In early 2005 I was diagnosed with Pneumonia. I had a hole in my lung the size of a grapefruit and was unconscious for the first week I was in the hospital. It’s ok, I had no idea! I was there for 33 days and they saved my life, for reals. If I had this specific type of Pneumonia a few years earlier I surely would not be here today.
My stay in the hospital left me with a deep distain of hospital food. Like they use no seasoning at all plus what they call gravy is a disgrace to anyone who eats. The food was so bland that when I got a chicken fajita pita from a fast food joint, (you know, the one where Jack works?) the black pepper on it was so hot, it burned my mouth. I had my boyfriend taste it because surely they had laced it with something terrible. He couldn’t even taste the pepper. But I digress, they saved my life and for that I am forever grateful!
My stay in the hospital left me with a deep distain of hospital food. Like they use no seasoning at all plus what they call gravy is a disgrace to anyone who eats. The food was so bland that when I got a chicken fajita pita from a fast food joint, (you know, the one where Jack works?) the black pepper on it was so hot, it burned my mouth. I had my boyfriend taste it because surely they had laced it with something terrible. He couldn’t even taste the pepper. But I digress, they saved my life and for that I am forever grateful!
I also developed a killer Vitamin D deficiency because in those 33 days I had a total of 15 mins of sunlight and no supplements of any kind. I have corrected the deficiency but the heavy use of antibiotics left me with a very, very, very unhappy gut. Getting my Vit D levels up helped some but wow! My gut was not okay. Talk about having to get used to pooping at work! There is no, “I’ll just wait til I get home.” Ha! Sorry about the TMI! Honestly if you know me, I am not sorry, pooping is important!
One way I support my digestive health is by making homemade bone broth and ensuring I have some 5 days a week.
This is my recipe:
-1 gallon of water
-1 gallon of water
-8 organic chicken legs (you can also use other poultry, beef, bison, fish or lamb)
-5 carrots, washed not peeled
-2 TBLS Apple Cider Vinegar
Put water and chicken in big pot. Add vinegar. If you see scum on top of water start to form during cooking, you should skim that off and discard. The better the meat you use, the less scum you will need to skim off. Hmmm maybe use good, organic, ethically sourced meat?! After all you are using it to improve your digestion and overall health.
Bring it to a boil and then simmer for about an hour. Take out the chicken and pull as much meat off the bone as you can, putting the bones back in the pot. I usually salt and pepper the chicken and family members walk by the fridge casually taking out a piece here or there. You could always leave it as is and give it as special treats to your furry family members.
-2 TBLS Apple Cider Vinegar
Put water and chicken in big pot. Add vinegar. If you see scum on top of water start to form during cooking, you should skim that off and discard. The better the meat you use, the less scum you will need to skim off. Hmmm maybe use good, organic, ethically sourced meat?! After all you are using it to improve your digestion and overall health.
Bring it to a boil and then simmer for about an hour. Take out the chicken and pull as much meat off the bone as you can, putting the bones back in the pot. I usually salt and pepper the chicken and family members walk by the fridge casually taking out a piece here or there. You could always leave it as is and give it as special treats to your furry family members.
Bring back to a simmer. Simmer for 6-48 hours. At hour 4 I add the carrots. I cook it for 8-12 hours total. If I were going to go longer, I would get out my trusty crock-pot. I do not add anything else to my broth since I also split it and give it to my dogs on occasion to help them support their digestive system.
When it is done I put it through a strainer, if I have cheesecloth, I will put that in my strainer. Make sure you use a fine mesh strainer for this.
Let it cool for several hours. Put some in your fridge and some in your freezer. Mine seems to stay good for 2 full weeks in the frig although I always read 7-10 days so trust your nose.
Your broth will be full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. It is a wonderful source of calcium and magnesium along with phosphorus, which are all really important for bone health. There is glycine, which plays extensive roles in digestive health. Glycine aids digestion by helping regulate the synthesis and of bile salts and secretion of gastric acid. It also helps to regulate blood sugar by controlling gluconeogenesis. This is the process of the manufacture of glucose from proteins in the liver. Glycine is also imperative for a healthy nervous system. It is converted into the neurotransmitter serine that promotes mental alertness, improves memory, boosts the mood and reduces stress. If you hold your nervous energy in your stomach like me, this is huge since it supports digestion and helps you deal with stress better!
I love, love homemade broth. You can cook rice in it, use it for the base of soups, stews, and gravies, add it to veggies if frying in a pan at the end and let it reduce. I love to drink it like hot tea in the colder months by heating it up and adding salt and pepper to it. I have also added crushed ginger, which is spicy and good, warms your belly!
You know what they say, make gravy out of your broth and put gravy on all the things! What are your favorite uses for broth?
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