Simple Strawberry Jam

As I mentioned in my post last week, I bought some wonderful Michigan strawberries at the Dearborn Farmer's and Artisan Market.  In a move very unlike me, I decided to turn them into jam.  I wanted an easy recipe that didn't have a lot of sugar, didn't use pectin, and didn't take a lot of time.  I looked a lot of recipes online and finally found one that fit all of my requirements.  It uses agave nectar instead of sugar, there's no pectin or other thickener, and it takes only 1 hour from start to finish (with much of that time being inactive as it simmers away on the stove).  I only had a quart of berries, which turned out to be around 3 cups once they were hulled and cut in half.  The 3 cups resulted in about 1 cup of jam, which is not very much but it's enough for Brian and me.  You could make a larger batch but you'll have to either can it, share it, or eat it quickly.  It's so delicious, though, that it might not last as long as you'd think!

Strawberry Agave Jam recipe from Simply...Gluten-Free can be found here.

2 simple ingredients - 3 cups fresh strawberries and 1/2 cup agave nectar

Combine berries and agave in a medium saucepan.  Stir well.

Begin to cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Bring to a boil.  Once boiling, stir and reduce heat to simmer.

Continue to simmer and stir occasionally for 30-40 minutes.  Gently mash berries with a potato masher when they have softened enough to do so.

Near the end you'll want to keep a closer eye on it and stir more constantly.  When it has thickened to a jam-like consistently, remove from heat and allow to cool.

Store in a glass jar or bowl for up to a week in the refrigerator.

Spread on a hearty piece of homemade bread, such as my Agave Grain Bread.  Enjoy!