Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Ingredients
• How to Make Blueberry Sauce
• What to Serve with Blueberry Sauce
• Tips for Success
• More Blueberry Recipes

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

June 3, 2010 – We’re getting married on a blueberry farm. This weekend. This WEEKEND! Gosh, this thing came fast. Seems like Christmas Eve was just yesterday… the day my guy got down on one knee and popped the question. I didn’t say yes, though. I said “of course!”

Gotta say, I’m psyched the day is here. Yes, yes, I am definitely just ready to get it done with and get on with our lives. But I’m also just dang excited for all the festivities (and the honeymoon!) Plus, I get to marry the most wonderful guy. Bring it on.

So I thought it was appropriate this week to share this recipe for Blueberry Sauce. Not only because there are blueberries involved, but also because we’re going to be serving this sauce over cheesecake for dessert at our reception. (Post-wedding update: It was a huge hit!)

Ingredients

• Blueberries – I’ve only made this blueberry sauce recipe with fresh blueberries, but I’d imagine frozen blueberries will work, too.
• Sugar – I’ve found 2/3 cup sugar to be the sweet spot but like all berries, blueberries can vary in sweetness, so you may want to add more sugar at the end of the recipe once you taste your cooked blueberry sauce.
• Lemon juice & zest – Both zest and juice add a tart, acidic note that really highlights the flavor of the blueberries.
• Water – To help the blueberries cook down.
• Vanilla extract – I like to add a touch of pure vanilla extract to round out the flavors of the blueberry sauce. I think it really adds something special, but if you’re not sure, feel free to leave it out.

How to Make Blueberry Sauce

1. First you’ll want to rinse your blueberries, making sure they’re nice and clean. Pick through them, getting rid of any shriveled or bad berries and any remaining stems.
2. Next, you’ll add the blueberries to a medium saucepan. Add the sugar, lemon juice and zest, and water.
3. Turn the heat to medium-high. Stir occasionally until the ingredients come to a boil.
4. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce thickens, roughly for about 15 – 20 minutes.
5. Remove the blueberry sauce from the heat, then stir in the vanilla. Taste your homemade blueberry sauce and add more sugar if desired (depending on the blueberries and the amount of lemon juice, you may more sugar to balance it out). 
6. Serve warm or cold.

What to Serve with Blueberry Sauce

• Spoon it over cheesecake
• Serve it with buttery classic French toast
• Pour it over fluffy banana pancakes (or really any pancakes!)
• This blueberry sauce recipe is SO good over vanilla ice cream.

Tips for Success

• Blueberry sauce will last in the fridge for around a week. Just keep it in an airtight container.
• To freeze it, cool to room temp then place in a freezer safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

I hope this blueberry sauce recipe is as much of a fave summer recipe for you as it is for us! We make this one yearly with blueberries we’ve picked from our local blueberry farm. Nothing better in the summer!

More Blueberry Recipes

Got blueberries?! Try one of these fresh blueberry recipes.

• Blueberry Lemonade
• Blueberry Milkshake
• Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars
• Blueberry Muffins
• Blueberry French Toast Bake

Print

Blueberry Sauce Recipe

Blueberries, lemon juice, and lemon zest simmer on the stove until thick, delicious, and just right. Perfect over cheesecake, ice cream, pancakes, and more.

Keyword blueberry sauce, blueberry sauce recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 2 cups

Calories 394kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 2 cups blueberries 1 pint or about 3/4 pound
• 2/3 cup sugar
• Zest and juice from one medium lemon about 1 tablespoon of zest and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

• Rinse and pick through the blueberries, discarding any bad berries and stems.
• Pour blueberries in a medium saucepan and stir in the sugar, lemon zest and juice, and water.
• Heat over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture comes to a boil.
• Turn heat down to medium-low, and simmer for about 15 – 20 minutes, until the mixture thickens.
• Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Taste and add more sugar if desired (depending on the blueberries and the amount of lemon juice, you may need a touch more sugar to balance it out).
• Serve warm or cold over cheesecake, ice cream, pancakes, french toast, waffles, or whatever else you dream up. Keeps in the refrigerator, sealed airtight, for several days.

Notes

Storage:

• Blueberry sauce will last in the fridge for around a week. Just keep it in an airtight container.
• To freeze it, cool to room temp then place in a freezer safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

Nutrition

Calories: 394kcal | Carbohydrates: 101g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 185mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 90g | Vitamin A: 128IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg

Originally posted June 3, 2010. Updates made July 3, 2025.

The post Blueberry Sauce Recipe appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Plus, it only takes 3 ingredients, and you can use fresh-picked blueberries in the height of summer, or frozen blueberries any time of year.

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Why You’ll Love This Blueberry Milkshake Recipe
• Ingredients
• Adaptations/Variations
• How to Make Blueberry Milkshakes
• Tips for Success
• Can I Save Leftovers?
• More Blueberry Recipes

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

We are lucky to have the most amazing blueberry farm in the fertile farm valley just a few minutes away from where we live. Most summers, we try to get down there and enjoy an afternoon of blueberry picking.

The problem is, it’s really, REALLY hard to stop. There is something so satisfying about pulling handfuls of perfectly ripe blueberries off of fluffy green bushes.

So we end up with GOBS of blueberries, and an hour later, I’m back in my kitchen with a huge box overflowing with blueberries and I’m like, welp, my life is blueberries now.

But it’s summer, and I’m hot. Why not take a breather and cool down with a frosty, creamy, decadent drink while I’m at it? Blueberry milkshakes to the rescue!

Why You’ll Love This Blueberry Milkshake Recipe

I mean, it’s blueberries and vanilla ice cream. What’s not to love?!

But truly, this blueberry milkshake is super easy to make, with only three ingredients and a bit of time in the blender.

Ingredients

• Blueberries – Fresh or frozen, either will do.
• Vanilla ice cream – Use your fave.
• Milk
• Optional toppings – Whipped cream, fresh mint sprigs, and a few more blueberries

Adaptations/Variations

• Make this blueberry milkshake vegan and dairy-free by swapping in a vegan ice cream and plant-based milk (I’m partial to oat milk in milkshakes because it’s thick and rich).

How to Make Blueberry Milkshakes

Simply place all of the ingredients in your blender, and blend blend blend! Start slowly to get the ingredients moving, then gradually increase the speed. Blend for about 1 minute on high speed until gorgeous, purple, and positively drinkable.

Tips for Success

• For the easiest blending, add the milk first, then the blueberries, then the ice cream. Having the liquid closest to the blades helps get everything moving.
• If the milkshake seems too thick for your blender, here are a few tips to get it moving:
  1. If your blender came with a tamper, then use the tamper to help the mixture blend. If it didn’t, then unplug your blender, use a spatula to scrape the sides, add more milk as close to the base as you can, then try blending again.
  2. Or, you can simply let the mixture melt a little bit and then try blending again. If you don’t have a high speed blender, start with 1 ½ cups frozen, or fresh, blueberries, and then add more as needed.

Can I Save Leftovers?

Milkshakes don’t make great leftovers, because the consistency will change whether you are to put it in the fridge (it’ll melt), or the freezer (it’ll freeze and won’t thaw with the same consistency as before).

More Blueberry Recipes

• Blueberry Lemonade
• Blueberry Smoothie
• Frozen Mini Blueberry Key Lime Pies
• Blueberry Sauce

Print

Blueberry Milkshake Recipe

Pretty, purple, and positively delicious! Juicy blueberries team up with creamy cool vanilla ice cream for a simple milkshake recipe that is as tasty as it is pretty. Recipe makes two large milkshakes or three medium.

Keyword berry milkshake, blueberry milkshake, blueberry milkshake recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Calories 641kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 3 cups vanilla ice cream
• 2 cups blueberries frozen or fresh
• 2 cups milk
• whipped cream optional

Instructions

• Add the ice cream, milk, and blueberries to your blender. Blend on low to get everything moving, then increase to high speed. Mix for about 1 minute, until the milkshake is very well blended. Pour into glasses and top with whipped cream, a couple of additional blueberries, and a sprig of mint if desired.

Notes

Nutrition information does not include whipped cream.

Dairy Free & Vegan Option

Substitute vegan vanilla ice cream and a rich plant-based milk like oat milk. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 641kcal | Carbohydrates: 80g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 116mg | Sodium: 253mg | Potassium: 874mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 68g | Vitamin A: 1309IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 562mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Blueberry Milkshake Recipe appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Whether you’re looking for the perfect Mother’s Day Breakfast idea or just craving tender, fluffy pancakes with loads of fresh fruit inside and out, I’ve got a fruit pancake for you!

From berries to peaches and from apples to bananas, these pancakes with fruit are arguably the BEST way to start your day.

Let’s dig in!

Table of Contents

• Banana Pancakes
• Apple Pancakes
• Berry Pancakes
• Citrus Pancakes
• Stone Fruit Pancakes
• Other Fruit Pancakes
• More Fruit Pancake Goodness

Banana Pancakes

Fluffy Banana Pancakes

Fluffy Banana Pancakes

These easy banana pancakes are sweet, decadent, and SO fluffy! This is the most popular pancake recipe on my website, and I think deservedly so – in my opinion, this is the ultimate banana pancake recipe.

Get the recipe

Banana oat Blender Pancakes

Banana Oat Blender Pancakes

These tender, hearty pancakes are full of flavor but are completely gluten-free AND vegan/dairy-free! Plus, the batter mixes up entirely in the blender. Just add blueberries, blackberries, or strawberries if you want 'em even fruitier. I love this fruit pancake recipe!

Get the recipe

Bananas Foster Pancakes

Bananas Foster Pancakes

If you're looking to level up your banana pancake game, Simply Stacie brings you these caramelized and buttery Bananas Foster Pancakes! These decadent pancakes are surprisingly easy to make.

Get the recipe

Banana Split Pancakes

Banana Split Pancakes

These fluffy and hearty oatmeal pancakes from Peas and Crayons are topped generously with bananas, strawberries, and a scattering of dark chocolate chips. Yum!

Get the recipe

Apple Pancakes

Apple Ring Pancakes

Apple Ring Pancakes

These golden buttery pancakes have whole apple rings baked right inside them! They taste like an apple fritter and are perfect for the apple lovers in the house.

Get the recipe

Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

Homemade Hooplah brings you these buttery, old-fashioned cinnamon pancakes piled high with tender apples in a cinnamon syrup glaze. These apple pancakes are perfect for fall but no way will I confine them to just one season – these are too good!

Get the recipe

German Apple Pancakes

Caramelized German Apple Pancake

Puffy Dutch baby pancakes are made in a skillet – they taste sort of like a cross between a traditional American pancake and a crepe. This version from I Heart Eating, with caramelized apples, lacy golden edges, and a dusting of powdered sugar, levels up the puff pancake for sure!

Get the recipe

Berry Pancakes

Blueberry Pancakes

Blueberry Pancakes

Blueberry pancakes are a classic for a reason, and I Heart Naptime has perfected them! They're fluffy, light, and tender, and generously studded with fresh juicy blueberries.

Get the recipe

Blueberry Lemon Pancakes

Blueberry Lemon Pancakes

Adding tart lemon to blueberry pancakes makes them even better! This version from Quiche My Grits are fluffy, golden, and full of flavor.

Get the recipe

Strawberry Shortcake Pancakes

Strawberry Shortcake Pancakes

Layer buttermilk pancakes with loads of juicy strawberries in the middle, and top generously with whipped cream for a pancake version of strawberry shortcake!

Get the recipe

Strawberry Sheet Pan Pancakes

Strawberry Sheet Pan Pancakes

If you're feeding a crowd or too short on time to be tied to the griddle, these sheet pan pancakes from Recipe Runner are a genius way to get your pancake fix! I love that these are studded with gorgeous juicy strawberries and dusted with powdered sugar. Cut into squares and enjoy!

Get the recipe

Raspberry Swirl Pancakes

Raspberry Swirl Pancakes

These unique pancakes from Chocolates and Chai are a literal twist on the standard fruity pancake! A homemade raspberry syrup is swirled into buttery pancakes right ton the griddle for a unique and tasty raspberry pancake.

Get the recipe

Mixed Berry Dutch Baby Pancake

Mixed Berry Dutch Baby Pancake

This puffy Dutch Baby pancake from Homemade Hooplah brings all the berries together, perfect for the berry lovers in your family.

Get the recipe

Citrus Pancakes

Orange Buttermilk Pancakes

Orange Buttermilk Pancakes

With both the zest and juice from oranges, these citrus pancakes from Muy Bueno are sure to be your morning's bright spot! These tender buttermilk pancakes are so fresh and sunshiney.

Get the recipe

Citrus Poppyseed Almond Flour Pancakes

Citrus Poppy Seed Almond Flour Pancakes

These fluffy gems from The Bojon Gourmet are as gorgeous as they are delicious! They're gluten-free with an easy dairy-free option, super tender, flavored with citrus zest and poppy seeds. So pretty! Garnish with a variety of citrus slices for the most gorgeous presentation.

Get the recipe

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

The combo of lemon and ricotta in these fluffy pancakes from Modern Honey is a sure winner! Serve with lemon curd and whipped cream to take them over the top.

Get the recipe

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Raspberry Syrup

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Raspberry Syrup

Fluffy, lemony pancakes baked buttery and golden brown, with a gorgeous and delicious raspberry syrup drizzle over the top. These pancakes from Christina's Cucina are fruit pancake perfection!

Get the recipe

Key Lime Pie Pancakes

Key Lime Pie Pancakes

Key lime pie for breakfast?! Sign me up! These key lime flavored pancakes from Peas and Crayons are ultra fluffy and so full of bright and zesty flavor.

Get the recipe

Stone Fruit Pancakes

Cherry Pancakes

Cherry Pancakes

Cherries and chocolate come together in a decadent pancake from The Littlest Crumb. With cherries pureed into the batter plus more cherries and chocolate drizzled over the top, these pancakes are over-the-top amazing!

Get the recipe

Peach Pancakes

Peach Pancakes

Summer perfection! Make the best of late summer produce with Slow the Cook Down's peach pancakes. Golden fluffy buttermilk pancakes are stuffed with juicy diced peaches, then served with a dollop of whipping cream. YUM.

Get the recipe

Mango Pancakes

Mango Pancakes

Chisel & Fork brings you a tropical spin on fruit pancakes with these mango pancakes. Fresh mangos are pureed in the batter for mango taste in every bite.

Get the recipe

Other Fruit Pancakes

Cranberry Pancakes

Cranberry Sauce Pancakes

This one's a little out there – I created it many years ago – but I still love it! Leftover cranberry sauce, mixed in with pancake batter, is surprisingly good!

Get the recipe

Hummingbird Pancakes

Hummingbird Pancakes

Hezzi D's Recipe Box brings hummingbird cake flavors to a pancake recipe. Buttery pancakes filled with pineapple and banana, plus praline pecans and pineapple syrup. These fruity pancakes are definitely worthy of a special occasion.

Get the recipe

Fluffy Toasted Coconut Pancakes

Fluffy Coconut Pancakes

If you're looking for a dairy-free fruity pancake, this one's perfect! These fluffy coconut pancakes from Chew Out Loud are full of rich toasted coconut but are a lighter spin on traditional pancakes.

Get the recipe

More Fruit Pancake Goodness

• These Swedish Pancakes are wonderful with jam or just about any kind of fresh fruit you like!
• Just look at all of these fruit pancake recipes on PancakeRecipes.com! Yummm.
• These Protein Pancake Bowls from The View From Great Island are a unique twist on pancakes, and you can add any fruit you want!

The post 25+ Fruit Pancake Recipes appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

This one is perfect for spring and summer – take advantage of those fresh berries! But honestly, I use frozen berries as much as fresh, which basically means I eat this all year long.

The Story Behind the Recipe

As a certified oatmeal lover (totally a thing), I’ve done overnight oats and baked oatmeal, but never a hybrid of the two. But when listening to the A Beautiful Mess podcast, they mentioned their overnight baked oatmeal recipes – and obviously I had to try it. I was inspired by their Overnight Baked Blueberry Muffin Oatmeal, and wanted to give the overnight/berry/oatmeal/baked situation a try pretty much immediately.

I decided to add to the berry equation (more berries is always a good thing, right?!) But I skipped any sort of streusel topping which is absolutely delightful in baked oatmeal recipes but I also like to keep it as easy as possible and super simple (read: I’m lazy). Though if you’re like me you might fancy it up a smidge with a few fresh berries thrown over the top + a last-minute dusting of powdered sugar.

Then we ate a lot of it. And I finally decided to share the recipe with you all. That’s my fascinating overnight baked oatmeal story and I’m sticking to it!

Overnight Berry Baked Oatmeal Ingredients

The list of ingredients for this overnight baked oatmeal is pretty short and simple. We’ve got:

• Oats
• Berries (I usually use two or three of the following: Blueberries, chopped strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and/or marionberries)
• Milk (I use oat milk or almond milk to keep it dairy free)
• Baking powder for a bit of lift
• An egg
• Pure maple syrup
• Vanilla

That’s it!

Making This Overnight Oatmeal

This overnight baked oatmeal takes maybe five minutes to whip up – I love that it’s so hands off. Then, cover it up, place it in the fridge, warm up the oven in the morning, and bake it. So, so, so super easy.

Simply whisk all of the ingredients together except the berries, then stir the berries in.

After that, pour the mix into an 8×8 pan.

Cover that and chill it in the fridge overnight. The oats soak up the liquid, getting soft and creamy and making for the perfect texture once baked.

More Overnight Breakfasts

Overnight breakfasts are a meal-prepper’s dream! I also love them on busy holiday mornings. Here are some more overnight breakfast recipes to try:

• Egg strata is one of my faves – this chiles relleno version is unique, and I love this mushroom and swiss dish.
• Mmm, overnight French toast. Yessss. Here’s a baked blueberry overnight French toast, and here’s a caramel pecan version. Both such a good way to start your day.
• Starbucks used to have this incredible overnight grains in a creamy coconut base with strawberries and almonds. This is my copycat version and one of the more popular recipes on Kitchen Treaty these days!
• If you prefer to stick to oats, here’s a Crockpot overnight oats recipe that’s absolutely delicious. Or PB&J overnight oats in a jar!

More Oatmeal Recipes

• Strawberry & Toasted Almond Overnight Oats (Starbucks copycat!)
• Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal 
• Mango Oatmeal
• Apple Gingerbread Oatmeal
• Slow Cooker Pumpkin Oatmeal
• Carrot Cake Oatmeal
• PB&J Overnight Oats
• Blueberry Oatmeal

Print

Overnight Baked Berry Oatmeal

Juicy berries baked up in hearty, creamy, lightly sweetened oatmeal. The ultimate meal-prep breakfast, just plop it in the oven in the morning and breakfast is ready before you know it.

Course Breakfast

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

25 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 229kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

Oatmeal

• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened plain oat milk or your favorite milk; I like almond milk too
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 cups berries* fresh or frozen; blueberries, strawberries (diced), raspberries, blackberries and/or marionberries

Optional toppings

• 1/2 cup assorted fresh berries
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
• Cream, half and half, or additional milk poured over individual servings, if desired

Instructions

The night before:

• Into a large mixing bowl, add the oat milk, egg, maple syrup, and vanilla. Whisk until blended. Pour in the oats and baking powder. Mix together. With a spatula, fold in the berries.
• Pour into an 8"x8" baking pan. Cover with foil or plastic wrap to protect.

The next morning:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove oatmeal from the refrigerator and remove cover. Bake uncovered until it is set and no longer jiggles, about 25 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes. To serve, sprinkle with additional fresh berries and dust with powdered sugar if desired. Cut into squares and serve with cream.

Notes

Berry Notes

My fave is a mix of 1 cup blueberries, 1 cup diced strawberries, and 1/2 cup raspberries

Adapted from/inspired by A Beautiful Mess

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 229kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 113mg | Potassium: 216mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 196IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 162mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Overnight Berry Baked Oatmeal appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

There’s a joke here in the Pacific Northwest that summer doesn’t start until after the Fourth of July. Usually that’s true, weather wise, but this year we’ve had some surprisingly sunny days in May and June.

I’ll take it.

Today I’m sharing one of my favorite parts of summer and the Fourth of July: Food in red, white, and blue. I mean, it’s important to eat patriotically, am I right?

It’s our civic duty.

Here, we’ve got a super simple red, white, and blue situation. It hardly warrants a recipe, but sometimes the simplest ideas resonate the most, so here we are.

For these granola parfaits, we’ve got strawberries, blueberries, vanilla yogurt (vegan if you prefer), and granola.

And then a few star-shaped strawberries for topping, because America!

I love that this parfait makes for a super easy, fruit-packed, satisfying breakfast. I’m actually thinking I’m going to want to do this patriotic thing all year long.

Print

Granola Parfait

So easy, it doesn't really need a recipe, but here it is! Strawberries, blueberries, granola, and yogurt (vegan if you prefer), layered up and decorated with star-shaped strawberries. I'm seeing fireworks!

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 1 parfait

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup chopped strawberries about 6 medium strawberries
• 1/3 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 5-ounce container vanilla yogurt (or vegan yogurt)
• 1/3 cup of your favorite granola

Optional garnish:

• The sides of a large strawberries sliced off and cut with a tiny star-shaped cookie cutter
• 4-5 extra blueberries

Equipment:

• 1 12-ounce glass or mason jar (I love these quilted mason jars for parfaits [affiliate link])

Instructions

• Add half the granola to your cup or jar, then half the strawberries and blueberries. Spoon half the yogurt over the top. Layer again with granola, then berries, then remaining yogurt. Top with star-shaped strawberries and blueberries if desired. Serve with a long spoon.

The post Simple Granola Parfait with Yogurt & Berries appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Packed with omega-3s, chia seeds can soak up about 10 times their size and weight in liquid. Which is not only intriguing, but convenient, too! Because they develop a gelatinous coating after soaking in all of that liquid, and that makes chia seeds a most excellent thickener.

Just look to this plant-based powerhouse when you want to create a unique and healthy spin on puddings, smoothies, and – yep, you guessed it …

Chia Seed Jam!

ESPECIALLY jam.

Why Try Making Chia Seed Jam?

Chia seed jam is one of my favorite ways to enjoy summer berries and stone fruits.With just fruit, a surprisingly small amount of sweetener, and chia seeds, you can make a delicious and healthy “jam” that you can enjoy now or stash in the freezer for later.

No pectin, no hours of stirring, no cup after cup of sugar, no praying to the jam gods that your batch doesn’t fail. (In fact, it doesn’t need any sugar at all to gel!)

If you’ve never made it before, you might just be shocked and awed by chia seed jam and all of its awesomeness.

The only downside is, in my opinion, the fact that you can see the chia seeds in it – that might bother a few folks. That photo above, for instance, is strawberry chia seed jam. It looks like raspberry jam with those seeds, but nope!

One thing you can do is puree your jam to help smooth it out a bit. But here in our house, we don’t mind the seeds.

So are you ready to learn how to can make chia seed jam? Let’s do this thing! First, I’ll share my basic formula for chia seed jam; then, I’ll break it down step-by-step.

The Formula for Chia Seed Jam

The general formula I start from when making chia seed jam is:

• 1 pound fruit 
• 1/4 cup sweetener (optional)
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds

From there, I might add a bit more sweetener or more chia seeds to get the right sweetness and thickness. It all depends on the type of fruit you use, but this formula always gets me pretty close.

Step-by-Step Guide to Making Chia Seed Jam

1. Prepare Your Fruit

Sort through your fruit or berries and make sure it’s in good shape – not underripe or past its prime. Wash, hull, and quarter strawberries if you like; clean blueberries and discard any stems; peel, pit, and dice stone fruit. You get the gist.

2. Cook the Fruit

Add your fruit of choice and sweetener (if using) to a pan over medium heat. I like adding about 1/4 cup of honey or pure maple syrup per 1 pound of fruit as mentioned above. You can start with no sweetener at all if you think your fruit is sweet enough and add it later on too, but if the fruit seems too dry on its own, just add a small splash of water to get the cooking process going. (Have I mentioned this jam is super unfussy?)

Bring the fruit to a boil and let it cook until it liquifies, about 5 to 15 minutes, depending on the fruit. If needed, carefully mash the fruit with a potato masher or fork until it’s at a consistency that looks good to you.

At this point, you can taste your jam and see if you want to add a bit of sweetener. Add it in and stir until it tastes just right. And then …

3. Add Chia Seeds

Stir in two tablespoons of those glorious chia seeds and remove from the heat. And then? Just let it sit so that the chia seeds can work their magic, transforming into an incredible fruit spread.

After about 10 minutes, your chia seed jam should have thickened up fairly well (and keep in mind that it will continue to thicken as it cools). But if the jam seems a bit thin, just add another tablespoon of chia seeds and let it sit for another 10 minutes until thick. Don’t worry – it’s really hard to screw this stuff up!

4. Cool, Store, and Enjoy!

Eat your chia seed jam just like you would any other jam. I love a dollop of chia seed jam on top of my oatmeal or swirled into yogurt.

And, of course, slathered on a big ol’ slice of bread.

Yummm.

To store your jam, place it in an airtight jar with a lid and refrigerate for up to two weeks.

And that’s it! Are you a convert like I am? I’d love to hear how you like it – scroll on down and leave a comment and rating below!

And here’s the printable recipe.

Print

Chia Seed Jam

No fuss, no muss – this fruit spread is so easy to make and nearly impossible to screw up. Plus, it’s fresher tasting, calls for very little sugar, contains nutritional-powerhouse chia seeds, and have I mentioned it is SO EASY?!

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 20

Calories 26kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1 pound fruit strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, plums, pears, peaches, or a mix!
• 1/4 cup sweetener of choice I like honey, pure maple syrup [grade A], and agave syrup more or less to taste*
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds

Instructions

• Clean fruit, removing stems/seeds as needed, and cutting into smaller pieces if large.
• Place a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the fruit and sweetener (if using – start with a little; you can always add more later). If you’re not using sweetener and your fruit is relatively dry, try adding a small splash of water to get the fruit going.
• Heat fruit, stirring occasionally, until it comes to a boil. Let it continue to boil until it begins to break down and form a sauce, 5-15 minutes depending on your fruit. If nccessary, carefully mash fruit with a fork or potato masher until it reaches the consistency you’d like.
• Taste and add more sweetener if desired, a little at a time.
• Stir in the chia seeds and remove from heat. Let sit until thick, about 10 minutes. If it seems a little too thin, stir in another tablespoon of chia seeds and let it sit for another 10. minutes. (Keep in mind that he jam will continue to thicken as it cools.)
• To store, place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to two weeks. Can also be frozen for up to two months.

Notes

Nutrition information calculated using strawberries and honey.

* I’ve also made this without any sweetener at all – it all depends on your taste and the type of fruit you use!

Preservation note:

I do not recommend canning this jam – I don’t know how much the chia seeds might throw off the pH of the jam which, in a nutshell, could lead to bad things. I do like to keep small batches in the freezer to pull out once summer is long gone.

Nutrition

Calories: 26kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 0.4g | Saturated Fat: 0.04g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.04g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 42mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 3IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 0.2mg

The post How to Make Chia Seed Jam with Any Fruit You Have appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Ingredients
• Adaptations/Variations
• How to Make Summer Fruit Salad
• Tip for Success
• More Fruit Recipes

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

Not much of an exciting story, here! Basically, I’ve always loved making fruit salads with creamy yogurt-based dressings, and I thought few summery fruits tossed in a light, citrusy dressing would be perfect for the season … and for some reason, I’d been into poppyseeds lately – especially the lemon poppyseed combo.

So I stirred some lemon zest, lemon juice, and poppyseeds along with a vanilla yogurt … just as I suspected! YUM.

Then, I tossed in a bunch of fresh fruit, and yep. So good.

The end of an ultra-exciting story about how I developed this summer fruit salad.

(Seriously, though, you need to try this).

Ingredients

For the summer fruit salad:

• Pineapple – I like to use fresh pineapple, but canned will work in a pinch instead.
• Honeydew melon – I love juicy honeydew in this salad, and the pale green is so pretty.
• Red grapes – Seedless please! Green will work, too.
• Nectarines – Juicy nectarines scream “summer!” Peeled peaches will work too.
• Plums – The summery stone fruit is juicy and perfect in this summer fruit salad.
• Blueberries – I love the color and sweet burst of flavor that blueberries add.

For the creamy lemon poppyseed dressing:

• Vanilla yogurt – Your favorite dairy or non-dairy vanilla yogurt.
• Lemon juice & zest – Zest your lemon with a microplane grater, then cut it in half and juice it. Done!
• Poppyseeds

Adaptations/Variations

Honestly, while I adore the combo listed above, you can add whatever summer fruits you like to this one! Swap in blackberries, cantaloupe, green grapes, peaches … sky’s the limit.

For the dressing, make it dairy-free & vegan by simply swapping in a dairy-free yogurt.

How to Make Summer Fruit Salad

First, mix up the dressing by whisking together the yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, and poppyseeds.

Lemon poppyseed fruit salad dressing being mixed up with a whisk.

Add all your fruit to a big bowl and drizzle the dressing over the top. Toss and enjoy!

Tip for Success

• Keep the dressing and fruit separate until right before serving. This helps keep the fruit crisp and fresh.

More Fruit Recipes

• Fall Fruit Salad
• Overnight Berry Baked Oatmeal
• Strawberry Chia Jam
• Strawberry Salsa
• Berry Yogurt Parfaits
• Raspberry Lemonade Smoothie

Print

Summer Fruit Salad

Super fresh and easy! Juicy summer fruits tossed in a zingy, lemony yogurt dressing.

Course Salad

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 142kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

Dressing:

• 2/3 cup vanilla yogurt about 5 ounces
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon poppyseeds

Fruit Salad:

• 1 1/2 cups pineapple cubed
• 1 cup honeydew melon cubed
• 1/2 cup red grapes halved
• 2 ripe nectarines pitted and cubed
• 1 black or red plum pitted and cubed
• 1/3 cup blueberries

Garnishes:

• Thinly sliced lemon
• Fresh mint

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, add the yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, and poppyseeds. Stir with a whisk to combine.
• Add the fruit. Toss gently with a spatula to coat the fruit with the yogurt dressing. Pour into your serving bowl and garnish with a couple of lemon slices and a few fresh mint leaves if desired. Serve.

Notes

Vegan option:

Substitute a dairy-free/vegan vanilla yogurt. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 142kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 45mg | Potassium: 433mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 387IU | Vitamin C: 47mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Summer Fruit Salad appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Just a refresher – I don’t eat meat and I can’t eat dairy, but I do eat eggs. I still cook meat for my husband and daughter. So basically, we’re all over the place.

I have been wanting to expand my culinary horizons for quite awhile, but traditional culinary school didn’t make sense for me at this point in my life. So I opted for this online program, and I’m so glad I did. I’ve learned a ton – not just about plant-based cooking, but about cooking in general. And I’m so excited to take this knowledge and apply it to past and future recipes – both plant-based and omnivore-friendly. Plus, I am so inspired! I have so many recipe ideas swirling around that my head is spinning.

But back to the party!

I developed and served five “small bite” recipes that I was really proud of. Like, really really proud of. My wonderful friends and family – most carnivores (one may or may not have eaten a steak before coming over – hi Megan! Love you!) enthusiastically dove in to watermelon and tofu feta skewers, cucumber slices with raw sunflower seed pate, Bloody Mary gazpacho shooters, a basil-oil-drizzled summer risotto, and, finally, these vegan key lime pies.

(Note I barely had time to take photos of each recipe for my course, and didn’t take ANY pics of the party itself – a bit of a fail but, I guess, ultimate proof I was having too much fun.)

I adore every single one of these recipes, and of course I am looking forward to sharing some with you. And, so, we’re going with dessert first. Because why not?

These Frozen Mini Blueberry Key Lime Pies start with an unusual base. I loved telling my friends that they have avocado and cashews in them – not something most people would expect in a dessert, but oh, the glorious outcome.

Dreamy, creamy, zingy, refreshing, decadent. These aren’t just my favorite vegan dessert ever, I think I have to say they’re my favorite dessert ever.

I was inspired by this absolutely freaking stunning key lime pie from Yummy Mummy Kitchen. I followed her lead by using soaked cashews, avocado, loads of lime juice, lime zest, and agave nectar. I also added a good dose of coconut cream – you know, that delicious stuff skimmed off the top of cans of coconut milk.

Puree, puree, puree.

Glorious.

I poured most of the key lime pie base over little graham cracker crusts in muffin tins, but reserved a bit to blend with a handful of blueberries from the garden. Then I swirled it on the top. So pretty! And a little messy. Because I’m me.

After these babies have been frozen, you simply pull them out of the freezer for a few minutes, peel off the wrapper, garnish if desired, and serve.

You can eat ’em with a fork, you can eat ’em with your hands, you can eat ’em … I don’t know, I thought I was going to have a Dr. Seuss moment but I lost it. Probably a good thing.

Garnish with fresh blueberries and even a bit of candied lime peel if you like (I did for the party, because I felt like being extra fancy and stuff).

Seriously, these vegan key lime pies are the perfect party dessert, because all you have to do is pull them out of the freezer, garnish, serve, and get back to drinking wine with your guests. Which is exactly what I did – the school said I had to, after all, and I am nothing if not an obedient student.

The post Frozen Mini Blueberry Key Lime Pies appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

We’ve all seen these cakes, right? A staple of Independence Day barbecues everywhere, these cakes feature white frosting with rows of strawberries forming the stripes and blueberries in a square in the upper left.

Right around this time of year, every year, I have a jonesing to make a red, white, and blue dessert. One of these fancy-schmancy American flag cakes is always one of the first things to come to mind, though I never quite get around to it. Because lazy. But this year, I was determined to make it happen.

But because I don’t eat dairy, I wanted to make a version that could easily be made vegan. So I started with a wacky cake base. Wacky cake is that classic depression-era chocolate cake that’s already vegan because it’s made without milk and eggs. (We actually grew up calling it crazy cake, and it was my very favorite dessert. Yummmm … just warm-out-of-the-oven square of crazy cake with a generous dollop of Cool Whip … okay, I’m back.)

When you make this American flag cake, you start with flour, baking soda, cocoa powder, and sugar. Then, make indentations in the dry ingredients and add vinegar, oil, vanilla, and water and stir it all together.

I wanted this cake to be big so there would be room for all those strawberry stripes. So I spread a big ol’ batch of wacky cake batter into a large rimmed baking pan and baked it all up, Texas sheet cake style.

After it cools, we’ve got that buttercream (seen in a big giant pile up there).

This is where the vegan substitution comes in, if you like – just swap out the butter for Earth Balance sticks, use plant-based milk, adjust the powdered sugar if needed, and there you go. A vegan American flag cake! Because vegans should get to eat flag cake too.

After spreading out and smoothing that glorious layer of buttercream (this one was made with Earth Balance and looks incredible, right? It is!)

Anyway, after smoothing out the buttercream, I like to mark the upper third of the cake. This is where the blueberries will go; strawberry stripes, all around that.

I also like to use my offset spatula to draw “stripe” lines in the cake (bonus: this also helps to smooth out any errors or strawberry-row adjustments you had to make along the way). But the lines are totally optional.

Because it’s made in a shallow sheet pan, this makes a cute, thin little cake. I love it this way – more area on the top means more berries. And the berries + the vanilla buttercream + the moist chocolate cake = deee-eee-eeee-llllicious.

I wasn’t quite sure what to name this thing, by the way. I wanted to pay homage to the wacky cake base, and I was really tempted to call this a Wacky American Flag Cake. We Americans can own our personal wackiness as well as our wacky cake, right? As I was discussing the name with my guy, our 5-year-old piped in.

“Hey, I know what to call it!”

“What?”

“A blertren!”

Um. American Flag Sheet Cake it was. A bit boring, but less potentially offensive overall – and just a bit more descriptive than “blertren.”

Happy Fourth of July!

Oh, and thank you to my gal for her assistance making the cake and thanks to my guy for being willing to model it. 🙂

More Sheet Pan Recipes

• Sheet Pan Tofu & Veggies
• Sheet Pan Vegetarian Breakfast Hash
• Crispy Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Veggies & Sausage

Print

American Flag Sheet Cake

Moist chocolate sheet cake smothered in vanilla buttercream and decorated with berries. This festive flag cake is as cute as it is delicious. The cake itself is already vegan; the buttercream can easily be made vegan too!

Prep Time 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Author Kare

Ingredients

Chocolate wacky cake base:

• 2  cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2  cup cocoa powder
• 1 1/2  teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt or table salt
• 2  teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2  tablespoons white vinegar or cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil or melted coconut oil
• 1 1/2 cups water

Vanilla buttercream:

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature 1 cup) (or Earth Balance buttery sticks for vegan version
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons milk

Berry topping:

• 6 ounces about 1 cup or 1/2 pint fresh blueberries, washed and dried
• 32 ounces about 6 cups, 2 pounds, or 2 1/2 pints fresh strawberries, washed, hulled, halved, and patted dry

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 13″ x 18″ rimmed baking sheet – spray with your favorite non-stick spray or wipe down with a bit of oil.
• In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir with a whisk or a wooden spoon to combine.
• Using the back of a wooden spoon, make three indents in the flour mixture. Into one indent, pour the vanilla. Into the second, pour the vinegar. Into the third, add the oil. Pour the water over the top. Stir well until combined.
• Spread the batter in the baking sheet and, using an offset spatula, spread the batter to the edges of the pan, making it as level as possible. Bake for 14-17 minutes; until the sides have pulled away from the edge a bit and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Pull the cake out of the oven and set on a wire rack to cool completely.
• While the cake cools, make the buttercream frosting. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, whip the butter until smooth. Add a cup of powdered sugar and mix in at low speed. Add remaining powdered sugar, a cup at a time, and mix until smooth. Add the vanilla and the milk. Mix until smooth and an easily spreadable consistency. If too thick, add more milk – just a teaspoon at a time, as it thins out easily. If too thin, add more powdered sugar.
• Once the cake is completely cool, frost it with the buttercream – simply smooth it all over the top in a thin, even layer.
• Now, it’s time to decorate! Visually divide the cake into thirds and, in the top third, fill in with rows of blueberries. Add rows of halved strawberries next; the amount of stripes depends on the size of your strawberries, so just eyeball it, and if you need to adjust the berries, you can use the tip of the offset spatula or the tip of a spoon to create stripes in between the rows of berries.
• Serve as soon as possible; it can be made ahead of time, but the strawberries will probably start to leak after awhile, so keep that in mind.

Notes

Make ahead: You can bake the sheet cake ahead of time (just cover with plastic wrap and keep at room temp until you’re ready to frost). I recommend frosting and adding the berries as close to serving time as possible. The sugar in the frosting brings out some of the juices in the berries, so if it sits for awhile, the strawberries start leaking a bit.

Vegan/dairy-free option:

The cake recipe is already vegan; to make the frosting vegan, use Earth Balance for the butter and almond or soy milk instead of dairy milk.

The post American Flag Sheet Cake appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

I almost called them “Healthier Blueberry Muffins,” because surely we can all agree that these are healthier than the typical cupcake-masquerading-as-a-muffin. But I went ahead with “healthy.” Hey, at least I didn’t call them “skinny!” Note: I have totally done this before.

Anyway, even if we can’t agree on that, I guarantee we can all agree that I need new muffin pans. This is just downright embarrassing.

So let’s get back to focusing on the muffins, shall we?

Without a doubt, we’re huge on muffins around here. So I’m big on trying to make these convenient little snack cakes healthier than the average bear, er, muffin. I like to throw a few healthy goodies in there (see: flaxseed meal and wheat germ) along with the just plain tasty stuff (blueberries! Which are, bonus, also healthy!)

Applesauce is a miracle ingredient when it comes to baked goods, and I love to use it in muffins. It adds heft, natural sweetness, and a wonderful moist quality. So these have a full cup of the stuff in there – but they don’t taste like apple at all.

Next, I nixed granulated sugar for honey (I’ve made these with pure maple syrup too – also great). And no vegetable oil or butter here – just a smidge of coconut oil.

These are a tad less sweet and definitely less cakey than, say, a bakery-bought blueberry muffin. These are moist – almost heavy, but in a good way – and totally feel like a hearty breakfast or snack instead of a guilty pleasure.

(more…)

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