Bubbly Blueberry Jelly (probiotic rich)
Tara Carpenter, NC.
Nutrition Consultant specialized in creating digestive strength for people of all ages.
Originally published on September 10, 2016.
I stopped eating blueberry jelly, even sugar-free, while healing a systemic yeast infection Invasive Candidiasis causing significant bloating, skin issues, and fatigue. To help my body return to balance, I followed Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.). This foundational system of therapeutic eating suggested to avoid sugar, even fruit sugar.What to do then when blueberry season comes around and the ritual of picking berries for jam is disrupted by a chronic health condition that equally called for my attention? Because I was committed to healing myself the answer was easy. When one door closes, another opens …. I turned my focus on transforming blueberry jelly into something I could eat whilst continuing to hit the bullseye in my healing.
A batch of homemade blueberry jam ready to be cultured.
As a Nutritionist and Therapeutic Chef I get excited to adjust recipes and discover new ways to make food when one must avoid certain ingredients for one reason or another, perhaps so as not to trigger health symptoms.
I find that a problem in the kitchen is a challenge worth tackling so I rolled up my sleeves, picked blueberries, made jam, then sat to wonder how to turn a jar of blueberry jelly into one I could eat whilst healing without repercussion. The last thing I wanted was to irritate my health symptoms and be backtracked by giving in to a passing craving.
I can pick berries all day!
That was the start of Bubbly Blueberry Jelly. I had already mastered unsalted cultured vegetables and young green coconut kefir so when the idea to add probiotic culture starter into a jar of jelly came into fruition I was all IN.
My aim was to culture a jar of blueberry jelly to get the sugar content down to nil. Similar to making milk kefir where the lactose is consumed during the fermentation “pre-digestive” process (lactose converts to lactic acid and other simple sugars), I wanted to make blueberry jelly more easy to digest and tolerable for people with a sugar intolerance. I did a trial and was super easy to make! See probiotic jelly recipe below.
Click (coming soon) for tricks to make probiotic bubbly jelly.
Blueberry Bubbly Jelly: Probiotic-Rich Recipe
Ingredients
8oz jar of organic, sugar-free blueberry jelly (strawberry is lovely too)
1 1/2 Tbsp young coconut kefir (homemade or store-bought)
Method
- Clean a 1-cup Mason jar with food grade hydrogen peroxide or scald in hot water to kill bacteria and other pathogens.
- Mix ingredients together.
- Screw on lid.
- Let sit in warm spot for 2-3 days at 72-74°F degrees F.
- You will know that the probiotics have done their magic when bubbles rise up the sides of the jar and lid becomes pressurized.
- Store in fridge and eat within a week.
- Check out tips & tricks (coming soon) to making and maintaining bubbly jelly.
My family loves this bubbly jelly by the spoonful in a bowl of creme fraiche with chia seeds and green powder or swirled in a bowl of young coconut pudding with sour apple and soaked almonds. How about you?
For those who food combine or on The Body Ecology Diet.
This recipe is best reserved for when you are well on your way in your healing, especially those on Body Ecology Diet (B.E.D.) or another strict healing diet. This way you will know signs to look for when your gut flora is in good shape (i.e., little/no discomfort or other symptoms in digestion).
The longer you kefir jelly, the less fruit sugar. In light of food combining, this recipe for probiotic-rich jelly is a fruit and combines best with soaked nuts/seeds, raw cheese, milk kefir, avocado if tolerate or other fats, and fruit, except melon which is always best eaten alone or with other melon.
Food combining is a simple practice that can EASILY keep gas/flatulence, bloating, and other uncomfortable digestive issues at bay. See my laminated food combining chart here that fits the side of most refrigerators.
A simple breakfast of pancakes with creme fraiche, bubbly blueberry jelly, and soaked sunflower seeds. Here is the recipe I use for pancake batter on a healing diet.
Benjamin’s Breakfast on a Healing Diet
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links for products I believe in and use on a regular basis. See more here. All content is for general information only, primarily educational in nature, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your primary health-care practitioner that you, the reader, may require for any cause whatsoever, now or in future. Please consult your primary practitioner regarding any health problem(s) you have and keep them informed to the opinions, ideas, and advice on this site that you find useful. Please email me at tara@happybellies.net for any questions or concerns that you have.
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May all bellies be happy!
