Well Lexington, we survived that Bone Chilling weather, but not without a few aches and pains. Did your arthritis act up? Joints hurt a bit? I know mine did. This cold and damp weather likes to remind our joints and muscles that we are, in fact, alive and kicking! Too bad it does this by serving up some aches and pains.
With this cooler weather, have you found yourself being drawn to more “warm” things, such as hot tea, root vegetable and soups? Why do we crave this in the winter and cold months? This is your body’s way of trying to warm itself up, naturally.
Our body is pretty awesome. It tends to crave those things it needs the most. If you think of Root Vegetable (Sweet Potatoes, Turnips, Carrots, etc) they tend to be rounder, thicker in the middle and harder to cut into. If our bones could talk, they would probably say, “Yes, we want to be stronger and harder to break!” Lets get some info on these vegetables and a good Soup/Stock recipe.
Sweet Potatoes contain calcium and are in in Vitamins A and C. They are valued for nourishing the some of the digestive organs.- Turnips aid in digestion! They can help to clear heat in the body and reduce mucus (think, Flu Season)
- Radishes, similar to turnips, also aid in digestion, but contain Vitamin C and Potassium.
- Carrots contain Vitamin A and can increase night vision and clarity. (We all know Bugs Bunny never wore glasses).
- Beets are intense. Just look at their color and you instantly know they MUST be good for your blood. The roots and the Greens have a plethora of nutrients, most notably that of Iron, Calcium, Magnesium, Vitamins A, B-complex and C. A little know thought, that if you eat beets and your urine is pink, you may have an iron deficiency, however, if you eat beets and your stools (ya know, feces, poo, Number2) are magenta, you probably have an adequate level of iron.
- Last, but not least, BONES! Have you made chicken stock or beef stock using the leftover bones from said animal? Well, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine, bones in the soup stock help to strengthen the bones in your body.
When you combine all these lovely ingredients, you can find yourself with an Amazing, Bone Building soup!
Lets start with my favorite Bone-Building Stock (this recipe comes from Ancient Wisdom, Modern Kitchen)
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds of cooked or raw beef, lamb, or pork bones.
- 1/2 cup rice wine or white wine
- 16 cups of water 1 medium size carrot (optional) chopped into 1-inch pieces (Can also use broccoli stems, mushrooms, or leeks)
- 1 medium-size onion chopped into 1-inch pieces
Directions:
1.) Place the bones, wine, water, and vegetables (if using) in a large pot. If the bones aren’t covered with liquid, add water until they are.
2.) Bring to boil, lower the heat, and simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes. Skim off and discard any froth that rises to the top of the stock.
3.) For beef bones, simmer, covered, for 8 to 10 hours; add more water if needed. For pork or lamb bones, simmer, covered, for at least 2 1/2 hours.
4.) Remove the bones, vegetables, and ginger from the stock, using a slotted spoon, a strainer, or piece of cheesecloth.
5.) Skim off any excess fat. Season the stock with salt if desired (or wait to add until you cook with the stock).
6.) If you aren’t using the stock immediately, you can store it in the fridge for a few days or freeze it in small portions for later use.
Now, here is where YOU get to creative.
Now that you have your stock, you get to make SOUP! Pick a few Root Veges from above, you favorite meat that you want to add, spice it up, and let it simmer on the stove or cook in a crock pot! Voila! You have just created your own version of a Bone Building, Vitamin and Mineral increasing soup that will warm your insides.
Mandy Kiley, LMT at Stream Point Wellness
