Classic Guacamole: Recipe

It’s been quite the month here in our household. I took a break from blogging to give my time and attention to a community event I was co-chairing in mid-February. It went off smashingly well, but it was followed by a a couple weeks of migraines. It may have been due to all the sewing I was doing, as I reupholstered a big, comfy chair I bought off of Craigslist, and I always seem to get my neck out of place while sewing. Fortunately, these were solved by my awesome chiropractor after a couple visits. I’d never experienced migraines before, and let me tell you, I have much greater empathy for those that experience them on a regular basis. Unfortunately, I then came down with some sort of flu/congestion. The Master Tonic I keep on hand was excellent for this, and I was quite happy I had made it this past autumn. I also kept up my liquids, rested a lot, and cut out most dairy. During the height of the fever, I was still able to pull off a surprise birthday party for one of my best friends. Then, finally, it was Spring Break and my husband was able to be home for the entire week. I took this week to recuperate and enjoy some carefree timelessness with my love. This past week finally offered me the time and relaxation I needed, so now I can get back into blogging. Thank you for your patience as I just suddenly disappeared without an explanation. 

I have a great treat for you today! For years my family has been making this guacamole recipe, and I have yet to come across any other guacamole recipe that compares. This is what converted my heart to loving avocados. I wouldn’t touch the things prior to eating this; now I enjoy even plain avocados with any dish. There’s not much of a secret ingredient to this recipe, but I will say that the lime juice adds a great bite, and paired with the cilantro - mmmm - it’s just heavenly. This doesn’t last long in our home, so I’m glad my husband was able to quickly snap a photo. 

I have brought this to friends’ homes to share, and served this to our guests, and many times I have heard, “Oh, no thank you, I don’t care for avocado.” But, then they try it, and oh! the flavor. They can’t help but enjoy this delightful combination.

Without further ado...

Classic Guacamole

Ingredients:

3 avocados, mashed

1 lime, juice

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup onion, diced

3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

2 roma tomatoes, diced

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

1 pinch ground cayenne, or more according to personal preference

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, mash together the avocado, lime guice, and salt.

2. Mix in onion, cilantro, tomatoes, and garlic.

3. Stir in cayenne pepper.

4. Refrigerate 1 hour for best flavor, or serve immediately.

The lime juice will keep the guacamole from going brown while it is in the fridge for an hour. Actually, when we last made the guacamole it stayed green overnight in the fridge without a cover!

This is best served with homemade tortilla chips (or store-bought, too, however we try to avoid hydrogenated oils, since they are so bad for you). Lately, we most often eat our guacamole on our tacos, or with slices of cucumber and red pepper since I’m eating grain-free.

Enjoy!

This was entered into The Healthy Home Economist's Monday Mania.

Tips & Tricks to Successful Fermenting

Fermenting foods in your own home can be a bit intimidating. Our society is saturated with the bleach it, sanitize it, pasteurize it, bacteria-is-the-enemy mentality. Growing up in this world, we can be made to feel that if all the bacteria is not done away with, we will get sick. Surely, this is not the case. In fact, we are now finding that trying to get rid of all bacteria is actually making our immune systems weaker and the bad bacteria stronger. Our guts, too, are not a sterile environment and were never meant to be, but are filled with both beneficial and potentially harmful bacteria. It is important to maintain a proper balance of the bacteria in the gut.

Many environmental factors affect this intricate and delicate balance of gut flora. Things like chlorine, sugar, pesticides, and antibiotics can cause the harmful bacteria to proliferate. It is important to support our gut through diet, by consuming less processed sugar, avoiding chlorine and other chemicals, eliminating the need for antibiotics, and buying organic, if possible. One of the many ways we can support our gut is by consuming fermented food, a natural (and cheaper) probiotic.

Making fermented foods is easy. Anyone can do it, and it doesn't require specialized equipment. Due to our modern mentality, many of us may be concerned that fermenting at home could be dangerous, that something could go wrong, and that we would unknowingly consume moldy food. I'm here to allay those fears, and give you some tips and tricks to make fermenting a good and tasty experience.

What about Mold, Botulism, E. coli, and Salmonella?

It is VERY, VERY difficult to ferment anything that would make you sick - unless you don't follow the directions. I've only been fermenting for a year or so, but all the books I have read (and those people have fermented for several years) have never heard of anyone getting sick from lacto-fermented foods. Occasionally, you might find a cloudy layer, or even a little fuzz on the very top of a ferment. This is actually a fairly normal occurrence, yet the fermented food below this layer is perfectly fine. It is common practice to scrape off the top layer, and consume the fermented food. The top layer may be prone to this type of funkiness because it is the layer in contact with air. This is another reason to make sure the food is covered by a layer of liquid, as most recipes advise. This will avoid having a moldy top layer.

I have only once made a ferment in which this top fuzz occurred. Everything below was indeed tasty, delicious, and perfectly healthy. If you are ever wary about a ferment, and if it looks or smells disgusting, then feed it to the compost. If you are unsure, trust your nose. You can also taste a tiny bit of it, swishing it around in your mouth. Trust your taste buds. If they don't care for it, don't eat it.

Botulism is well known in our culture from canning, and is caused by the presence of the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. First, canning is diametrically opposite of fermenting. It means sterilizing foods, so that no microorganisms can grow. The bacteria that causes botulism has a very high tolerance to heat. So, during the heating stage it is possible to kill all the bacteria except the bacteria that causes botulism, leaving it in an anaerobic environment which is the perfect environment for it to grow and reproduce. Botulism has nothing to do with home fermentation, as we are not heating the food, and instead creating an inhospitable environment to those bad buggers. Fermenting food is rather working with a large, native population of bacteria which we are cultivating in order to encourage their growth and their acids. Acidifying bacteria are a brilliant strategy for food preservation and food safety because they create an environment that is inhospitable to Clostridium botulinum, but also other pathogenic bacteria as well.

Salmonella and E. coli cannot proliferate in harsh environments, like the one created under lactic-acid fermentation. The lactic-acid used in this process basically disables any Salmonella or E.coli, if present, from multiplying, and actually kills them, rendering them harmless. Far from being hazardous, fermenting actually improves safety. 

With that said, I can't emphasize enough how safe home fermenting can be. Follow these tips, and you shouldn't have a problem, except, perhaps a problem of finding a place to store all of your delicious ferments!

Tips and Tricks to Successful Fermenting

1. Use the best quality organic vegetables, fruit, and spices. In order to do their work, lactobacilli (the bacteria from the whey) need many nutrients. Oftentimes, non-organic foods are deficient in nutrients, or are sprayed with chemicals that will alter the fermentation process, creating an inferior or inedible product. Likewise, the salt and spices should be pure, or the quality of the final product will be jeopardized. It's also important to note that many organic foods available in large supermarkets have been found to be less nutritious than those bought from a local farmer. If possible, buy locally or grow your own veggies and fruits for the best fermentation results.

2. Use filtered water that is not heavily chlorinated. As mentioned above, chlorine kills microorganisms, which would ruin your ferments. If a lot of chlorine is present in your water, filter it first, or boil it to evaporate the chlorine.

3. During the 2-3 days in which you keep the ferments out of the fridge, make sure their environment stays between 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit. Seventy-two degrees is ideal. Maintaining these temperatures creates a stable environment for the microorganisms to multiply and produces a fine product. In higher temperatures, without adjusting the fermentation time, the ferment could be compromised.

4. Follow the recipe. The recipes you will be following (I highly recommend those found in Nourishing Traditions) have been tested for safety. You will avoid any fermentation failures if you follow them.

5. If you are still scared about what might happen, buy an air-lock fermenting lid. This will ensure that extra air does not get into the ferment as it sits for those few days on your shelf. I have heard that it is especially good for fermenting pickles. While I have not personally used one, I know that some people feel better going this route.

Happy fermenting!

Egg-cellence Challenge and CONTEST!

My dear readers,  I am very excited to offer you an opportunity to put your new food knowledge into action! My blogging friends over at Real Food Freaks have put together an Egg-cellence Challenge and Essay Contest.

Last month, in January, we learned that not all eggs are created equal, and that it's important to seek out pastured eggs with deep orange yolks - as the color of the yolks are indicative of the nutritional quality of the egg. The bloggers over at Real Food Freaks have also written some egg-cellent posts on the topic as well. I encourage you to check them out:

Egg-cellence Part 1 (good pastured eggs are WORTH the price)

Egg-cellence Part 2 (questions to ask your chicken farmer) - I highlighted this article in my post, Nourishing News: January 2012

Many of you may not egg-xactly be convinced of the superiority of pastured eggs. Or, it may be difficult on a budget to rationalize spending more on eggs. So, Real Food Freaks is offering an egg-cellent challenge (hehe, I just can't help myself with these puns!) in order to give you some motivation to take the plunge, and see for yourself just how tasty, delicious, and healthy these pastured eggs really are. 

The Prize!

What could you win for your labor? EGGS, of course! Delicious, delectable, pastured eggs from Tropical Traditions. FOUR dozen of these eggs will be all yours if you win the contest. So, let's take a look at the challenge.

Rules and Requirements

1)  Research your local farmers using the questions from the post, Egg-cellence Pt 2 (you can have up to a 2 hour radius and/or get the eggs at a farmer’s market if you choose).   Journal your farmer’s responses so you can remember exactly what was said about the eggs.  The other option (if you really cannot find good eggs fitting the criteria in your locality) is to splurge on an order of Tropical Traditions eggs.  These are the only eggs that we are aware of nationally that are acceptable.  You can get them here.  You CANNOT buy store eggs for this part of the challenge (even if the eggs are from a local farmer, because you have no idea how long those eggs have been on the shelf)!

2)  Buy one week’s worth of eggs from the researched local farm (for you only if you are on a tight budget).  If you can afford it,  it would be interesting to see the effect that this experiment has on your family as well.

3)  Make eggs each morning for breakfast for the entire week. You can make them anyway you choose. Then journal your hunger or feelings for the entire week.

4)  The following week, buy your regular grocery store eggs (any quality) and repeat the process from the week before (any preparation, but be sure to journal hunger and how you feel). Just make sure that you are using the same number of eggs – if you made a three egg omelet the first week, then make a three egg omelet the second week.

5)  Write an essay about your experience.  This is what you will submit to us for the entry.  Be honest.  If you went through the entire process and didn’t see a difference — tell us that.  But be as specific as possible about the process (what you found or didn’t find locally). We are looking for the following in your essay:

• 500 words or more

• Your experience in researching egg options (with farmer notes)

• Your week one experience with the best farm eggs you could find regardless of price (refer to your journal)

• Your week two experience with grocery store eggs (refer to your journal)

• Your overall impressions, feelings, what you learned (if anything at all) from this challenge.

• Submit the entry to admin@realfoodfreaks.com in a word document no later than February 28, 2012.

6)  Your entry essay will be judged on meeting the criteria in #5 and:

• The ability to convey the experience of the challenge in a relatable way

• The amount of local research that you did and whether you met the criteria for ‘local’ – within two hours of your home or using Tropical Traditions eggs if you exhausted those efforts locally.

• Honesty – if you didn’t notice a difference, then say so. It’s ok and it won’t disqualify you.  Just be sure to give as many details as possible to explain the process you took.

• Grammar (sorry, see #8 and you will understand why)

7)  The winning entry will be posted on Real Food Freaks.  If you are submitting an entry essay, you are giving us permission to use your story in the event that you win.  This is why grammar will count because we will not change your story at all to keep the integrity of your message.  If you are chosen as the winner, and there are errors, we may choose to send it back to you for revisions before we post it online.

8)  Entries should be emailed to: admin@realfoodfreaks.com  using the email address that we will be able to contact you if you win.


Happy eating!

Fermented Food for Beginners

Freshly made kimchi

One of the bigger steps we took to transitioning over to a whole, unrefined traditional foods diet was eating lactic acid fermented vegetables, fruits, and milk. I had incorporated grass-fed meats and healthier eggs, had started purchasing produce from our local farmers, and had decreased our consumption of sugar, but I just didn't have the courage to begin making and eating fermented foods. Fermenting foods reminded me of the can of sauerkraut my mom would serve for dinner yearly on St. Patrick's day. It would stink up the whole house and had an even worse mushy consistency. Why would I willingly make something like that? Little did I know how different store-bought fermented foods are than homemade lacto-fermented foods. Thankfully, through a group of friends, our palettes were finally exposed to the wonderful world of fermentation. Since then I have been fermenting and experimenting to my heart's content - or should I say stomach's content? :)

Fermenting foods dates back thousands and thousands of years. There are even cave drawings dating back 12,000 years of men obtaining honey from hives and using it to make mead, a honey wine. More recently, during the 19th century, the English explorer, Captain James Cook, had sixty barrels of sauerkraut hauled aboard his ship for his second trip around the world. The kraut lasted for 27 months and fed the crew well. Captain Cook was later recognized by the Royal Society for conquering scurvy, the disease that results from vitamin C deficiency, which had plagued many other sea crews (source). This is because lacto-fermented sauerkraut contains ample amounts of vitamin C. While the Captain got the glory, cultures all over the world had been eating these fermented foods for centuries; it was just part of their daily life, and still is, in many areas, today. The Koreans eat kimchi, cortido is popular in South America, miso, tempeh, and tamari are traditional Asian foods, kefir is a staple in Russia, and the list could go on. Our ancestors were experts at preserving food and drink, and this was done primarily through lactic-acid fermentation. 

You can ferment almost anything: milk, grains, meats, vegetables, fruit, etc; but today, we are primarily focused on fermenting fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. In my opinion, these are the easiest foods to ferment, and so they are great for beginners. Let’s take a look at the process, and then discuss why we would want to eat fermented foods. 

What is Lactic-Acid Fermentation?

Lactic-acid fermentation is a process by which the starches and sugars in dairy products, vegetables, or fruit convert to lactic acid by friendly lactic-acid producing bacteria (source). Making ferments at home is actually quite simple. First, the fruits and vegetables are washed and then cut, chopped, or shredded. Next, they are combined with herbs or spices, sea salt, and whey, and pounded with a meat hammer to release the juices.  Then, the ingredients are pressed into an air tight container, like a mason jar. The tightly sealed containers are then placed in a cabinet for two to three days in order to allow the good bacteria to proliferate. The salt keeps the bacteria from putrefying until enough lactic acid is created, which preserves the food for months. Using whey reduces the time needed for enough lactic acid to be produced. Afterwards the ferments can be stored in the fridge. It is widely known that veggie ferments increase in flavor over time, and can last for many months, but fruit ferments should be eaten within two months.

Sauerkraut ingredients waiting to be pounded

Today, we have things like canning machines and refrigerators, which don't make fermentation necessary, so why would we take the time to do it? Well, for starters fermenting foods has many more benefits than just extending its shelf life. In fact, many scientists today are just beginning to understand what was apparent to the cultures of old: lacto-fermented foods are a gold mine for health. Consider these reasons to start incorporating lacto-fermented foods into your family’s diet.

Six Reasons to Eat Lacto-Fermented Foods

1. The process of fermentation breaks down already present nutrients into more easily digestible forms. You’ll likely absorb more of the nutrients in food when it is fermented. For example, fermenting dairy products, like milk, breaks down lactose into lactic acid. Lactose is a sugar which often causes digestive difficulties in many people. (source)

2. Fermentation can CREATE new nutrients, especially B vitamins, including folic acid, riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, and biotin. (source)

3. Ferments work as antioxidants, and take care of the "free radicals" that can be cancer precursors in your body by helping to flush them out of your system.

4. Fermentation can remove toxins from foods. For example, grains contain a compound called phytic acid, which blocks absorption of minerals, like zinc, magnesium, calcium, and iron. Soaking grains before cooking them neutralizes this phytic acid, so when you consume the bread the fermented grains will allow you to absorb many more minerals.

5. Eating fermented foods provides a wide array of probiotics for your intestines. Remember, lacto-fermenting foods means that the food is raw, alive, and full of gut-friendly bacteria. Are you having digestive problems? Eating homemade ferments are a great support to your gut. They are much cheaper than your health store’s fancy probiotic supplements. (source)

6. Homemade ferments are a great way to maximize your family’s overall nutrition while keeping within a budget. How great it is to grow or buy produce which is already healthy for you and then be able to multiply its nutritive properties through lacto-fermentation!

Kombucha: a bubbly fermented tea drink

On a final note, it is important to point out that the fermented foods you find in your grocery store are vastly different than the lacto-fermented foods you can make in your home. These store-bought foods, like sauerkraut, yogurt, and pickles are generally pasteurized, which means they are heated to a point at which the enzymes and beneficial microorganisms die. Although yogurt is touted to contain beneficial live cultures, the yogurt is generally pasteurized after culturing, which kills all the natural bacteria; then, a few specific types are artificially added in at the end. This is an incredibly inferior product compared to the yogurt you could make at home. If you want the benefits from lacto-fermented foods, you’ll need to make them yourself, or take the time to scout them out in your area.

Are you ready to take the plunge and make some fermented foods? Join me in a few upcoming posts as I give recipes for making fermented salsa, kimchi (korean sauerkraut), milk kefir, and kombucha. 


This was entered into Kelly the Kitchen Kop's Real Food Wednesday,  Food Renegade's Fight Back Friday, Nourishing Gourmet's Pennywise Platter, and Real Food Forager's Fat Tuesday.

Hearty Chicken Soup: Recipe

If you've ever looked for a chicken soup recipe, you've noticed there are a LOT of them out there. The best part about this is that there are some great ideas for variations on this classic recipe - thai chicken soup, anyone? The worst part is that there are so many recipes with unhealthy ingredients; soups loaded with vegetable oils, margarine, and refined grains. We've truly lost sight of the original benefits of chicken soup, like the minerals and fat found in homemade broth. Yes, saturated FAT is GOOD for you! Anyway, before I lose myself on another fat is phat rant, I wanted to eliminate this need to go searching for the perfect chicken soup recipe. Today I present to you THE best chicken soup recipe you'll ever come across. Now, this doesn't sound very humble, I know, but I wasn't the one who came up with the base of the recipe, so I feel like I can say that. In fact, I don't even remember who came up with this recipe. It has been tweaked and changed so many times that I'm going to share with you how I make it, and then you can continue to tweak it to your family's personal tastes. 

In my last couple of posts we learned about the benefits of homemade bone broths, and I gave you a recipe for chicken broth to start you off on your traditional foods journey. Today, you'll be using that chicken broth to make the most perfect, delicious pot of chicken soup your family has ever laid their lips on. So, without further ado...

Hearty Chicken Soup

2 tablespoons organic pastured butter (feel free to use more)

1 cup chopped organic carrots

1/2 cup diced organic onion

1/2 cup diced organic celery

1-2 cups chopped organic zucchini (optional)

6 cups homemade chicken broth

2 cups or more diced organic pastured chicken

1 - 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt (I use RealSalt)

1 t organic dried marjoram

1 t organic dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon organic pepper

1. In a medium-sized pot on low heat, sauté carrots, onion, and celery in butter for 5 - 10 minutes, or until tender.

2. Add zucchini (if using), homemade chicken broth, diced chicken, and spices. Mix and cover. Turn heat up a bit, and bring to a very low simmer. Turn off heat and allow soup to sit for about 20 minutes. 

3. Ladle into bowls and serve with homemade lacto-fermented sauerkraut, pickles, and some raw cheddar cheese.

Serves 4

As you can see, this is a very simple recipe. It doesn't need to be difficult to be delicious. The secret is in the homemade broth and the marjoram. Whenever I have served this meal, someone has always commented on how they have never tasted any soup so delicious. I truly think people have become used to the bland-tasting broths that are sold in stores and used in most restaurants. This is a tragedy... but it's not too late to remedy this problem. I guarantee you'll get smiling faces when you serve this soup.

I'd like to make one note: We are a grain-free household. That's right, not just gluten-free, we are completely grain-free. I've been following the GAPS diet for about a year in order to heal my gut, and part of the diet is eliminating stress on the intestines, which means not eating complex carbohydrates. We add zucchini to our soup as a replacement to noodles. It helps to make the soup heartier. I enjoy the zucchini, and it's much healthier than the noodles would be. Feel free to use the zucchini or throw in a different vegetable that your family enjoys. 

During this cold, winter season, it's a perfect time to make this chicken soup, and it will help to provide your family with the nutrients to stave off colds and flus. Are you ready? It's time to take your taste buds for a joy ride!

What is your favorite variation on the traditional chicken soup recipe?

This was entered into Kelly the Kitchen Kop's Real Food Wednesday, Easy Natural Food's Sunday Night Soup Night!, The Healthy Home Economist's Monday Mania and Real Food Forager's Fat Tuesday.

Golden, Rich, & Delicious Chicken Broth: Recipe

Yesterday we talked about the benefits of bone broth. Today, I'm sharing my recipe for chicken broth. I make this chicken broth at least once a week. It's golden, rich, and delicious - you won't be disappointed. We'll also be considering different methods of cooking broth and various storage possibilities.

If you were to ask around, you’d find that most people make chicken broth more often than any other sort of broth. It’s the easiest to make, and in the average American household, we probably tend to eat chicken more than beef or fish. That being said, both beef and fish broths are just as beneficial and even offer some nutrients that chicken broth does not. So, while today’s recipe is for chicken broth, feel free to experiment with other types in the future. 

There are a few ways to make bone broths, but let’s first start with the basic recipe, and then discuss your options.

Basic Homemade Chicken Broth

Bones from one whole chicken (ideally pastured or organic, at least hormone/antibiotic free)

Giblets from chicken (heart, neck, liver, etc.)

2-4 chicken feet (optional: I keep these in the freezer - great for added gelatin!)

2 tablespoons organic, raw apple cider vinegar (I use Bragg’s)

2 organic onions, chopped

4 organic celery stalks, chopped

3 organic carrots, chopped

Filtered water

1. Place the bones, giblets, and chicken feet into a large stockpot. Pour the apple cider vinegar over the bones and let sit for 30 minutes to an hour. This helps to pull out the minerals, like calcium, from the bones.

2. Add the chopped veggies and cover with filtered water about an inch above the top of the ingredients. Bring to just before a boil, turn heat down to very low, and remove the scum that has risen to the top. 

3. Keep broth at a very low simmer for at least 3 hours, ideally 24 hours. The longer you simmer the more flavor and nutrients will be added to the broth.

4. When finished simmering, strain broth through a colander.

Various Broth-Making Methods

If you scrounge around the internet you’ll find a myriad of creative ways to make broth. Below you’ll find a few of my favorites.

Slowcooker Broth: Make your broth in your crockpot or slowcooker (following the recipe above). If you’re not used to leaving your house with your stove on, this might be a good solution for you. Be careful though, sometimes crockpots can’t heat the broth low enough and even on the warm setting the broth ends up boiling - something you want to avoid.

Perpetual Chicken Broth: Continuing with the idea of the slowcooker method, some like to continually cook broth on their countertop, adding more bones throughout the week and ladling out whatever they need at each meal. This allows your broth to be available and ready to go whenever you need it. You can read more about this method over at Nourished Kitchen.

Whole Chicken Broth: You can also begin your broth by using a whole, uncooked chicken. If you do this, follow the recipe as written above, but remove the chicken from the stockpot after 2 hours, carefully remove the meat from the bones, and place the bones back in to simmer for the remaining time. Store the meat in the fridge to use later in salads or soups. If you leave the meat in the broth for the full 24 hours, it tends to become quite tough. 

Broth Storage Options

Chicken broth will last in your fridge for about a week, but if you can’t use a gallon of broth in a week, what do you do? Some people freeze their broth in small (2-3 cup) containers, so that they only have to defrost what they will use in one meal. You can also freeze the broth in ice cube trays, and then store the frozen cubes in a freezer bag. This works well when you only want to use a small amount of broth for cooking veggies, grains, or for use in sauces. You can use a combination of the above choices to work out the best solution for your family. 

Now that you have a recipe, start saving those leftover chicken bones, and get ready to have this incredibly healthy, mineral-packed, delicious broth on hand. Are you still looking for an excuse to make it? Join me in my next post as I share my recipe for the absolute best chicken soup you've ever eaten, a perfect hearty dinner for these cold winter days.

Are you going to try making chicken broth for your family? 

If you did, how did it turn out?

This was entered into Food Renegade's Fight Back Friday, Easy Natural Food's Sunday Night Soup Night!, and The Healthy Home Economist's Monday Mania.

The Incredible Healing Properties of Broth: Not Just an Old Wives' Tale

“Good broth will resurrect the dead.” South American proverb

When I first began changing over our family’s diet to traditional foods, the first task I wanted to accomplish was learning how to make chicken broth. I’d never in my life done such a thing, and at that point in time, it seemed quite a steep task. I can chuckle at that thought now, because I quickly found out how easy it is to make broth! In fact, I know I’ll never go back to buying those ridiculously expensive, bland-tasting plastic boxes of broth from the store. No, siree!

Why would I want to learn how to make broth? Bone broth is highly-nutritive, and it’s one of the easiest to digest foods on the planet. It is incredibly soothing to the intestines, especially if you have any sort of digestive problem (which I do - more on that later). Every traditional culture made and ate animal and/or fish stocks. Not only were they being resourceful by using every part of the animal, but they were also being smart because broth provides bountiful benefits to the body. 

Have you ever heard the term, “Jewish penicillin”? This name was given to the chicken broth made by our Jewish ancestors because of its ability to heal colds, flus, and many sicknesses. It’s not just an old wives’ tale; science validates this long-held belief. The broth you make today will do the same.

The Power of Broth

The best part about broth is that it contains numerous minerals in a form that is most easily assimilated into the body: calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur, and many other trace minerals. Broth also contains amino acids that help to detoxify the body. The cartilage and tendons that are used to make broth provide chondroitin sulphates and glucosamine that help with arthritis and joint pain - both of which are pricey supplements sold in health stores today. 

Bone broth is rich in gelatin. Gelatin, probably the magic ingredient in broth, helps with a multitude of symptoms and sicknesses: ulcers, tuberculosis, diabetes, muscle diseases, jaundice, cancer, irritable bowel syndrome, and the list goes on. Fish broth, especially, is an excellent source of iodine and other substances which strengthen the thyroid.

As I mentioned earlier, bone broths are excellent for the digestive system. Many of us suffer from various intestinal issues: leaky gut, IBS, Crohn’s disease, etc. Bone broth is a warming and therapeutic drink that is particularly gentle on the stomach. It strengthens the gut wall and helps to reduce inflammation.

Store-bought, canned or boxed broths, and bouillon cubes pale in comparison. Many contain MSG, other additives, and salt in a form that’s not beneficial to you. Additionally, these broths are generally lacking in the all-important ingredient gelatin. The benefits of homemade broth trump store-bought broth, but what about the cost comparison?

The Frugality of Broth

Compared to a quart-sized box of bone broth which may cost you $4.25, especially if you’re purchasing the organic version, making broth at home will cost you pennies - possibly only the electricity used to cook it. I use the bones leftover from the chicken I’ve already purchased for our family to eat. I freeze the bones and giblets until I’m ready to make broth. When I’m ready, I put it all into a big stock pot, throw in leftover vegetable scraps, eggshells from pastured hens (for added calcium), and possibly a few chicken feet (great for gelatin). Then I douse it all with a couple tablespoons of raw apple cider vinegar. The vinegar helps to extract the minerals from the bones. I heat the soup for about 24 hours, and in the end, I have a rich, fragrant, golden masterpiece. If you consider the price of the vegetables and vinegar, then the broth might cost a couple dollars and that’s being generous - this makes over a gallon of broth! Bone broths are both nutritious and frugal - you can’t beat that!

Uses for Broth

Our family goes through at least a gallon of bone broth a week. I am currently following the GAPS Diet, a scientifically-designed diet to heal the intestinal tract. This diet calls for drinking copious amounts of bone broth, so we tend to make and eat lots of soups. However, even if I wasn’t following the GAPS I still would simmer a gallon each week, not only because it’s frugal and healthy, but because it’s delicious, too! In addition to soups, broth is a great base for gravy and sauces. Cooking vegetables and grains in broth adds both nutrition and rich flavor. Use it to baste meats, braise vegetables, or heck, just pour yourself a mug, add some sea salt, and enjoy. 

Are you ready to bust out that stockpot? Why not save yourself some money, add some flavor to your family’s meals, and help them stay healthy by making it a goal to make a nutritious bone broth this week. In my next post I’ll teach you how to make lip-smacking, health-promoting chicken broth. After you make it once, you’ll be hooked. I promise!

What is your favorite type of bone broth: chicken, beef, lamb, fish? 

Do you have a favorite recipe?

This was entered into Real Food Forager's Fat Tuesday, Food Renegade's Fight Back Friday, Easy Natural Food's Sunday Night Soup Night!, and The Healthy Home Economist's Monday Mania.

Good Fats: Do They Even Exist?

Confused about fats? Most of us have grown up being told to skip the butter, or even worse, to use margarine instead. We were often made to feel guilty if we reached for the extra pat of butter for our veggies. We were taught to limit our red meat intake because it's filled with evil saturated fats that will cause heart disease. Unfortunately, this is some of the worse advice we could have been given. Today, many of us have continued a low-fat diet. Even our doctors encourage us in this direction.

As the world became saturated-fat-phobic, many products popped up on store shelves offering us alternatives - mostly in the form of polyunsaturated fats. If you take a peak down a few aisles of your grocery store, you'll notice two oils used in most everything: corn and soybean. If you open a magazine, you'll notice ample use of vegetable oils in its recipes. But, science and history will show us that saturated fats are the ideal fat. Let's take a look at some facts.

Stability and Rancidity

On the molecular level (bear with me here) a fat is saturated when each carbon bond in the chain is taken by a hydrogen atom. This creates an incredibly stable fat. It means that these fats will not go rancid, and can remain stable at room temperature. They can also be heated to high temperatures without being damaged, making them ideal for cooking. 

In polyunsaturated fats, two or more of the carbon bonds are not occupied by a hydrogen atom and therefore, have two or more pairs of double or triple bonds, making them unstable. Because of their instability, these fats go rancid quickly. In fact, these oils are rancid before you even buy them, or the product that contains them. They are heated during processing and generally bleached and deodorized to make them palatable. The addition of these processes make polyunsaturated fats even more dangerous to your health. So, even though these oils don't look like they have anything wrong with them, steer clear, and avoid using and eating any products that contain them.

Omega-6 to Omega-3 Ratio

Problems with polyunsaturated fats continue to exacerbate when we take a look at the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio. We are healthiest when we achieve an omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of 2:1, or even 1:1, definitely no more than 4:1. Corn oil, a common polyunsaturated fat, has an omega ratio of 45:1, and cottonseed oil's ratio is 260:1! It is plain and simple that polyunsaturated fats do not help us achieve the omega balance. (source)

Currently, the average American is thought to have an omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of 17:1. This is most likely because it’s much easier to eat polyunsaturated fats considering they’re in most conventionally processed foods. Unfortunately, the chief concern with a lopsided omega-6 to 3 ratio is that omega-6 fatty acids are known to interfere with the body’s production of prostaglandins. This can increase your chance of experiencing blood clots, sterility, poor immunity, indigestion, and cancer. Thankfully, a lopsided ratio can easily be remedied by avoiding polyunsaturated fats and eating more saturated fats, like beef tallow which has a ratio of 2.4:1, or butter from pastured cows which has a 1.4:1 ratio. (source)

The health benefits of omega-3s are finally being accepted by the general public, and you’ll see egg and fish oil companies touting the omega-3s in their products. What they don’t tell us is that omega-3s are best absorbed by our bodies when accompanied by a saturated fat, like butter oil (source). So, if you’re taking your fish oil, but staying strictly away from the butter, you may be flushing your money down the drain.

Fats You Should Eat

Natural, unrefined animal fats and unrefined oils have so many benefits for the body. They are excellent sources of vitamins A, D, E, and K. Saturated fats also have anti-microbial properties, meaning they protect you from viruses and pathogenic bacteria in your gut. Our bodies are mostly made up of saturated and monounsaturated fats. In fact, these fatty acids comprise 50% of the cell membranes, which give them necessary stiffness so they can do their job. These fats help us to absorb calcium and also protect the liver from toxins (source). 

There are also healthy monounsaturated fats like extra virgin olive oil, flaxseed oil, sesame oil, nuts, and avocados. While these oils can become rancid under certain conditions, they are much more stable than polyunsaturated fats. Although they are more stable, these oils should not be used for cooking except at low temperatures. They are best used for uncooked meals, such as salads. Finding good sources for these oils, if you're going to use them, is a must. 

Our ancestors had it right when they made sure to eat a diet of 50% natural, unrefined fats, even sometimes 80% fats. By now, it is certain that the saturated fat scare is, at best, quite unnecessary and at worst, very damaging to our health. Make the switch TODAY to traditional fats. Nourish your body and you will flourish. 

Since there are so many options at the grocery store, farmer’s markets, and online here is an easy list to help you decide which fats are best to eat.

What traditional fat do you enjoy the most?

This was entered into Real Food Forager's Fat Tuesday.