Strawberry Lemon Chia Curd [no-cook!]
/This recipe is part 1 of 2. Part 2 will be coming tomorrow. I figured I would give you a heads up so you can get all the ingredients for this first part today. Maybe you can even whip it up tonight? Just be sure you don’t eat it all because you’re going to need it tomorrow!
You with me?
On with the show.
For probably the first time ever recorded in history I had a container of strawberries sitting in the fridge that were slowly going bad. Granted, it was 2lb container and they were already treading the line of being slightly too ripe when I bought them, but anyway, I bought them. I never pass on organic strawberry sales. Everrr!
Instead of sending the ruby red strawberries to the freezer I decided to use them in a recipe. It’s rare that fresh strawberries do anything other than go straight to my mouth.
I knew I needed to make curd for Friday’s recipe and that’s when it hit me. Strawberry curd!
Is there such a thing? There must be.
After sifting through loads of recipes I was left with a bunch of notes but no real game plan. Did I want to make this vegan? Did I want to use egg yolks + butter? Did I want to use a mix of egg yolks + starch? Blah, blah, blah. #bloggerproblems
I was skeptical of using only starch, but I also didn’t want to use 3-4 egg yolks just for some dang curd. I’m kind of egg crazy if you didn’t know.
And then I got to thinking about…
The mysterious + magical chia seed! Said to cure all of your ailments and halt polar ice cap melt. [I kid.]
Can you make curd with chia seeds?
Why the heck not?
You can make chia pudding and chia seed jam, so why couldn’t you use these tiny gems to thicken up some curd? Guess what? You can!
And do you know what the best part is!?
You don’t have to cook the curd in a pot on the stove! All you have to do is blend the ingredients, pour into a jar, and throw the mixture into the fridge overnight. By morning you’ll have yourself a jar full of sweet + tangy chia curd. Strawberry Lemon Chia Curd to be exact.
The chia seeds [I used the white kind!] are used to thicken the mixture by absorbing most of the strawberry juice. The coconut oil helps add a bit more body to the curd, keeps it from having a slimy texture, and also helps to thicken since coconut oil hardens when chilled. The curd ends up perfectly smooth and the taste is extremely bright + fresh.
I’m pretty sure you are going to love it.
Strawberry Lemon Chia Curd
gluten-free, vegan // yields ~12oz
- 1 1/2 cups hulled + halved very ripe strawberries
- 2-4 tablespoons agave nectar, or coconut nectar or honey [if not vegan]
- 3 tablespoons softened unrefined coconut oil
- scant 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons white chia seeds
- 1 teaspoon black chia seeds
Combine all ingredients into your blender, starting with 2 tablespoons of sweetener. Blend on low working to high for about 20-30 seconds. Scrape the sides and blend on high for another 15-25 seconds until completely smooth. Taste and add more honey if desired.
Pour into a sealable jar and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. If the mixture became hot in your blender leave the lid off until it’s cooled down a bit. Keep stored in the fridge for about 10 days and use as a topping on pancakes, waffles, muffins, etc.
Notes:White chia seeds can typically be found bagged, right next to the black chia. You can also find “chia shots” that are mini packets of chia seeds if you don’t want to invest in a whole bag. I suggest buying two packets if you go that route. I mixed mostly white but a little black chia for the best color. Feel free to use all white or all black, but note with the black it will look quite a bit darker [but taste the same]. Be sure to use ripe + juicy strawberries. If they are hard and tart it won’t turn out nearly as well. No subs for the chia seeds. If you want your curd to fully set + hold its shape you could try adding in 2 teaspoons of arrowroot starch [or corn starch] and simmering in a pot while stirring frequently for 5-8 minutes.
Now all you have to do is hold your pants on until tomorrow and keep this in your fridge! Mmmk?
Ashley
