Healing Soups series…let’s step back to Stock.

Can’t believe I started a Healing Soups series without first writing about Stock…aka, meat stock…bone broth. Maybe it’s because I am immersed in stock right now, (not literally, don’t worry!) I am making stock like crazy for a little boy who has had the flu, and for the rest of us who want to stay well…I am teaching a Making Stock GAPS ™ Style tomorrow morning in Westminster, CO, and I am readying for my stock class which I will be teaching at the Fourfold Path to Healing Conference in Baltimore one week from today. So…….I thought I’d share with you an article I wrote for Edible Chesapeake Magazine, which was published in November 2009. It appeared under the Cooking Fresh heading. Unfortunately for those in the Chesapeake Bay watershed area, Edible Chesapeake folded a few months later.  Here’s the article. I hope you enjoy it!

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s Healing Soup. hmmmm…..wonder what it will be?!

Nutrient-Dense Stock…the Foundation of all Great Soup

By Monica Corrado

Mmm…mmm, there is nothing like a bowl of homemade soup when the weather starts to chill, and there is nothing better than soup made with homemade stock. Stock made well is a nutrient-dense elixir that gives a great bang for your nutritional buck: It is high in calcium and other minerals your body needs that are easily absorbed, it can reduce the amount of protein you eat, and the gelatin has been known to help heal many digestive and other disorders, including anemia, diabetes, colitis, rheumatoid arthritis and even cancer¹. Gelatinous stock is liquid nutrition for lactating mothers, menopausal women and children, whose bones are growing. It is also a perfect first food for infants.

As in all things, the quality of in the raw ingredients determines the quality of the final product. Bones from a grass-fed producer is the key to a rich, gelatinous stock. Bones from cows raised on feed-lots and chickens raised in cages just do not gel. You will need two types of bones for your stock: what I like to call “boney” bones, like marrow and knuckle bones; and “meaty bones,” such as chuck ribs or neck bones. Boney bones yield gelatin and minerals, while meaty bones will ensure rich color and flavor.

Next, the vegetables. Again, source counts. In these days of depleted soil, even organic vegetables can be low in minerals. Look for vegetables from farmers who add vital nutrients back into the soil, such as biodynamic farmers. If you can’t get biodynamic, grow your own, or go to a farmers market for fresh, local produce. Check with the farmer to find out what he or she is doing to help heal the earth.

¹  For more information about the use of gelatin to heal the digestive tract and other disorders, see Gut and Psychology Syndrome: Natural Treatment for Autism, Dyspraxia, ADD, ADHD, Dyslexia, Depression and Schizophrenia, by Natasha Campbell-McBride, MD; “Why Broth is Beautiful,” in Wise Traditions in Food, Farming and the Healing Arts, Spring 2003, by Kaayla T. Daniel, MS CCN; Gelatin in Nutrition and Medicine, by N.R. Gotthoffer; Hydrophilic Colloid Diet, by F.M. Pottenger, MD; Restoring Your Digestive Health: How the Guts and Glory Program Can Transform Your Life, by Jordan Rubin, NMD and Joseph Brasco; and the Weston A. Price Foundation at www.westonaprice.org.

 

A pot of beef stock, ready to "roll"!

Beef Stock

about 4 pounds boney bones, marrow or knuckle bones

about 3 pounds meaty bones, chuck ribs or neck bones

4 quarts pure water

3 celery ribs, coarsely chopped

3 carrots, coarsely chopped

3 onions, coarsely chopped

¼ cup raw vinegar, such as apple cider vinegar

Roast meaty bones in the oven at 350 degrees until browned, about an hour or so. Meanwhile, place boney bones in a large, heavy stock pot with the vinegar and water and let soak for 1 hour. The vinegar will act on the bones and help to draw out the calcium and the gelatin for a rich stock. When the meaty bones are browned, add to the pot, along with any accumulated juices and the vegetables.

Bring the pot to a boil; skim the scum, and lower to a simmer. Do not cover the pot. The stock should be fairly still on the surface with movement underneath. (I call this “rolling”.) Roll the stock for a minimum of 24 and a maximum of 72 hours, and then strain. The longer you roll the stock, the more concentrated it will become. (Be sure to keep the bones covered with water throughout, unless you want a demi glace.) Pour into a low pan to bring to room temperature quickly (within 4 hours), and then cool in the refrigerator. Remove fat from the top of the stock and save to cook with later. As a saturated fat, beef tallow is one of the healthiest fats to cook foods at high temperatures. Under the fat you will find thick, rich gelatin. If the stock has not gelled, you may wish to add a good-quality gelatin to the stock when you use it in recipes. (Bernard Jensen produces a high-quality gelatin; see www.radiantlifecatalog.com.)

Under stress? got the flu? Healing Soups series…

Let’s do a series of soups that are healing tonics, that will give you the minerals and vitamins you need… and electrolytes. We’ll start today with a variation on the theme of Bieler Broth…from Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon…it is a soup created by Dr. Henry Bieler “to restore the acid-alkaline balance and sodium-potassium balance to organs and glands…especially the adrenals”. It is great for those under stress (who isn’t?) and those presenting stress-related symptoms, such as lower back pain and ligament problems. It is also great for fasting (which I personally do not recommend during the winter months), for “energy” and “overall health”. I was craving it the other day, so I made up a batch.

This particular soup relies on the healing properties of zucchini, which has a high sodium content that nourishes the adrenals and parsley, renowned for lending tremendous amounts of minerals to a stock or soup when added at the last minute. These two ingredients, along with celery and green beans are what helps to nourish the organs and glands.

Here is my version, which is a synthesis of Bieler Broth, a pure tonic and it’s tastier version by Dr. Connelly, more of a “vegetable soup”. Both of the original recipes may be found in NT.

I am assuming, as always, that you are using the purest and most nutrient-dense ingredients that you can find…stock from pastured animals, vegetables that are organic and sustainably grown, etc.

4 cups chicken stock or pure water or a combination

1 cup green beans (can be frozen if you cannot find fresh at this time of year or in your area)

1 cup chopped celery with leaves

2 medium zucchini, cut in half and then again in thirds and diced (can use more)

1 bunch parsley,  (or more) chopped fine

4 T fermented ketchup

sea salt

Bring stock or water to a boil. If stock, skim scum and discard. Add vegetables and simmer 10-15 minutes, until vegetables are tender. When vegetables are done, turn off the pot and whisk in fermented ketchup and parsley. Serve with sea salt.

Drink often if you are under stress or mending. )

Note: if you do not have fermented ketchup, use tomato paste (preferably from a glass jar) and some fish sauce. Add at the same time. I prefer fermented ketchup because of the complexity of flavors it adds to a dish. (And I just prefer fermented ketchup!) If you would like to make your own fermented ketchup, I invite you to purchase my first DVD, The Ketchup Revolution: Making Fermented Condiments.

Bon appetit! And happy health and healing! Look for my next Healing Soup tomorrow.

Be well!

So I Had this Cauliflower…

And some potatoes…what to do, what to do? I made soup! I took an old favorite Ayurvedic recipe and improvised. It was superb. Easy, balancing and a taste treat.

As always, I am assuming your ingredients are the purest you can find–grown yourself, CSA, farmer’s market, or organic.

Here’s the recipe:

2-3 T ghee, pastured butter, coconut ghee or a combination (you can switch out bacon fat or lard or tallow, but the butter is what gives a rich, intense flavor to this soup–and bacon fat or tallow will change it to their characteristic taste)

2 medium onions, or equivalent, peeled and chopped

1 medium cauliflower, rinsed, leaves removed, stem trimmed, and coarsely chopped

4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes (red potatoes work too, just be sure you are not using “bakers’, too much starch) Scrubbed, chopped into one inch or so cubes. (You may choose to peel the potatoes if you wish; I prefer to keep the skins on…for all those nutrients between the skin and the potato!;))

pure water to cover

Celtic salt ( a 3 finger pinch and fresh ground pepper (3 or 4 turns of your pepper mill)

thyme, dried, about 1 tsp or fresh, 1 T

fresh chopped garlic, about a Tablespoon or so, if desired

hot sauce (for a little fire in the winter time; very good for the lungs, digestion and immune system)

wheat-free tamari or soy sauce, optional, if desired

First, melt the butter/ghee in a soup pot. Then cook the onions in the butter/ghee over low heat until they are golden and translucent. I like to cover the pot and check to be sure they are not burning-typical time: 5-8 minutes, depending on your stove.

Next, add the cauliflower and potatoes and stir to coat. Add the thyme and salt and pepper. Add pure water to cover and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to simmer, and cook about 15 minutes, or until the cauliflower and potatoes are done.  Throw in the chopped garlic and stir.

Place in a blender or use an immersion blender to puree. This will be a silky smooth soup…or you can leave some chunks if you prefer.

To serve, add a dash of hot sauce and additional salt and pepper to each bowl. I also like to add a splash of wheat-free tamari for some depth and richness of flavor sometimes.

Note: you may of course use stock instead of water for this recipe and kick up the nutrient density–which is what I usually do. Chicken stock works best, as it is less strong in flavor than beef, etc. The Ayurvedic version uses water, and truth be told, (can you believe it?) I was out of stock, so I only had water to use. Mix it up–different herbs, stock/no stock, tamari/no tamari…but I always use the hot sauce in the winter!

And sorry, no photo! I ate it too fast to get a pic!

My new favorite sandwich!

Yum yum yum.

I was craving liver again today. Don’t know if it was all the talk about my Liver Pate: Nutrient-Dense Nirvana class in Baltimore on February 3, or if it is just because my body needs those nutrients that liver provides. Luckily, I had frozen some of the chicken liver pate I made last. (Yes, frozen. We’ll talk more about freezing pate later.)

So I went off to the kitchen and sliced off a paper thin slice of traditional Baltic Rye, spread a hearty helping of chicken liver pate on it, topped it with a slab of grass-fed butter and sprinkled on some good Celtic salt. Mmm mmm. Ate a little homemade sauerkraut on the side. Think I found my new favorite snack. Nutrient-packed, easy to assemble and delicious.

So about freezing pate- often a batch of pate yields several servings, and unless you have a family of 6 or 8, you won’t go through it in one sitting, or even a week.  Storage options: first, I love to top my pate with a half inch or more layer of melted butter. As it cools, the butter will seal air out and preserve the pate. Sealed in this way, pate will last weeks in your refrigerator. Another option is to make up your pate in the usual way, in ramekins or mason jars or BPA-free plastic containers that have been lined with parchment. Then freeze for as long as you need to (although I don’t recommend freezing anything longer than six months. I feel more comfortable at three.) I also like to freeze my pate in one person portions… That is, the amount one person will consume within a week.

Now, how about some bread options? Don’t have Baltic Rye (which is rye, yeast, caraway seeds, sugar, water and salt)? Sourdough is best- what I call a “true sourdough”-no gluten added; made in the traditional way. Next, a sprouted bread, but check the ingredients… More and more commercial bakeries are adding in “vital wheat gluten”!!! I also love to make little pate sandwiches on soaked buckwheat-oat pancakes. Pop ‘em right in your mouth. So how about those of you who don’t eat bread or grains, even fermented or sprouted? I have spread my pate on coconut flour pancakes and coconut flour bread, almond flour pancakes and heck, even eaten it with a spoon right out of the jar! …Another taste treat: add some of your homemade, fermented mustard! Yes, culinary nirvana…a taste treat that’s good for you!!

Enjoy!

Book testimonial…!

Hi folks,

I wanted to share this one with you … a testimonial about my new book, with Love from Grandmother’s Kitchen: Traditional Cooking Techniques for Well-Being

“Good Heavens to Murgatroid! as Landon would say!! If I had known how great this book was going to be, I would have ordered more than just two copies — one for me and one for MHF. It’s like having all the notes and charts you’ve scattered all about the house neatly encapsulated in a small kitchen DRAWER. It’s like having Monica Corrado at your shoulder when you need her. What was I THINKING?!? The binding is brilliant, the format and type are brilliant, the content is brilliant, it is BRILIG and doth teach you well. It is compact and concise but nutrient-dense. It might be Monica’s first book, but I don’t think even SHE can do better. THIS is the book you need. And you know who you are! TRUST ME!! Get it now and start the New Year off right. And no, I don’t work for Monica. And I didn’t even gush about Joel Salatin’s latest book. But I’m gushing about this one. TRUST ME!!  P.Hannam,VA

Thanks, P!!

Eggnog Made Right is a Super-Food!

Yes, it’s true! Eggnog a super-food! But this is not your ordinary, store-bought eggnog. It is not even the organic eggnog available on supermarket shelves. It is eggnog you make yourself, from pure, nutrient-dense ingredients in their most natural state: clean, pure, fresh milk, raw egg yolks from pastured hens, fresh grated nutmeg and perhaps a dash of cinnamon. Some folks like to add cream, but my experience with fresh raw milk is that it is do rich, the cream is not needed.

Let me tell you how I happened upon this: I was working at the annual Weston A. Price Foundation conference in Dallas last month, Wise Traditions 2011, coordinating all the food and acting as liaison between WAPF principles and the kitchen staff for 1200 or so participants. Long days, lots of running, to put it mildly. I needed my body to keep up the pave, and I needed my mind to stay clear. I was blessed to work with Mike Mudrak, (who was what I called a “runner”; others would call him a “gopher”, amd oh what a running gopher he was!) I got to meet Mike’s wife Judith. (Judith runs an annual tour to her native Switzerland every year through WAPF.) Every morning, they started their day with eggnog. This was a simple recipe: raw milk and raw egg yolks; often 5 yolks to about 8-12 oz. of milk. Stir. Down the hatch! I was a disbeliever-and then I tried a glass. (Truth be told, Judith took it easy on me and I started with a small glass and 3 yolks instead of their usual 5 or 6.) Wow! Nutrient-dense Nirvana! That cup of power got me through for hours! And my thinking was sharp and clear, even though I had been working for days!

So just last night, I was craving calcium and fat. I had just enjoyed a delightful meal of potatoes, onions and kale cooked in bacon fat with German sausages from our local meat market. Still hungry. Then I remembered: eggnog. I had all the ingredients right in my fridge. Yum yum. Down the hatch! Delish! That’s when it occurred to me; I started thinking… eggnog made well is a true super-food! All of the live enzymes, good fat, healthy bacteria, and available protein in the fresh milk plus all the nutrients in the incredible egg yolk! Some cinnamon for stoking the digestive fire…

If you are blessed in this country to have access to fresh, clean, raw milk and pastured eggs, make this super-food for your family! Especially your children! Don’t hold back! They need the calcium and the fat and the choline in the yolks for their brains! Enjoy! Enjoy! And happy holidays to all of you who celebrate the season!

P. S. I do not encourage you to try this with pasteurized milk or cream. Organic or not, from grass-fed cows or not, pasteurized milk is hard to digest for most people and is just not worth it. A possible compromise: use watered down organic, whole milk, plain yogurt with pastured egg yolks. Just “up” the number of yolks and add vanilla and a bit of maple syrup to counter the sour yogurt taste!

Let’s make lard!

Let’s make lard. So easy.

Start with the purest pork fat that you can find. Seek out grass farmers and those that raise their pigs sustainably. You also may wish to ask what they feed their pigs. As you know, fat stores toxins-so you want to work with the purest fat you can find. I am lucky to be able to purchase pork fat from Rocky Plains meats in Loveland, CO. If you are on the east coast/DC area, check with Polyface Farms and Smith Meadows meats.

So purchase good quality pork fat. Cut it into small pieces with a good knife. Be sure to remove any meat or other impurities and discard.

Place pork fat in a stainless steel, glass, or cast iron pan. Place pan in a slow oven-200-225 degrees F. Put the timer on for 1.5-2 hours.

Most of the fat will melt; some will not. When most of the fat has melted, carefully-it will be hot- pour it off into a clean glass jar or ramekin. If you are a purist, strain the liquid through a cheesecloth or linen-napkin lined strainer as you pour. Let it cool at room temperature, and viola! you have lard!!

Because it is such a stable fat, you may store lard on your counter a room temperature. You may also store it in the refrigerator, but that will make it harder to work with because it will be rock solid. Your choice-either way is fine.

Use lard for baking (like your Grandmother did) or for frying or for any other cooking you need to do. Lard made well has no odor or pork taste, so it is quite versatile. Enjoy!

If you would like more info about stable fats-what they are and how to use them in cooking, check out my new book, with Love From Grandmother’s Kitchen: Traditional Cooking Techniques for Well-Being
here

Kid-tested yummy ferment!

In an effort to keep my family supplied with delicious and nutritious , good-for-the-gut bacteria and immune boosters, I put up some of my favorite kvass today, thanks to the GAPS book. Kids love it and so will you:

In a clean quart jar, place one cut up apple, any kind you love or have around, and one handful of berries-yes, frozen organic okay at this time of year- and a tsp or so of minced Ginger. Add 1/2 cup whey ( dripped from yogurt or kefir or from that gorgeous raw milk you let sit out on the counter for 5-7 days) and top with room temp water. Leave about 1-1.5 inches of air at the top and cap tightly. Let it sit out on your counter at room temp for about 3 days, or until the cap is taut under your finger pressure. (the cooler your kitchen, the longer it will take; the warmer, the shorter. )

Serve/drink about 1-2 oz to start with; watch your body’s reaction and go from there. (if you bloat, or have gas or other bowel disturbances, slow down or hold at the same level until they pass. Then increase the amount you drink daily.)

Oh, and feel free to mix up the fruits and veggies, making your own combinations. I try to shoot for what would be about 1/3 of the quart jar packed. (but don’t pack the fruit or veggies!)

Enjoy!

Nourishing Healthy Babies chart available now!

I am thrilled to announce my second published chart!

My first book…buy yours NOW!

I am happy to announce my first book (I say that because I have many more on the agenda!)…

with Love from Grandmother’s Kitchen: Traditional Cooking Techniques for Well-Being

The book covers all the techniques you need to cook nourishing, traditional food!

***For more information about the book, including sample pages and info about content, click HERE***

Due out 11/11/11! (How auspicious!)

Order yours today!

If you would like to purchase more than 5 copies, or if you would like to order in bulk or wholesale, kindly contact me directly at simplybeingwell at gmail.com!

Special thanks to Amy Berger for her research and contribution and to Jessica Haney, editor, without whose tireless work this would not have been published!