This berry syrup is naturally sweetened with dates and packs more fiber and nutrients than traditional syrups. It’s a delicious way to satisfy your sweet tooth—without the sugar crash. This the perfect way to top whole grain pancakes and makes a great vinaigrette.
About this Recipe
I used to love sweet breakfasts, especially pancakes, but as I got older, the sugar crash that happened afterward made enjoying them impossible, so I ate high-protein, low-carb foods for breakfast. Lately, I’ve learned that I can eat more carbs for breakfast as long as they have plenty of fiber and low simple sugars, i.e. a moderate glycemic index/load, and I decided to give pancakes a shot, but I needed syrup.
I really like my chia seed jam, and I thought that it might make a good syrup with some tweaks.
I used the same berries and dates combo as I do for the jam. To make it more syrupy, I added water and replaced the chia seeds with cornstarch. I’m really happy with the results. It’s delicious — bursting with fresh fruit flavor, and I don’t crash in an hour like I do with other syrups.
Ingredients & Nutrition
Berries are among the most nutrient dense fruits, high in fiber, vitamins and relatively in sugar.
Dates are a great natural sweetener. Despite being high in sugar and calories, dates have a moderate glycemic index thanks to the high amounts of fiber, minerals, vitamin B6 and antioxidants they contain.
Cornstarch and water are the only other ingredients.
Approximate Nutrition of 2 tablespoons Strawberry Syrup
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 41 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 10.9 g |
| • Sugars | 8.1 g |
| • Fiber | 1.2 g |
| Protein | 0.4 g |
| Fat | 0.1 g |
| • Saturated Fat | 0 g |
| Vitamin C | ~21 mg (23% DV) |
| Folate (B9) | ~10 mcg (3% DV) |
| Vitamin B6 | ~0.03 mg (2% DV) |
| Niacin (B3) | ~0.25 mg (2% DV) |
| Potassium | ~135 mg (3% DV) |
| Calcium | ~12 mg (1% DV) |
| Iron | ~0.18 mg (1% DV) |
| Magnesium | ~10 mg (2% DV) |
| Vitamin E | ~0.13 mg (1% DV) |
| Glycemic Index | 59 Moderate |
| Glycemic Load | 9 Low |
Instructions
Chop 4 dates and 1 cup berries if they are large.- Place fruit in a medium sauce pan with ½ cup water.
- Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer until the fruit is very soft and syrupy, about 10 minutes.
- While the fruit is simmering, mix 1½ teaspoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl.
- When the fruit is done simmering, turn off the heat and blend in the cornstarch mixture.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.
- Transfer the syrup to a food processor and puree until smooth.
- If it’s too thick, add a little water.
If it’s too thin, you can return it to the sauce pan and cook it down.
All Fruit, Berry Syrup
Equipment
- Food Processor
Ingredients
- 1 cup berries fresh or frozen strawberries, blueberries, blackberries etc
- 4 dates
- ½ cup water
- 1½ teaspoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder, optional. See note.
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Collect berries, dates, and cornstarch.
- Chop 1 cup berries, and 4 dates.
- Place fruit in a medium sauce pan with ½ cup water.
- Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer until the fruit is very soft, about 10 minutes.
- While the fruit is simmering, mix 1½ teaspoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl.
- When the fruit is done simmering, turn off the heat and blend in the cornstarch mixture.Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.
- Transfer the syrup to a food processor and puree until smooth.
- Add a little water if it's too thick.If it's too thin, you can transfer it back to the pan and cook until it thickens up.
- Serve on pancakes.