Recipes From Gut Health Talk

Bone Broth Soup:

Ingredients:

• 4 pounds of meat bones, chicken, beef or pork (ideally organic, pastured or grass-fed animals)
• 20 cups of filtered water
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar (can substitute with lemon juice)
• 3 onions, peeled and quartered
• 4 large carrots, peeled and quartered
• 3-4 celery stalks, cleaned and cut in half
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 1-2 teaspoons sea salt or Himalayan salt

* Optional : bunches of parsley, peppercorns, bay leaves, ginger, basil, rosemary, red pepper flakes, thyme, leeks, green onion, left over vegetables. Avoid cruciferous vegetables for the basic broth as it may cause the broth to taste somewhat bitter.

Instructions:

1. Roast the bones in the oven at 350 F. for about 45 minutes. This will add flavour to the broth and  start to pull the minerals from the bones.
2. Place the bones in a large soup/stock pot (or crock pot). Deglaze the roasting pan with hot water to get all of the brown bits into the soup pot.
3. Bring to a boil and skim off any scum, (impurities from the bones), was it starts to boil.
4. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for at least 12 hours but ideally for 24 hours. The longer you cook the broth, the more flavourful and minerals rich the will broth will become.
5. When the broth is done, cool slightly, then strain. Pour the stock into containers and refrigerate or freeze.
6. The broth can be used “as is” or can be used as a base for a hearty soup.
7. Note: As the soup cools, the fat rises to the top. If there is a lot, scape some off before warming up the broth. The fat can be used for cooking. Also, the layer of fat helps preserve the broth by creating a seal to help keeps the microbes out. It is suggested you can keep the broth in the fridge for up to 6 months if the fat seal is not broken. But, why would you wait so long to drink this healthy broth?

Bone Both contains between 60 – 100 trace minerals and nutrients important that promote healing. It is easily digested and helps to heal the lining in our guts. The gelatin, (collagen protein), which is released from the bones have important amino acids and assist our bodies in the building of connective tissue, bones and skin.

Raspberry Gummies:

Ingredients:

• 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice (approximately one lemon)
• 3/4 cup raspberry puree (about 20 oz. frozen raspberries)
• 4 tablespoons xylitol
• pinch of salt
• 3 tablespoons gelatin powder, (look for organic, grass fed gelatin powder available health stores or order on-line

Instructions:

1. Place raspberries and lemon juice in a pot on the stove. Heat until the berries start to cook down into a puree. I used my immersion blender to speed up the process.
2. Add the xylitol, salt and simmer until blended.
3. Remove from the stove.
4. Grease a glass container or silicone candy molds with coconut oil (or oil of choice).
5. Add the gelatin and blend well. (You may have to use your hand blender again.)
6. Pour the mixture into the glass container or the candy molds.
7. Refrigerate for a few hours to set.

Note: You can use other fruits for the gummies such as cherries, blueberries, strawberries. Be creative. Mango and lime juice could also be a great option.

You can also infuse the gummies with Vitamin C by adding ascorbic acid, (powdered form of Vitamin C), as you add the gelatin to the mixture.

Pumpkin Gelatin Dessert Bites

Ingredients:

• 1&1/2 cups coconut milk
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin spice
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup xylitol
• 1/4 cup gelatin powder
• liquid stevia to taste ( I used about 10 drops at the end)

Instructions:

1. Pour the coconut milk into a pot and simmer on the stove.
2. Add the pumpkin puree, spices and xylitol. Blend well.
3. Remove from the stove and let cool a bit.
4.  Add the gelatin and blend. At this point decide if the bites will taste sweet enough or if you need to add a few drops of liquid stevia.
5. Pour the mixture into a greased glass container or greased silicone candy molds.
6. Refrigerate for a few hours until set.

Kombucha

Kombucha is a fermented drink that has a long history of reported health benefits. It is rich in vitamins, enzymes and bacterial acids which our bodies require. Many cultures believe drinking Kombucha regularly aids digestion and gut health, boost energy levels, assists in detoxification and helps with all forms of arthritis. Sounds good to me!

Ingredients:

• 12 cups of filtered water
• 1 cup organic sugar
• 4 organic black tea bags and one organic green tea bag
• 1/2 cup kombucha from a previous culture (or buy at health store)
• 1 kombucha mushroom i.e., a scoby (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast)

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, bring the water to a boil, then, add the sugar until it all dissolves in the water. Add the tea bags.

1. Remove form the stove and allow the liquid to cool. Remove the tea bags.
2. Pour the liquid into a large jar, (there should still be room above the liquid.)
3. Add the kombucha and the scoby mushroom to the jar
4. Cover the jar opening with a cheese -cloth or paper towel, then wrap a tea towel around the jar and place in a warm spot in your kitchen.  In approximately 7-14 days, the kombucha will be ready. Hint: There will be another scoby floating on the top of the liquid, a kombucha scoby baby. This can be given away to someone else who wants to make Kombucha. Save the other to make your next brew.
5. Pour the kombucha liquid into a container for drinking and place in the fridge. If not using, store the kombucha in the fridge with some of the liquid.

Never store your kombucha in plastic – always use glass or ceramic containers.

Note: The longer you brew your kombucha depends on your personal taste preferences. It is done when the second scoby is well formed. The longer you brew, the more vinegar like the taste and it will have less sugar.

Also, if you do not have a scoby, you can grow one using the same recipe above. Purchase a bottle of live Kombucha, i.e., not pasteurized. (The more cloudy with yeast flakes, the better.) In step 4, just add the bottle of Kombucha and follow the remaining instructions. In 1-2 weeks you will have a scoby.  Then you need to repeat all the steps to make your Kombucha.