It’s that time of year again. The days are getting shorter and the nights are getting chilly. You might notice that your cravings are shifting. Where you once were satiated with a salad for lunch, you most likely are wishing you had 3something warm to eat. For me, this is when I start to dream about soups. Soups are a great way to incorporate all kinds of vegetables, protein and some seasonal variety into your diet, without adding a ton of calories. Home-made soups are also a great way to boost your immune system. Just in time to help fight off those late fall/early winter cold and flus that start to come around about now.
Nothing makes me happier then to have my own broth ready for me when something I’m making calls for broth or stock. The benefits are numerous, both in flavor and nutrients. A homemade broth with always taste better, adding your own custom flavor combination to everything from soups to sauces, to rice and quinoa. You have the ability to control the salt content, which is huge in commercial stocks and broth, and how long you cook it for. The longer you simmer the bones, the thicker the stock becomes from the gelatin that you are releasing out of the bones and into the broth. This extremely nourishing gelatin helps to build your immune system, is packed full of micro nutrients and minerals, builds and repairs bone and cartilage, heals the stomach lining, is warming, and helps aid in digestion. I like to sip on some warm bone broth while I’m cooking dinner, or as an appetizer when I’m hungry, but not quite ready or in the mood to eat.
Bone broth is super easy to make. All you do is save up the carcasses and bones from whenever you make chicken. Keep them in a large freezer safe bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Place the bones in enough water to cover the bones. Add 1 tbls of raw apple cider vinegar for every chicken carcass you use. This helps to access the minerals in the bones. Add any herbs, spices or veggies that you like. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover. Let this simmer for up to 72 hours. The longer, the better! I usually let mine simmer for 24-36 hours. You can also use a crock pot for this.
Since I am on a low FODmaps diet kick, I thought I would share with you a recipe for a immune boosting, low FODmaps-friendly chicken bone broth recipe.
Immune Boosting Chicken Bone Broth
Ingredients:
1 chicken carcass, or about a pound of chicken, turkey or beef bones
3 carrots, roughly chopped
4 celery hearts, roughly chopped
2-3 tablespoons of *wakame pieces (seaweed)
2 pieces dried *Astragalus
2 bay leaves
1-2 pinches *cayenne pepper, add more depending on how spice you like it
1 tablespoon *Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
Enough filtered water to cover all ingredients
Directions:
- Place all ingredients into a slow cooker
2. Cover and set the temperature to high for at least an hour.
3. After an hour, reduce the heat to low.
4. Cook for at least 7 hours. I like to let mine go for a good 24-48 hours. This makes the broth nice and thick from all of the highly nutritive and healing gelatin that the slow, long cooking processes leaches out of the bones.
5. Remove from heat. Let cool and strain through a fine mesh strainer.
6. Store in air tight glass jars in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, or freeze for up to 3 months. If freezing, make sure you leave enough room on top so that the liquid has space to expand in the freezer. Otherwise, you may end up with broken jars!
* Wakame -an edible brown seaweed or kelp that is rich in magnesium, iodine, calcium and iron, as well as vitamins A,C, D, E, K, riboflavin (B2) and folate.
*Astragalus – is an adaptogen, meaning it helps protect the body from physical, mental, or emotional stress. Some studies show that this well know Chinese herb might help in the treatment or prevention of colds.
*Cayenne pepper – helps to clear sinuses and boosts circulation
*Raw Apple Cider Vinegar -Acetic Acid is a potent antimicrobial and can kill some types of bacteria
Use this broth as a base for your favorite fall or winter soups, stews or sauces or grains. You can even use this instead of oil to “healthy” sauté your veggies or protein. I promise, they will taste better then if you used store-bought broth, and who knows, maybe you’ll even avoid getting that yearly winter cold!
If you are interested in learning more about how you can boost your immune system this fall to prepare for winter, please feel free to reach out to me to book a complimentary health history consultation. I’d love to hear from you!
Yours in health,
Renee Koczkodan
Certified Holistic Health Coach
www.ReneeKHealthCoaching.com.
The roots of any plant are its anchor and foundation; they are the essential parts that support and nourish the plant. Root vegetables lend these properties to us when we eat them, making us feel physically and mentally grounded and rooted, increasing our stability, stamina and endurance. Roots are a rich source of nutritious complex carbohydrates, providing a steady source of necessary sugars to the body. Instead of upsetting blood sugar levels like refined sweet foods, they regulate them. Since they absorb, assimilate and supply plants with vital nutrients, roots likewise increase absorption and assimilation in our digestive tracts. These are all great reasons to add some root vegetables to your diet today. They will help to ground you during this hectic time of year and can also help in curbing sweet cravings that tend to come up when the temperature drops.
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