Fresh berry preserves all year around

Fresh Berry preserves is the favorite topping for Sunday breakfast waffles, pancakes or toast in my house! My kids were always so exited when the strawberry season starts, or blueberry, or raspberry…, but that used to be the problem, wait for the season. 

One Sunday morning my boys were remembering the amazing aroma in the kitchen, when the fresh berry preserves was made. The problem was, we did not have any fresh berries to make the preserves. What I did have were few bags of frozen berries in my freezer that I use in my smoothie. I just poured a mix of frozen strawberries, blackberries, cherries and blueberries into the pot and started boiling. Guess what? They don’t have to be freshly picked, frozen worked just as good! Now I can make fresh berry preserves any time of the year. 

By the way, I do not use sugar for my preserves. I boil the berries in a closed pot for about 30min, turn of the heat and then add raw unfiltered HONEY. Add honey to your taste. Some like it sweet and sour, some have real sweet tooth. And that is another benefit that preserves are not sweetened in the pot while boiling, because you may divide in portions and custom to everybody’s taste. Honey works as inverted sugar in the body, so it does not spike blood sugar levels as processed sugar (or heated honey). It also works as preservative for the berries. I keep unused berry preserves for up to a week in the refrigerator, if I have any left overs, but most times we devour it immediately. 

Recipe:

a cup of any berries of your choice.

Raw unfiltered Honey.

It can be freshly picked or frozen. Boil in covered pot for about 30 min. DO NOT add water in the pot, juice from the berries will be enough. Keep the heat at low. Add the honey after the heat is turned off. Mix it well until honey is completely melted. Enjoy!

We eat fresh berry preserves with:

  • Pancakes;

  • waffles;

  • banana bread;

  • toast;

  • makes delicious ice-cream topping;

  • can be mixed with water to make a quick lemonade;

  • peanut butter/jelly sandwich.