SUPER easy bone broth that just takes a minute to get ready for the crockpot.
Amelia is the master of bone broth and also juicing, but I made this one super quick and wanted to share!
So bone broth has so many benefits. To name a few: joint pain relief, detoxify the liver, helps your skin, aids in digestive health, improves sleep, strengthens your tendons and bones, and heals scar tissue. Bone broth has protein and collagen, and also has nutrients like calcium. When you make homemade bone broth (like this recipe), you are guaranteed to receive all of the cartilage, bone and tissue benefits, which include amino acids.
Collagen can help your skin. We're talking anti-aging! Reducing wrinkles, dryness, some say it can help reduce cellulite by increasing the elasticity of your skin. Collagen can also help with hair and nails. Collagen decreases as we age, so a supplement can give you a boost.
P.S. I also add a scoop of Ancient Nutrition's Multi collagen powder to my protein shake every morning.
There are five types of collagen -
Type I: helps form skin, bones, tendons, corneas, blood vessel walls, connective tissues. A supplement of Type I is mostly for skin health.
Type II : found in cartilage - connective tissue, joints. Also part of our ears, nose, bronchial tubes, and the rib cage.
Type III: major component of skin and organs (similar to Type I)
Type V: required to create cells in a placenta (provides a growing baby with all survival essentials). Also helps form cell surfaces, and hair.
Type X: this type is mainly found in cartilage. It is a network-forming collagen type and helps new bone growth in joint cartilage.
(These tidbits of information on the different types comes from Dr. Axe)
So, collagen is a big deal in your body. And you can easily get it from drinking bone broth, adding bone broth to your soups, or even protein shakes.
I personally drink bone broth for the joint and gut health aspects. Last year when I trained for my first half marathon, my knees started to hurt, then they hurt all the time. I had never had trouble with my joints, but running 1000's of miles (it seemed like) my knees weren't happy. Also I've had a lot of GI issues, and surgeries (therefore scar tissue) surrounding my Ulcerative Colitis. I try to give my gut a little boost, and heal my scar tissue so it doesn't cause me anymore issues (like the blockages I've had *eye roll*).
Bone broth is good for when you are intermittent fasting, it helps you get some protein and collagen after a workout if you're fasting from whole foods. There is debate whether it breaks a fast or not. It is also a warm snack before bed (remember it helps improve sleep!). --These two tips from my gym bestie, Tina.
So, onto the recipe, then I'll show you how I freeze it so I can easily heat it back up when I want a mug full!
I buy the whole young chickens (I try to get 'no antibiotics ever'). Then I keep some apple cider vinegar at home, salt, pepper, and usually a bag of carrots (Tina also throws in a whole onion when she makes it). Carrots and onion add to the flavor (they'll be strained out later.
You can make bone broth from chicken or beef (beef bones have more cartilage). Sometimes your local butcher shop will sell them to you!
Amelia and I use the chicken because it doesn't only make bone broth, it also meal preps chicken for you for any recipe you want!
Throw the chicken, carrots, (carrots are optional - also onion or celery optional) a little salt & pepper, and 1-4 tablespoons of ACV into the crockpot. The apple cider vinegar helps extract the collagen and minerals from the tissue and bones.
Leave this in for 4-6 hours on low. Strain out the chicken and veggies for meal prep. The broth and fat left is your bone broth! You did it! You can fill up containers (Amelia uses mason jars) with the broth and keep in your fridge for about a week. It will solidify and form a gel, just scoop this into your coffee mug and heat it up for 30 seconds - 1 minute in the microwave.
OR... you know how I am about freezing extra food....
Freeze the bone broth for later use. I don't drink enough of it each week without some going bad.
If the broth has started to solidify, heat it back up, then measure out however much you need in each cup of the muffin tin. Toss it in the freezer for a few hours. Scoop these frozen chunks of delicious, nutritious broth into a Ziploc and done! When you're ready, throw a frozen chunk or two in a mug and heat it up. (Like I said earlier, also good for soups or shakes).
Let us know what else you like to add to your bone broth recipe, and the main reason why you drink it, or want to try it!
xoxo,
Christine