Bone Broth: The Down-Low and Recipe

Anytime I have heard talk of bone broth or stock, or even read about it, I instantly imagine Old Mother Hubbard.  One of the nursery rhyme books had a picture of her, with a spunky brown dog, peering into the pantry.  Now that I read the rhyme, it's not even about making food! It's about getting the dog a bone.  Funny how childhood memories can be skewed in connections.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy5meCdKYVA6Jkz-Dz8bu5V2zmixGm-jKopb-WmTD563WVgnc8UjJ7obvSvyKx3k6dCmnH3qdb7fmXCrk35Xf2GnJuv_HgRM6NjVmPlQFmjnkOosOSLqUKRq9oV1wYef4Nj6ELJN9_73iw/s1600/old-mother-hubbard-image.jpg

But look at this photo! Clearly, my visual memory is still flying a full capacity!

My point is: recently I purchased the bones of local, grass-fed cattle at .50 per pound? Yes! Please! Thank you!

Then, I came home, threw the bones into the freezer and went about my week.

Only a week or so later did I work-up the courage to make my second batch (ever) of bone stock.

For some reason, I found this a daunting task, like mopping.  It's so silly, I know.  I get caught-up in feeling like I accomplish "nothing" around our house.  But I really do so much.

Disclaimer: I am NOT the house that not matter when you stop by, somehow the house is immaculately clean, a candle is burning, the throw pillows are actually on the sofa, etc.  I'm talking about accomplishing nourishing hot meals, healthy snacks, breastfeeding every two or three hours (sometimes still for 30 minute intervals!!), washing dishes, keeping abreast (sometimes) on laundry, providing clean cloth diapers, reading stories to the kiddos, singing songs, outdoors play, etc.  

AGAIN! I'm always going off on tangents.  Ok, so I read over this article at Paleo Diet Lifestyle and then got to stockin' the next morning.

If you have a crock pot this is so feasible and easy.  If you don't I'm sure it would be easy but you might have to stay home for a day.  Or maybe you are brave and leave the stove top on, idk.  Or maybe you even have (I'm gasping in awe...teenagers that you can leave home to watch the stove-top! How dreamy, from the land of babies!)  Do what works!

In order to make stock with using perfectly awesome edible veggies, here is a very frugal tip: save the onion ends and skins, the carrot tops and bottoms, etc. when you chop veggies.  Auntie Leila also says you can throw in cheese rind.  This saves from throwing perfectly delicious veggies into the stock.

Enjoy!

(Old post! Not all info (i.e. breastfeeding every 2-3 hours) doesn't apply anymore!)

Whole 30 Experience {phfr}

PRETTY: Lacto-fermenting Swiss chard stems

Remember this post?

Well, a year later I finally went to the end of ends and did clean, whole food eating via Whole30 for 50+ days.

Linking-up for {pretty, happy, funny, real} with LMLD!

REAL
I can say that I had a HORRID sugar addiction.  Like, mean, angry, hateful, give me that cookie dozen of cookies or else!!!!  Bingeing on ice cream (hello 1/4 gallon of ice cream for breakfast) eating an entire loaf of homemade bread, myself, in one day, with a generous 4tbsp of butter to go along, etc. were weekly happenings.

My sugar addiction rolled into carb land and bam! no surprise I was battling yeast imbalance for so, so long.

Some weeks into my life, post-Whole 30 and me and Tyler are both itching to do another.

But truly, I'm fine with having GOOD cheese, yummy milk, homemade grits, a bit of local rice, you know, REAL food.

I know my passion is organic and local.  Sometimes I lean towards organic more, but often I'm just happy to put back into our Louisiana economy.

Whole 30 was awesome but if sweet potatoes are your only carbs and you want to eat local, you can be up a creek if it isn't the Fall...just a thought.

Growing our own food doesn't get any more local and I can choose organic seeds/plants which is awesome.  Just today I harvested the first batch of organic cucumbers (eight) and a reusable shopping bag full of organic Swiss chard.  I'm praying the patron saint of gardening helps our tomatoes to be plentiful and healthy this season, as well as all of our veggies.  My sweet husband is long due for homegrown tomatoes.

Local and organic and home-grown all lend towards whole food eating, and that makes me HAPPY.

I'm trying out a lacto-fermenting recipe for Swiss chard stems.  Hoping Rita likes this "pink food!"

Anyway, I really loved Whole30.  It was a great "reset" and having Tyler join me was such a blessing!

MORE HAPPY: First harvest! Swiss chard already de-stemmed and two cucumbers were still lost in chard oblivion in the sink.