Healthy stock – a fantastic base for lots of dishes and filled with nutrients.
Stock can be referred to as bone broth. During the cooking process, collagen, bone marrow, amino acids, and minerals are leached from the boiled bones.
It is important to boil bones with vegetables as the addition of vegetables increases the content of several important nutrients including potassium, calcium, magnesium, and iron.
It is important that you use free-range organic bones. The quality of the bones will determine the quality of the stock.
Thanks to Melanie Smith the SB Fitness nutrition consultant for this healthy recipe. To hear more of Melanie recipes follow our foodie Friday posts on the SB Fitness Facebook Page. You can also book a consultation with Melanie. Just get in touch.
Nutritional highlights of chicken stock – Why make your own stock when you can buy it it in a convenient cube? Well home made stock is far better for you for a variety of reasons.
For starters, bone broth is an ancient food that was originally made by our ancestors to use up every part of the animal — including bones, marrow, skin, feet, tendons and ligaments — that were otherwise hard to digest. These animal parts are simmered along with other vegetables and herbs for several hours, even days, to extract a number of healing compounds, vitamins and minerals that your body can easily absorb.
Chicken broth has more than 19 easy-to-absorb, essential and nonessential amino acids like arginine, glycine and proline, which are the building blocks of proteins and essential for digestive health, wound healing and detoxification in the liver. It also is one of the only natural food sources for collagen and gelatin, which help form connective tissue in the body. Lastly, it has a ton of nutrients that support digestive functions, immunity and brain health.
The top nutrients found in chicken bone broth include:
Magnesium
Phosphorus
Gelatin
Collagen
Glycine
Glutamine
Protein
Iron
Potassium
Calcium
Glucosamine
Chondroitin sulfate
Calcium
It is important to boil bones with vegetables as the addition of vegetables increases the content of several important nutrients including potassium, calcium, magnesium, and iron.
If you have splashed out on an organic or good quality free range chicken this is a way of getting more from your purchase. Home-made stock can be a delicious base to a wide range of dishes from risottos to soup.
Melanies’ Healthy Stock Recipe…
You will need…
Cooked Roast bones
2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
2 leeks, roughly chopped
1 large onion, roughly chopped
2 carrots, roughly chopped
1 large thyme sprig
Handful of parsley stalks
½ head of garlic
How to prepare…
Put the bones in a large pot, cover with 1.5 litres water and bring to boil.
Using a large metal spoon, skim off any white scum from the surface.
Add the vegies, herbs & garlic to the pan, return to boil and then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
Cook uncovered for 2.5 hours, skimming occasionally.
You can also try putting all the ingredients into a slow cooker and leave it to cook on low for hours.
