Wednesday, August 5, 2009

No-Cook Freezer Jam: Naturally Sweetened



I love following the Passionate Homemaking Blog by Lindsey Edmonds! I have gleaned a lot of very useful and practical information on how to use what you have to make your home a healthier and safer while being frugal and resourceful! I hope you enjoy the sampling of posts I have added from time to time! Here is a yummy and fun one I thought you'd enjoy! You can click on the title to go directly to Lindsey's Blog and see why I love it so very much!! If you decide to post some samplings of her blog onto yours, be sure to give her the credit! Thank you!



I love preserving my own foods for the upcoming year and jam is a favorite! It is practically impossible to find good jam/jellies on the market that are made without sugar or HFCS, so homemade varieties are the best alternative. Plus, it is superior in flavor and nutrition. In the past I have made canned jam sweetened with rapadura/sucanat with good success, but this year I wanted to go all out and avoid the cooking process. If you are going to put the effort forth, why not preserve as much of the nutrition in the berries as possible right? Surprisingly enough, the no-cook freezer jam method is incredibly easy. It took me about 1 hour to prepare 23 half-pint jars of yummy marionberry jam for our freezer (4 batches of the recipe below from 1.5 flats of berries). They do not take up much space either, especially if you select good stackable containers. I chose to use glass jars and it worked beautifully! You don’t even need any special new canning jars or lids. I had an assortment of lids from various jars I had recycled and they all worked just fine. I prefer sweetening with rapadura/sucanut, but I tried a batch sweetened with honey and enjoyed it. You can use whatever your heart desires!


Pomona’s Universal Pectin
is a perfect natural pectin to use, free of sugar or preservatives. It is a low mexthoxyl type pectin derived from citric peels and pulp. It provides you with the freedom to experiment with your own desired choice and quantity of sweetener. You can use whatever sweetener you desire or abandon the sugar altogether! It is available online or at a local health food store (Whole Foods, New Seasons, Fred Meyer Nutrition, Azure Standard, etc). One box made approximately 20 (8 oz) jars for me, so I used just over 1 box. The rest can be saved for another time. Each box includes easy to follow directions. Last year I made the recipe with just 1 cup of rapadura/sucanat and it definitely was not sweet enough, in our opinion. This time around I bumped it up a bit and it was delicious! The recipe is included in the box of pectin, but you can also download it from their website here. There are other recipes included as well for cooked canned jam.

Here is my personal preference:


4 cups berries – I love to use marionberries or blackberries because they are so cheap (if not free)!
1/4 cup lemon or lime juice (optional)
1 cup honey or 2 cups rapadura/sucanat
3/4 cup water
3 tsp pectin
4-12 tsp calcium water (each box of pectin includes the calcium package to make this)


The easiest way I found was to start by boiling the water. While you wait, mash the berries in a blender or food processor. Combine with lemon juice and sweetener, mixing thoroughly. Put berries aside while you pour the boiling water into your blender along with the pectin and blend for 1-2 minutes until thoroughly dissolved. Add the pectin and water to your berries and combine thoroughly. Gradually add calicum water until it gels. I found that about 6 tsp was perfect for marionberries. Transfer to your clean 8 oz jars and cover securely. Make sure to allow 1/2 inch room at the top of the jar for expansion. Freeze immediately. The instructions say that once opened you need to use within a week. I think that it definitely last longer than this. If concerned, simply put it back in your freezer to preserve it longer.

The total cost for me was about about $1 per 8 oz of jam. Not bad at all!

No comments:

About Our Family

My photo
Missouri, United States
Clinton and I live in Missouri. Clinton works for CED, Inc. It is an electrical distributing company. He works in Inside Sales right now and is training for Outside Sales. I am an Independent Marketing Consultant for Melaleuca. I work from home and I really love what I do. Cora is 3 years old and she is so excited about starting Preschool in the fall. She loves everything Princess and her favorite color is Pink! Miles is 2 and he loves CARS the movie and is really into Thomas the Train as well. He is a ball of Fire and keeps us on our toes! And in keeping with stereotypes, loves the color Blue. Well, Wyatt Evan Fisher is here now!! He arrived at 5:03pm on June 22, 2008!! We are so very blessed and so very excited! He's 7 pounds and 5 ounces, 20 inches long! Healthy and so very handsome! We are so blessed and so proud of our new baby boy! Precious blessing from God!

Fisher Farm Family Cookout!

Fisher Farm Family Cookout!
Cora was swinging with her cousins.



Fun Fall Pictures!

We had a blast taking the kids pictures! It was a gorgeous fall day and the kids were in great moods! We really loved Miles "cheese" face! We tried to get him to say something else so he'd actually have a smile instead of the "cheese" lips! :)

I have included some of Hannah, Major and Cannon. They are great friends of Cora, Miles and Wyatt. We have had a great time being neighbors and friends! We have been really enjoying doing things together.



Cheese Lips!


Again with the lips! :)



The Ulitmate Mud Puddle Adventure

Miles LOVES Puddles! We have had a lot of rain lately and so the dead end fills up quickly with the run off. This is such a great joy for Miles. He loves water and jumping into puddles and making quite a mess of things! Take in mind that it's October and quite chilly out~this means nothing to Miles~he feels no cold. Now, since daddy took the pictures, please excuse the fuzzy ones! :)






Painting the Pirate Ship!

Cora and Miles love painting! They had a great time painting and I had a wonderful time watching them, taking pictures, laughing, being amazed at how quickly they are growing up, in awe of their creativeness. I am so blessed to be their mom. What a precious gift God has given me. I am so thankful!





Puddin'

I decided that it would be fun to let the kids play with their snack as a sensory activity! So, we had chocolate pudding to "paint" and granola and dried fruit to "decorate the painting" and their bodies as the "canvas"! It was a hit!

Miles wasn't sure at first~he usually revels in messes, but this time Mom was "letting" him and he just didn't know what to think about that! It didn't take him long to get into it though.

Cora had a great time and she dug in right away! When Dad came home from work, she invited him to join the fun as well! He took off his shirt and soon he was the canvas that the kids were painting! Cora wanted to make sure that his entire back was covered!

Wyatt remained an outsider to the event~which I am sure he appreciated! He really enjoys watching his brother and sister play. He smiled and laughed and cooed a lot! It was a really enjoyable time for us all! If you haven't had fun with pudding, I suggest you try!

Cora and her "Pudding Art Creation"

Cora and her "Pudding Art Creation"
We have chocolate pudding, granola, and dried fruit!

Puddin' face!

Puddin' face!

Miles was just getting started!

Miles was just getting started!

Now we are getting the hang of it!

Now we are getting the hang of it!

Cora loved the feel of the "squishy" pudding in her fingers!

Cora loved the feel of the "squishy" pudding in her fingers!

Daddy jumping in the fun!

Daddy jumping in the fun!

HMMMM......

HMMMM......

Almost got it all......

Almost got it all......

The Finished Paintings!

The Finished Paintings!

Now with silly faces!

Now with silly faces!

Cora's First Day of School!

Cora's First Day of School!

It was chilly morning.

At School

At School
In front on her school.

Her Cubby

Mrs. Creason~Cora's Teacher

Mrs. Creason~Cora's Teacher

Oh bath time!

Oh bath time!

May I Help You?

May I Help You?

Here's lookin' at you kid!

Here's lookin' at you kid!

Wondering if we could just go on our walk already!

Please???

Please???

Wyatt always falls asleep in his backpack on our walks!

Playing in the sprinkler!

Playing in the sprinkler!

Hannah, Grant, and Cora~Umbrellas to "save them" from getting wet....didn't work out so well!

Hannah, Grant, and Cora~Umbrellas to "save them" from getting wet....didn't work out so well!
Hannah and Grant are our neighbors. Hannah lives next door and Grant lives caddy corner across the street.

Hannah's brother Major.

Hannah's brother Major.
Major and Miles are good friends~they love to play together!

Fort Umbrella~all the kids are inside.

Fort Umbrella~all the kids are inside.

Miles coming to join the Umbrella Crew.

Miles coming to join the Umbrella Crew.

Cora Loves Playing With Finn!

Cora Loves Playing With Finn!

Clinton Jumping Over Cora!

Clinton Jumping Over Cora!

We take Jason's Dog Disel, for a walk everyday! Cora likes to hold the leash by herself.

We take Jason's Dog Disel, for a walk everyday! Cora likes to hold the leash by herself.

Cora LOVES to ride her bike! Everytime we are outside, she's on her bike!

Cora LOVES to ride her bike! Everytime we are outside, she's on her bike!

Miles Messes

Miles loves to make messes! This montage of cereal was waiting for me one morning and boy was I happy about it..... This isn't the first (or the last ~ I'm sure) time this has happened. If you don't get him food the moment you hear him wake up~BEWARE! Oh the joys of parenthood!

Miles Helping Himself to Breakfast.....

Miles Helping Himself to Breakfast.....

Cora and Aunty A making Cheese Cake!

Cora and Aunty A making Cheese Cake!

BIG SISTER

BIG SISTER

Cora is always asking to hold Wyatt

Cora is always asking to hold Wyatt

How Sweet

How Sweet

Into the face paint from halloween.....

Into the face paint from halloween.....

Miles thought Wyatt needed some too!

Miles thought Wyatt needed some too!

Bath Time

Bath Time

4th of July

4th of July

Four Wheelin' Anyone?

Miles loves Uncle Paul's four wheeler! He just loves to run to the shed, get the helmet on (which used to terrify him) and climb on! If he can talk daddy into it (which isn't a hard thing), he gets to ride all over the farm!


Clinton Painting Cora's Nails

Clinton Painting Cora's Nails

Angela and Jeremy Reynolds

Angela and Jeremy Reynolds
This is my best friend and her husband.

Wyatt's first week!

We had so much fun spending Wyatt's First Week of life with Nani and Pop Pop! We drove down right after we were released from the hospital and Wyatt proved to be a great little traveler! He never made a peep! Cora and Miles were great helpers and loved having their baby brother in between them. Every time we got out of the car, Cora would say,"Mom! Don't forget our baby!" It was really cute. It was a lot of fun for the cousins to get a chance to spend time together too. It was a great week!

Our First Family Pic!

Our First Family Pic!

Playing Time

Playing Time
In Nani and Pop Pop's basement playing!

Balloon Swords!

Balloon Swords!
Safe Play?

Ping Pong anyone?

Ping Pong anyone?
Miles couldn't wait for his turn to play ping pong

Nani and Cora

Nani and Cora
They had matching hats! It was so much fun!

Proud Grandparents!

Proud Grandparents!

All the Kids with Nani and Pop Pop!

All the Kids with Nani and Pop Pop!

Diaper Head!

Diaper Head!
He decided that it would be fun to put his swim diaper on his head! He made the return trip home a funny affair!

Cora wanted to do diaper head too!

Cora wanted to do diaper head too!

The Arrival of Wyatt!

We were so very excited for the arrival of Wyatt! He arrived two weeks early, much to everyone's surprise! On June 22, 2008, at 6:30am, I noticed that it was going to be a very special day! I woke Clinton up and we began the "run around". We had to get everything cleaned and packed and ready for the next week. We arrived at the hospital and everything took off from there! He arrived at 5:03pm and was 7 pounds 5 ounces , 20 inches long. Just perfect! He was our smallest baby, but the size of a regular full term baby! He just seemed so tiny to us! And to think that most people have babies his size! We couldn't be more thrilled with our new little man! He is so precious to us! He is very content and sleeps very well! You can't ask for more than that!

Baby Wyatt is coming!

Baby Wyatt is coming!
I wanted a picture before Wyatt made his grand entrance!

Our Precious Little Man!

Our Precious Little Man!
Just a few minutes after he was born!

Mom and Baby!

Mom and Baby!
I couldn't be more thrilled with him!

Dad and his Son

Dad and his Son
He is so proud of his boy!

Big Sis and Wyatt!

Big Sis and Wyatt!
She sang "Mary had a little lamb" to him! It was so cute!

Wyatt Evan Fisher!

Wyatt Evan Fisher!
Our Precious Baby Boy! Loves to look around!

Nani and Pop Pop!

Nani and Pop Pop!
Happy Family!

Pop Pop and Wyatt!

Pop Pop and Wyatt!
Pop Pop was able to cut the cord! How cool!

Wyatt and Nani!

Wyatt and Nani!
We loved having Nani there for the Birth!

Uncle Jason!

Uncle Jason!
It was great to have Uncle Jason come and visit!

Summer 2008!

We are having a lot of fun this summer right in our own back yard! We got the kids a little pool that they love and a swing that I (Amy) love so that we could enjoy being outside together as a family! God has blessed us with great children, great weather, and so much love for each other. I am always thankful for how well the kids get along. I am looking forward to seeing how Wyatt will fit with our little family.

Cora is growing up so fast and she is "teaching" Miles new things all the time! Miles grows so fast "learning" from his big sister and he loves to copy her. He follows her and repeats what she says and does what she does. It is really sweet to see them playing together and learning from each other.

Umbrella Time

Umbrella Time
Cora loves her little umbrella!

Fun in the Summer Sun!

Fun in the Summer Sun!
They love their little pool!

Pool Time!

Pool Time!
They love Splashing in the Pool!!

Eatting Pluots!

Eatting Pluots!
Snack time in the pool! Can't get any better than that!

We love eachother!

We love eachother!
They are best friends!

Cora and Miles Club House!

Cora and Miles Club House!
They love this little house!

Painting!

Painting!
The kids discovered that if you get chalk wet, it makes "paint"!

Coloring!

Coloring!
Cora loves to color.

My yellow picture!

My yellow picture!
Cora wanted to make sure that I took a picture of her with her picture!

My Favorite Cuties!

My Favorite Cuties!
They are such posers!

My Studly Man!

My Studly Man!
Miles is such a big boy!

Precious Princess!

Precious Princess!
Cora is such a Princess!