We're deep in Winter. I'm telling myself it's a great time to be a hermit, with early nights and pyjama days with kids on the weekend. Sounds dreamy, but really, I am just yearning for Sunshine.
And now with a head cold and a hankering to just stay in bed, my body is craving the goodness of immune boosting, collagen rich Bone Broth.
Nutrition researchers Sally Fallon and Kaayla Daniel of the Weston A. Price Foundation explain that "bone broths contain minerals in forms that your body can easily absorb: calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur and others. Bone broth is exceptionally high in the amino acids proline and glycine which are vital for healthy connective tissue (ligaments, joints, around organs) and may improve gut health and immunity."
I always have some on hand to add to our meals. After making a large batch, I ladel it into ice cubes trays and then freeze and pop them out for different meals.
We invited Nutririonist, Danae Manolas, to share with you her favourite bone recipe.....enjoy x
What’s with all the hype around bone broth?
Well, first of all its delicious, but that's just the beginning.
In recent years, bone broth has made a come back because it is rich in minerals and vitamins that may help to:
- Boost immunity
- Heal the gut
- Protect joints
- Anti-inflammatory
- Maintain healthy skin, hair and nails.
When it comes to maintaining skin health, the nutrient getting everyone’s attention in bone broth is collagen. Collagen is a protein found in our muscles, bones, skin, blood vessels, digestive system and tendons. It has numerous functions in the body, but one main function is that it is responsible for the elasticity, firmness and strength of our skin. Production of collagen naturally slows down with ageing, which is why we are seeing more ways to incorporate collagen into our diet to maintain healthy skin.
In bone broth, the collagen in animal ligaments, bones and tendons are slowly boiled and broken down into gelatine, which is then easily absorbed into the body. Collagen contains all of the amino acids required to repair and strengthen connective tissue, helping to reduce the signs of ageing.
Bone broth can be incorporated into your daily diet in many different ways whether just on its own or added to your favourite melas like this;
- Add a teaspoon to a cup of warm water and drink it like a tea
- Add broth to your spaghetti bolognese sauce
- Add broth to flavour your soup
- Use it in stews, curries or warm dishes just like stock (the BEST stock!)
- Make risotto using the broth and (soaked and cooked) rice
We’ve got you covered from the inside and out!
Check out this immune boosting bone broth recipe I’m loving at the moment.
Prep Time: 15mins
Cook Time: 24-48hrs
Ingredients:
1kg (approx - depending on pot size) organic beef bones (knuckles, knees, marrow bones)
5-10 organic chicken necks (or feet or carcass)
1 onion or leek
2 carrots stalks of celery
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 or 3 cloves of garlic
Salt and pepper
Optional:
Chilli and parsley
Immune boosting addition:
Shitake mushrooms (dried or fresh)
Fresh ginger
Fresh turmeric
Instructions:
1. Heat oven to 180 degrees and roast bones for 30-40mins. This really deepens the flavour.
2. While bones are roasting, roughly chop up all the veggies you are going to add.
3. Place roasted bones in a large pot, cover with cold water and add apple cider vinegar and bring to the boil. The apple cider vinegar helps to leech out the minerals from the bones.
4. Add all veggies and simmer on low for 24-48 hours, regularly skimming any foam that may build.
up. If you aren’t keen to keep it going over night, turn it off then start it again the next day.
5. Once you think it has had enough, let it cool, then strain the mix through a fine mesh strainer.
6. Put the liquid in the fridge to chill until a film of fat settles on top. Scrape it off and you can use that the next time you roast potatoes.
Store your bone broth in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
We'd love to hear your thoughts on bone broth, so free to comment below or share this article with a friend who needs some bone broth in their life x