How to incorporate bone broth into your everyday cooking

If there's one great place to start your journey to a nutrient-dense diet it would be broth. Maybe you already know that it’s important to incorporate bone broth into your diet, that it's especially good when you’re sick but aren't sure how to add it into your everyday cooking. I'd like to tell you why it's important to incorporate this superfood into your daily routine and how so you're not fooled into thinking it's just for colds and the cold weather!

Bone broth is rich in gelatin, which is good for joint health.  Gelatin is soothing and healing to the digestive tract and it helps improve nutrient absorption. It is also rich in minerals in an easily assimilated and digestible form. This means your body doesn’t have to work that hard to get the nutrition. Minerals are the spark plugs in our bodies necessary to help make things happen. As our soil has been depleted of these vital nutrients we must take extra care to make sure we get them in our diet and are able to assimilate them. This is why it is important to buy your produce from local farmers, use unrefined sea salt (try adding a pinch to your water) and incorporate bone broth into your daily food routines. 

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Cook grains and legumes in broth: Not only does it add flavor, it adds a lot of extra nutrition which, if you have a picky eater on your hands, can be really helpful.

Soups and stews: Pureed soups, chunky soups, slow-cooked meats, and vegetables. Soups are easy to make, easy to digest, and a delicious way to get broth into your diet.

Sauces: broth makes a wonderful base for sauces

Mashed potatoes. Instead of boiling your potatoes in water and then draining, slowly simmer them in broth until the potatoes are tender and the broth is absorbed. Then add lots of butter, cream or milk, sea salt, and pepper. Yum!

If you need more ideas Nourishing Traditions is full of great recipes.  For now, here’s the perfect recipe to make a staple in your kitchen.

Bone Broth Recipe (from Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon)

Chicken Bone Broth

• 1 whole, free-range chicken or 4 - 5 pounds of bony chicken parts, such as necks, backs, breastbones, and wings*
  gizzards from one chicken (optional)

• 4 - 8 chicken feet (optional)

• 4 quarts cold filtered water

• 2 tablespoons vinegar

• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped

• 2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped

• 3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped

• 1 bunch parsley

*Note: Farm-raised, free-range chickens give the best results. Many battery-raised chickens will not produce stock that gels.

Directions

1. If you are using a whole chicken, cut off the wings and remove the neck, fat glands, and the gizzards from the cavity.

2. Cut chicken parts into several pieces. If you are using a whole chicken, remove the neck and wings and cut them into several pieces (If you are buying it from the butcher, you can ask them to do this for you!).

3. Place chicken or chicken pieces in a large stainless steel pot with water, vinegar, and all vegetables except parsley. Let stand 30 minutes to 1 hour.

4. Bring to a boil, and remove scum that rises to the top. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 6 to 8 hours. The longer you cook the stock, the richer and more flavorful it will be.

5. About 10 minutes before finishing the stock, add parsley. This will impart additional mineral ions to the broth.

6. Remove whole chicken or pieces with a slotted spoon. If you are using a whole chicken, let cool and remove chicken meat from the carcass. Reserve for other uses, such as chicken salads, enchiladas, sandwiches, or curries.

7. Strain the stock into a large bowl and reserve in your refrigerator until the fat rises to the top and congeals. Skim off this fat and reserve the stock in covered containers in your refrigerator or freezer.

*Note: if you are on GAPS adjust the cooking time to 3 hours.