How about starting your day with whole grain toast spread with a super-nutritious homemade jam!

Some mornings, you just want to enjoy the simple things in life… such as warm whole grain toast with a spread of sweet fruit jam.

Toast and jam can be a quick and easy on-the-go breakfast OR even the perfect slow and easy morning combo of your morning cup a Joe and favorite TV show or newspaper.

But did you know that you can easily make your own jam from fresh seasonal produce and omega-3 packed chia seeds? Berries, peaches, and nectarines are sweet and delicious fruits to make into jams, as featured in this week’s recipe, Nectarine Chia Seed Jam.

If you find your toast and jam don’t fill you up in the morning and you are hungry an hour later, add a source of protein to your meal. Examples of protein to eat or drink with toast: 1 oz of raw almonds or walnuts, a spread of nut/seed butter with your jam (peanut butter, almond butter, sunflower seed butter), egg whites (fried egg white, egg white omelet/scramble), non-fat Greek yogurt, 8 fl oz fruit and vegetable smoothie with a scoop of protein powder, soy milk, or Greek yogurt, or simply a cup of soy milk.

Nectarine Chia Seed Jam Recipe 

A jam with no sugar added and no cooking is needed! Chia seeds absorb the juices from the fruit and create a similar consistency to a jam that has been heated on the stove.

Yield: 8 Servings (1 Tablespoon per serving)

Ingredients

• 1 medium nectarine, ripe, pitted
• 1 Tablespoons of chia seeds
• 1 tsp of cinnamon

Directions

Place all ingredients into a blender or food processor. Blend ingredients together until a smooth consistency. Place jam into a sealable container and refrigerator until ready to serve.  Serve on toast or use as a sweetener for plain Greek yogurt or oatmeal.

Nutrition Information Per Serving:

Calories: 16 kcal, Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Carbohydrate: 3g, Dietary Fiber: 1 g, Protein: 0g, Sodium: 0 mg.

Check out more heart healthy breakfast recipes