There is no doubt that it’s starting to get colder. Blue sky is a now a rare thing I drop everything for to chase that 5-10 minutes of vitamin D or opportunity to walk the dogs in comfort! I don’t know about you, but I have a real love/hate relationship with winter. On the one hand I prefer heat so it’s tough to motivate myself to get out and about but on the other hand, it’s so cosy and warm in side – it lends itself to the occasional sleep in, curling up on the couch with a blanket knitted by nana and with the dogs on top for extra warmth, and soups! Lots of delicious, tasty soups!
What is bone broth?
Bone broth is just like stock only instead of putting lots of vegetables and meat into the pot, you put bones! This released the collagen protein inside the bones into the water which is extremely beneficial to us. Ideally the bones should be slow cooked over a long period of time to get the most benefit. You can still add vegetables & seasoning just like you would with stock so don’t fear you’re going to end up with a bland tasteless substance.
What are the benefits of bone broth?
Dr. Axe does a much better job of describing the benefits compared to what I can offer so if you want a detailed explanation please click here to go to his website. In a nutshell – Bone broth contains essential and non essential amino acids which are building blocks for our body to utilise. It also has collagen which assists connective tissue development and has nutrients which help our immune system, brain function & digestive function. Therefore bone broth can be helpful for skin repair, joint repair, stomach problems including IBS for example, muscle repair and fighting off winter bugs!
Where can I get bone broth?
Bone broth can be made at home or be purchased from the store. In the local area the IGA at Hamilton Place have both chicken and beef bone broth, and the health food store at Chadstone has Bliss brand bone broth. The purchased ones will set you back about $10-$15 per 500 grams.
How do I make bone broth?
Please go to Dr. Axe’s article on bone broth and scroll right to the bottom for some important information on making bone broth yourself. You must make sure you get the right type of bones, that they’re from a good source and you should add some apple cider vinegar to help draw out the nutrients. Check out the recipe here.
How do I use bone broth?
I love using bone broth in so many things during the winter! My favourite at the moment is to use it in zoodle bolognaise and a yummy tomato & chilli soup I make but you can add it as a base to any soup, stew or curry recipe. Would love to hear what you come up with, feel free to share your recipes here so we can all enjoy them!
Tomato & chilli soup
Serves 2, double quantity for a family.
Ingredients
- 250 grams bone broth (not chicken)
- 2 heaped teaspoons of concentrated tomato paste
- 2 whole tomatoes diced
- 2 tablespoons onion/spring onion or 1/2 teaspoon onion powder or onion oil
- 1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic, garlic powder or garlic oil
- 2 tablespoons roughly chopped basil leaves
- 2 cups of baby spinach leaves
- 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon chilli powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon tamari
- 2 drops of doTerra oregano oil
Method
- Heat the bone broth on low heat
- Add the tomato paste, tamari & spices and mix until dispersed evenly throughout the liquid
- Add the diced tomatoes, spinach leaves, basil leaves & any other desired vegetables
- Cover for approximately 10 minutes or until the tomatoes have softened, mixing occasionally so the tomatoes cook evenly
- Serve with your favourite bread or protein side, add thin noodles, mushrooms or another yummy vegetable for a bit more bulk or have on it’s own as an entree!