Jammin with kids at P.S. 2 Meyer London School

Cultivating an environment of healthy eating for kids (even for adults!) is challenging. Especially when it comes to sweet treats. We believe that healthy eating doesn’t have to mean denial. This is one of the reasons of how Ocka Treats, came into being.

Thanks to P.S. 2 Meyer London School, we were very fortunate to be able to explore healthy eating with some kids in the classroom through making chia seeds jam. It was a lot of fun spending the morning with the kids. Everyone seemed to have so much fun mashing up the berries and enjoyed the natural sweetness of the chia jam.

Ocka Treats substitutes artificial, chemical-based ingredients in conventional sugary snacks/desserts with high quality and nutritional ingredients. We strive to create desserts that satisfy both your sweet tooth and desire to live a healthy life.

In Japan, kids learn about food and nutrition beginning in elementary school. This article

described about "how kids come to understand that what you put into your body matters a great deal in how you think and feel throughout the day — and how you go about your life." We strongly support that food and nutrition education is a vital part of solving the nation's rising obesity rate and other health crisis.

Ocka treats does not preach veganism nor tell you what is good for you or not. Our treats are not specifically designed to chase the labels of vegan, Paleo, ketogenic or other diets but can be compatible with these lifestyles. We believe that this is a way of living: live passionately, love ourselves, and treat the people around us, living things, and our planet Earth with compassion. It's also fun to create food (especially sweet treats!) using ingredients and method that are different from the traditional recipes.

We want to invite you to explore the joy and power of raw, plant-based, wholesome treats. Using chia seeds (a nutritional boost!) and a few other basic ingredients can create nutritious, delicious and easy-to-make treats. See recipe below and here

Recipe

Chia seed jam

This jam has only 4 natural ingredients.

Prep Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 3 hours 10 mins

Yield: Makes about 3 cups

Ingredients

• 5 cups (20 –24 oz) fresh or frozen berries (any combination)

• ¼ cup chia seeds

• 2 tablespoons orange juice or lemon juice

• Optional – Up to 4 tablespoons maple syrup, to taste

Equipment

• A medium-size mixing bowl

• Measuring cups and spoons

• Spatula

• A fork or a potato masher

• Glass jars or other storage containers, for the finished jam

Instructions

• Combine the ingredients in a mixing bowl.

• Wait. Cover and let the mixture develop for about three hours at room temperature, or overnight in the refrigerator.

• Mash the berries with a fork or masher. If you like it more “jammy” and smooth, crush it up more. If you like some texture in your jam, then don’t mash it too much. Add a little sweetness (optional).

• Taste the jam and stir in some maple syrup to your desired sweetness.

How to enjoy

Swirl into yogurt, granola, oatmeal, chia seed parfait (see next recipe)

Spread on toast, pancakes, waffles, bagels

Storage

Store leftover jam in the refrigerator, covered, for about 1 week.

Recipe Notes

• If the chia seeds jam isn’t plump yet, let the mixture rest for longer to let the chia seeds absorb some more moisture.

• If you’d prefer not to have visible chia seeds in your finished jam, grind the chia seeds in a spice grinder prior to mixing it with other ingredients; or you can puree the jam in a blender or with an immersion blender.

• If the jam seems a little thin, add another teaspoon or two of chia seeds. Stir, and let sit for another 30 minutes.