Vegetarian ‘Bone’ Broth
Making your own broth is so easy and, with the price of food on the rise, it’s a great way to be cost effective as you can use vegetables past their prime, and vegetable peels and cuttings from previous dishes.
In addition, it’s great for your health!
Consuming bone broth on a regular basis will support your digestive system. It’s nutrients and amino acids can help soothe and repair the gut and help maintain joints, bones, skin, hair and nails.
Vegetarian “bone” broth has plenty of minerals as well as some amino acids. To make up for the missing gelatin and collagen, it has fermented vegan glutamine powder. Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the body and research shows that it helps repair and maintain the gut lining while lowering inflammation. Agar agar is a seaweed that is included in the recipe to provide more minerals and vegetable gelatin. It is also a very good prebiotic to feed the good bacteria in the gut.
Agar agar and glutamine powder can also be added to traditional bone broth. Broth from bones does not contain any prebiotics so this is a good way of adding some. Alternatively, the ingredients you use to make a soup with the broth can be prebiotic, so there are plenty of ways for both versions to feed gut bacteria.
Bone broth can often be purchased at health food and specialty stores. However, the best bone broths are the ones you make yourself. Store-bought brands are not simmered as long as you would at home and may not taste the way you like it.
What can you do with your broth? You can season it to taste with sea salt and pepper and drink it as a beverage. You can use it as a base for soups. You can even make a hot smoothie with it by blending it with your choice of ingredients.
Remember to flavour the broth with herbs and spices that you like – they are good for the gastrointestinal tract, too.
Ingredient Highlights:
Agar agar is a type of algae that is used as a vegetable source of gelatin in recipes. It is also a good source of iodine and other minerals, making it helpful for the thyroid as well as the ridding of body toxins. But most importantly, it is a very good prebiotic that will help feed the good bacteria in our gut.
Apples. Apples are high in fibre and antioxidants, and the phytochemicals they contain can help lower inflammation. An apple a day truly does make a difference! According to the study Apple phytochemicals and their health benefits by the Department of Food Science at Cornell University, “The potential health benefits of apples are numerous. Regular consumption of fruits and vegetables, including apples, as part of a healthy diet may aid in the prevention of chronic disease and maintenance of good health.” This study showed that “apples have been found to have very strong antioxidant activity, inhibit cancer cell proliferation, decrease lipid oxidation, and lower cholesterol.”
Cabbage. This cool season leafy vegetable belongs to the "Brassica" family (kale, broccoli, bok choi, brussels sprouts, cauliflower) and is one of the most widely cultivated crops around the world. It’s loaded with fibre and free radical fighting antioxidants, plus micronutrients like vitamin C, vitamin K, manganese and folate.
Kale. Kale can help relieve inflammation, thanks to its high level of antioxidants. Antioxidants are important compounds that can help fight free radical damage, reduce oxidative stress and, most notably, decrease inflammation. One of the top health benefits of this cruciferous vegetable is its ability to naturally detoxify the body. It not only helps remove toxins, but also helps eliminate them entirely.
Garlic: Garlic is high in a non-digestible carbohydrate called inulin that feeds good bacteria in the gut. This helps your gut function better overall and stops the growth of disease-promoting bacteria.
Glutamine in vegetables is actually a glutamic acid that needs to be converted to glutamine, which will occur when it is in the intestines. Fermented vegetable glutamine powders are already converted. North Coast Naturals and IronVegan make fermented glutamine powder. If you cannot find it in your health food store, it can be ordered online.
Vegetarian Bone Broth
Prep time : 30 minutes
Cook time : 8-12 hours
Total time : 8-12 hours
Servings : 10-12 jars of stock
INGREDIENTS
• 1/2 cabbage, loosely chopped
• 1/2 bunch kale, loosely chopped
• 4 carrots, cut in half
• 4 stalks celery, cut in half
• 2 medium onions, cut into quarters (do not peel)
• 4 cloves garlic
• 6 peppercorns
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 or 2 apples, cored and cut in quarters (do not peel)
• 1/2 tbsp agar agar, per cup of broth
• 1 scoop fermented vegan glutamine powder, per cup of broth
DIRECTIONS
Place the vegetables in a 16 or 20-quart stockpot.
Fill the pot to the top with water (leave about an inch of space).
Bring to a boil and lower to a simmer.
Cover with the lid slightly ajar and let the water reduce by half. This may take 4-6 hours. .
Add the agar agar while it is still simmering.
Once it is ready, strain out the broth using a large sieve or a metal colander.
Add the glutamine powder while broth is still hot.
Transfer the broth into mason jars in 2 – 3 cup portions.
Store in the freezer or put in the refrigerator if using immediately.
Broth can be seasoned with sea salt and pepper if desired..
Notes:
Crock Pot. If using a slow cooker, cover with lid and turn on to HIGH for 6–8 hours or overnight. (Note: It should be simmering)
Adding Agar Agar & Glutamine Powder. If you are not sure how much agar agar or glutamine powder to add because you don’t know how many cups of broths you have, then you can add it when you re-heat the broth to make a soup or a beverage. You may consider adding agar agar and the glutamine powder to a store-bought broth to help make it more beneficial. Read the instructions for the veggie “bone” broth to learn how to add these to broth.
Variety of Vegetables. Other vegetables can be used but they may change the neutral taste. For example, broccoli has a strong taste and beets will change the colour and taste.
Fridge Cleanout. This is a great way to use up wilted vegetables that are past their prime.
Krista
xo