to overload it with sugar or have it go off too quickly. So I developed the recipe below. Using 3 simple ingredients, 2 of which came from the garden!

I love jam and although it is high in sugar I feel, on occasion. it is a nice addition to a healthy diet. I feel making it yourself is the best way to know there are no preservatives, excess sugar or nasty chemicals. This recipe is also essentially free if you pick the blackberries, have mint in your herb garden and some sugar in your cupboard!

So send the kids out picking blackberries, or spend a lazy evening/weekend picking them yourself. It is free food after all and essentially they are organic!  I really enjoy the zing of the mint in this recipe. It makes it that little bit more interesting.

Ingredients:
300g of Blackberries freshly picked
50-100 g of Sugar or Sugar substitute like Steiva or Honey but please don't use sweeteners like Canderel (the devils nectar)!
1 handful of fresh mint, ideally from your herb garden.

Prep Time:
Less than 5 minutes unless you count the picking of the blackberries!

Cooking Time:
15-30 minutes


Method:
Wash the blackberries thoroughly and ensure all stalks are removed. Place them into a saucepan with some moisture still present. This will help to lubricate and prevent them sticking.
Turn on to a low heat and stir occasionally.
Add in the chopped mint leaves.
Add the sugar, ideally as little as possible. If you are happy with a more runny consistency then add about 50g. If you would prefer a thicker consistency add more.
Stir in the sugar and keep simmering on a low heat until the berries begin to break up and soften.
Allow to simmer for a further 5 minutes to allow the mint to infuse.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool slowly in the pan.
Once cool place into clean jars and seal.

Dietary Information:
Vegan
Vegetarian
Gluten Free
Lower in sugar than shop bought jams
High in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals
Natural and locally grown
Mint aids digestion, reduces nausea and headache, clears congestion of nose, throat and lungs, boosts your mood preventing depression and fatigue as it is a stimulant, and also prevents memory loss. See below for even more benefits!
Blackberries are rich in bioflavonoids and Vitamin C, are very low sodium count and have only 62 calories to a cup. The dark blue colour ensures blackberries have one of the highest antioxidant levels of all fruits

Storage Instructions;
This jam will keep for a considerably long time if stored in an air tight jar in the fridge.

Serving Suggestions:
I love this on some toasted Oat Bread (my recipe for this bread is here) or on some home made pancakes (my recipe for these here). It's also lovely in cakes or with cheese or any way you usually eat jam! Go wild!