RECIPE DOCTOR
Cut some of the calories with home-made jam

By Elaine Magee

Q: I want to make jam but without as much sugar as the store-bought kind. Any suggestions on this?

A: I actually look forward to making a few batches of less-sugar preserves every summer. To me there is nothing quite like just-made preserves. I always pour the last bit of preserves from the pot into a bowl that we all can enjoy that day with biscuits or over light vanilla ice cream.

I find the regular store preserves way too sweet so, with a box of Sure Jell for Lower Sugar Recipes in hand, I experiment with fruit combinations. Don't be misled: Even though we are using less sugar, there is still a ton of sugar in these. I tend to add more fruit than the box calls for while adding the same amount of sugar, so my version is even lower in sugar than the box recipe. It ends up having around half of the calories of regular jam.

I like to experiment by adding some lemon or orange zest or stirring in some liqueur (such as Grand Marnier) at the end of the boiling process.

To crush fruit, use a potato masher. Remember that jam should have bits of fruit, so don't overmash or use a food processor. For ice cream topping, just warm some preserves up in a microwave until loose and warm, stir well, and then pour over light vanilla ice cream.

This is my favorite preserve recipe:

TRIPLE BERRY PRESERVES

• 4 cups crushed strawberries (about 4 pints)
• 2 cups crushed raspberries (about 2 pints)
• 2 cups crushed blackberries or boysenberries (about 1 1/2 pints)
• 1 box Sure-Jell For Lower Sugar
• 4 1/4 cups sugar, divided use
• 1 teaspoon no trans margarine (with
• 8 grams of fat)
• Zest from 1 orange, finely chopped

Wash jars and screw bands in hot, soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in medium saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain well before filling.

Add strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries to a saucepan. Blend 1/4 cup of sugar with the Sure Jell powder and stir the mixture into the fruit in the pan. Add the margarine and orange zest and bring to a full rolling boil (this means it doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) over high heat. Stir in the rest of the sugar and return to a full rolling boil. Let the mixture boil for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Immediately and quickly ladle the very hot mixture into the clean 1-cup jam jars (filling to within 1/8-inch of the top) while wiping jar rims and threads.

Turn jars upside down after the band has been screwed tightly. After 5 minutes, turn jars upright.

Keep jars in the refrigerator if desired but use within 4-6 months for best results.

Makes about 10 (1-cup) jars.

Per tablespoon (if the recipe fills 10 1-cup jars): 25 calories, 0.1 g protein, 6.5 g carbohydrate, 0.05 g fat, no cholesterol, 0.4 g fiber, 3 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 2 percent. No omega-3 or omega-6 fatty acids. Weight Watchers points, 0.

(Store-bought preserves contain around 48 calories and 0.2 grams fiber per tablespoon.)

Elaine Magee's new book, "The Change of Life Diet and Cookbook," will be out next month. You can submit a recipe request at www.recipedoctor.com. This column is distributed by the Knight Ridder News Service.