Strawberry Jam for Canning

My jam is so delicious! There is nothing better than a healthy, tasty, guilt-free snack. Jam would not usually be considered guilt-free but the way I make it drastically decreases the sugar. So, here is my coveted recipe...

5 lbs strawberries or 1 large bag of frozen strawberries
1/4 cup lemon juice
8 tbsp low or no sugar pectin
2 cups sugar
1 cup stevia in the raw (the best brand of stevia in my opinion)

Prepare your canning jars by sanitizing the jars in the dishwasher on the bottom rack using the hot water wash/rinse or sanitize cycle. Alternatively, place clean jars in the oven at 250 for 15 minutes. The jars should be warm when you are filling them so they don't crack. Prepare lids by placing in simmering (not boiling) water for 5 minutes.

Wash strawberries and cut the leafy tops off. I make jam two different ways, chunky and smooth. Chunky jam is so yummy in oatmeal or yogurt, while smooth jam is kid friendly and great for PB&Js. For chunky jam, mash the fruit to desired consistency. For smooth jam, process in food processor until smooth. Mix half a cup of sugar with the pectin (the sugar keeps the pectin from clumping when you add it to the strawberries). Heat strawberries, lemon juice, and pectin to a boil that cannot be stirred away in a large pot. Add the remaining sugar and boil HARD for 1 minute with constant stirring to prevent burning. (I usually start getting my lids ready at this step). Skim the foam if you want to (I never skim the foam b/c I don't care if my jam is pretty in the jars). Test the jam for consistency using an ice cold spoon. The jam should jell in under a minute and it should be the consistency of, well... jam. Add the jam to jars leaving 1/4 inch head space and process in a boiling water bath with at least one inch of water covering the jars for 10 minutes. Leave undisturbed for 24 hours before testing the seal. Usually the seals start popping after a few minutes but some take longer.

This recipe yields 10 half pints of delicious, natural, chemical-free jam that is good on the shelf for one year. The best part is that it is only 12 calories/tablespoon and packed with vitamins!