We have all heard many arguments against healthy living, the biggest one being that it is just not affordable for everyone. And while I agree that it can be, there are always ways to make healthy living more affordable and accessible.
As with all things in life, when you are committed and determined, putting your mind to something, more often than not a way can be found. The things in life of great value often takes extra effort!
Sometimes we also need to change our viewpoint on food. I read an interesting comment a while back: Do not ask why healthy food is so expensive, rather ask why other foods are so cheap.
So, in my attempt to simplify healthy living and make it more accessible, I want to share with you a few ideas that I have discovered on my journey. I will do this in sections to make the information easier to digest. I am sure it will help you on your road to going green on a budget.
1. Bone Broth, the Super Easy Super food
WHY – I’ll start with bone broth because it is easy and very affordable. Broth is a super food that, although it can feel time-consuming to make, is in actual fact quite simple and can be made at a relatively cheap cost to your family.
It is high in gelatine, collagen, amino-acids and trace elements. Broth helps with healing and supporting the mucosal lining of the digestive tract and aids in digestion. It boosts the immune system by helping to fight inflammation and protects and nourishes your joints. Due to its high collagen content, it beautifies hair and skin, helping against fine-lines and wrinkles. Broth and collagen can be called the “botox” of the natural world.
HOW –
Sourcing the broth bones – You want to make sure that the bones for your broth are from animals that were pasture-raised and -finished, grass-fed, antibiotic- and hormone-free. This might require you to phone around to farmers and or local stores, and do some online research. Chances are you find some sort of association in your area with more information on buying good quality animal products. One such association is the Weston A. Price foundation (based in the US, but with chapters across the world), who lists chapter leaders per country and area on their website whom you can contact for information on reputable suppliers.
https://www.westonaprice.org/get-involved/find-a-local-chapter-international/
I also keep the chicken, sheep or beef bones from meat that I deboned for our meals. I freeze these bones until I am ready to make broth.
Then for the brave at heart there is a way to add more gelatine to your bone broth. How? By adding chicken feet and/or chicken heads to your broth. To be honest, the heads are just too much for me to handle, but I’ve managed to add chicken feet to my broth batches, convinced by the gelatine content in these. If you are using e.g. beef bones for your broth, adding chicken feet definitely improves the taste of the broth, giving it a more neutral taste compared to just the beef bones.
Chicken feet is very high in gelatine and collagen, so high in fact that it is extremely worth it to get over the ‘gross’ factor. Without it, my broth is quite liquidy and does not set at all in the fridge.
Making Bone Broth – see our printable recipe here.
Beef / Sheep Bone Broth
3 kg pasture-raised beef or sheep soup bones
7 cloves
3 Tablespoons coriander seeds
10 whole peppercorns
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar (optional)
Water
- Add all ingredients except apple cider vinegar to an 11 litre 18/10 grade stainless steel pot.
- Fry the soup bones and spices on low heat for about half an hour. Fill the pot up with water and add apple cider vinegar (apple cider vinegar helps to draw the nutrients out of the bones).
- Simmer on very low heat for 18-24 hours. If I start smelling the broth, I know the heat is too high and I turn it down a bit further. I usually put the broth on in the morning and cook until I go to bed at night. I then turn off the stove, put it on first thing in the morning and cook until the afternoon.
- Strain the bones out and store in glass containers in the fridge. With the fat layer on top, the broth will keep in the fridge for about 7 days and in the freezer for months.
Chicken Bone Broth
1-2 chicken carcasses
1kg chicken feet
Water
- Clean the chicken feet. This is done by pouring boiling water over a few feet at a time, letting it lie in the boiling water for 2-3 minutes (not longer, otherwise the meat will come off the skin) and pulling off the skin. Also cut off the nails.
- Add chicken feet and carcasses to a 6.5L pot and fill up with water.
- Simmer on very low heat for 18-24 hours, after which you pour it through a sieve or strainer into glass pots, let it cool and store in refrigerator (I mix the beef and chicken broth in the pots, but that is optional).
You can make broth in small amounts in your ceramic or stainless steel slow cooker if you do not have a big enough 18/10 grade stainless steel pot (best to avoid aluminium pots!).
Consuming the Broth
Some ideas on how to consume the broth:
- Add salt, turmeric, black pepper and/or other spices and drink straight up! It is wonderfully satisfying, nutritious and tasty.
- Use as base when making soups.
- Use in our Supercharged Golden Milk.
- Use to boil/steam vegetables.
If you are still doubting why bone broth can be useful in your kitchen, read this article and follow the trend!
http://nypost.com/2015/01/03/nycs-latest-health-trend-is-a-steaming-cup-of-bone-broth/
To life & in good health,
Franzelle