Nourishing Bone Broth Recipe ❤

Bone Broth is one of my favorite natural healing and anti-aging modalities to take myself and prescribe to my clients.  Here's why…❤ Plus a recipe to get you started at the end...❤ 

Homemade bone broths provide building blocks for the rapidly growing cells of the gut lining and they have a soothing affect on any areas of inflammation in the gut. They act as an aid to digestion and have been used successfully in the treatment of many intestinal disorders, including hyperacidity, colitis and Crohn's disease.  Bone broths that are rich in gelatin act as a protein sparer, allowing the body to more fully utilize the complete proteins that are taken in.  Which makes gelatin-rich broths perfect for those who can not afford, can not digest or choose not to have large amounts of meat in their diets.  Other important ingredients are the components of cartilage, which recently has been used with remarkable results in the treatment of cancer, bone disorders, collagen formation, arthritis and other ailments.  Yes..ladies I said collagen formation.  Bone broth is also the internal collagen booster / botox you are looking for. ❤

In folk wisdom, chicken broth is a valued remedy for the flu.  In the 12th century it was prescribed for colds and asthma.  Modern research has shown that bone broths help prevent and mitigate infectious diseases.  

Properly prepared meat stocks are extremely nutritious, containing the minerals of the bone, cartilage, marrow and vegetables as electrolytes in a form that is easy to assimilate.  Vinegar added during cooking helps draw calcium, magnesium and potassium, into the broth.  Dr. Francis Pottenger who has written many articles on the healing benefits of gelatin in broth, taught that the stockpot was the most important piece of equipment to have in one's kitchen.

Dr. Pottenger also pointed out that stock is of great value because it supplies hydrophilic colloids to the diet.  Raw food compounds are colloidal and tend to be hydrophilic, meaning that they attract liquids.  Thus, when we eat a salad or some other raw food, the hydrophilic colloids attract digestive juices for rapid and effective digestion.  Colloids that have been heated are generally hydro-phobic - they repel liquids, making cooked foods harder to digest.  However the gelatin in meat broths have the unusual property of attracting liquids - it is hydrophillic - even after it has been heated.  This is the same property by which gelatin attracts water to form desserts, like Jello.

Adapted from Nourishing Traditions

Chicken Stock

▪   1 large stock pot, stainless steel pot or crock pot will do

▪   6 - 1 quart glass jars

▪   large stainless steel strainer

▪   1 whole free-range chicken OR 2-3 pounds of bony chicken parts (necks, backs, breastbones, wings, feet or other chix scraps

▪   1 gallon cold filtered water

▪   2 tablespoons vinegar

▪   1 large onion, roughly chopped

▪   2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

▪   3 sticks of celery, roughly chopped

▪   1 bunch parsley

If you are using the whole chicken, cut off the wings and remove the neck, fat glands and gizzards from the cavity. By all means, use the chicken feet if you can find them. They are full of gelatin. If you can find it, use a whole chicken, with the head intact. You can sometimes find these in Oriental markets, but make sure you look for farm-raised, free-range birds for the best nutrition.

Cut the chicken parts into pieces – if you’re using a whole chicken, cut off the wings and the neck and cut those down. Put the chicken and/or chicken pieces in a large stainless steel stock pot and cover with the water, vinegar and veggies (minus the parsley). Let the mixture stand for 30-60 minutes. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam that rises to the top. Once you have that all skimmed, reduce the heat and cook (covered) for 6 hours to 72 hours. The longer the better – it will yield a much richer stock. About 10 minutes before the stock is done, add the parsley. The parsley is important because it adds mineral ions to the broth.

Let the broth cool slightly and then remove the chicken pieces with a slotted spoon or tongs. If you used a whole chicken, make sure you save the meat for casseroles or soup. The skin and small bones will be soft enough that you can feed them to your cat or dog without any harm. Strain the stock into another bowl and stick it in the fridge until the broth congeals and the fat rises to the top. Skim off the fat and reserve it for future projects.

with love,

Christina ❤