One crucial topic in the skincare conversation that is often overlooked is not what we put on our bodies, but what we put in them. If you missed our last blog on some of the simple health practices of each of our founding members, you can catch up here!
In my (Brianna’s) commentary, I mentioned homemade bone broth as one of my favorite practices. Not only is it delicious and incredibly nutrient-dense, homemade broth is also cost-effective and contributes to a more sustainable lifestyle.
What is bone broth and why drink it?
Bone broth is broth made from cooking animal bones and connective tissue along with some meat. The parts of the animal used to cook bone broth are high in collagen, creating a very nutritious and gut healing broth.
High quality store-bought bone broths can range upwards of $8+ for a few cups of broth. I find that these broths still lack the highly gelatinous quality of homemade bone broths, the gelatin being part of what makes it such a healing stock to consume!
When cooking and meal prepping, I will save and freeze non-cruciferous vegetable scraps from other cooked meals such as carrot pieces, celery, onion or green onions, and garlic. I will also intentionally buy meat with bone-in and save the bones in the freezer as well after cooking the meat. Another great option when needing bones is to find a local farmer or butcher. I can get a crock pot’s worth of bones for around $5! Whether saving bones from home cooked meals or buying them local, both practices contribute to reduced food waste in our kitchens and in our communities.
How to make Bone broth in the crock pot
When I am ready to make a batch of broth, I pile the crockpot with bones, vegetable scraps, and add spices. I typically add salt, turmeric, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, and sage to mine, but play with your personal taste! Truly nothing is to measurement; I simply try to have at least ½-⅔ of the pot filled with bones and pile in as many vegetable scraps as can fit. I then fill the crockpot to the top with water then set the heat on low for twenty-four hours. The next day, I strain out the bones and vegetables and then have a whole batch of broth made primarily out of food scraps that would have otherwise been thrown away.
I use this broth for soup bases or will just warm up and drink a mug in the morning with breakfast for a boost of gut healing and protein. If you’re feeling adventurous, I also recommend Fallon Danae of Fallon Table’s bone broth hot chocolate recipe! The recipe can be found on her Instagram here.
I hope today’s blog can help spark some new creativity around sustainable, cost effective, and healing practices in your kitchen. Feel free to leave questions in the comments and let us know when you try it!
Bri, your article on bone broth is extremely helpful to those who have not heard of it. But I can assure you that at the Dill kitchen in Atwood, bone broth is a key to your Aunt 'Becca's culinary expertise. Siel also heartily believes in and does bone broth in her kitchen.