Nourishing Zen

Nourishing YOU. Adventures to Healthy, Happy, and a Fulfilling Life! Food is our medicine.


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Crockpot Ham & Lentil Soup


Soup season is upon us!  Thank goodness because I LOVE soup!

Yesterday, made a hearty soup for dinner in our crockpot.  I started to make the broth on Monday evening, and then, added the veggies etc. on Tuesday morning.  It was a hit!

To make the broth you will need the following ingredients:

1 Ham hock

1 Large onion

1 Celery Stalk

1 Apple (halved)

1/2 Lemon

2 Sprigs of Rosemary

2 Sprigs of Thyme

1 Bay leaf

1/2 Cup chives/green onion – left in large pieces

2 1/2 Cups red wine

2 Tablespoons of minced garlic

Directions:

  1.  Rinse ham hock – I realize this sounds strange, but it also helps in getting the salt off!
  2. Put all ingredients in a crockpot on low for 10-12 hours.
  3. When completed, discard whole pieces of herbs, and any bones.
  4. Leave that crockpot going on low – you’ll be adding more ingredients!

To complete the soup you’ll need:

3 Cups Lentils

3 Celery stalks – chopped into 3/4in pieces

2 carrots – chopped

3 Cups pearl onions

2 cups frozen peas

2 cups frozen corn

1 cup frozen green beans

Directions:

  1.  First add all veggies that are NOT frozen to crockpot and leave on low.  I did this around 6:30am and then left for work.
  2. When I got home from work around 5:30pm, I turned the crockpot on high and then added all frozen ingredients.  If you need more liquid, I add vegetable stock.
  3. Let simmer for an hour and a half.  If you are very, very hungry, transfer all ingredients to a large pot and bring to a boil then simmer for 35 minutes.
  4. Add salt and pepper as desired.

Enjoy!

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Mmm Bone Broth… That’s right. I said Bone Broth.


Bone marrow broth is so delicious, useful and healthy! I promise.

The combination of high quality meat bones and water is what consists of bone marrow broth. For hundreds of years, and in many cultures, bone broth has been known to be easily digested, healing to the gut, nourishing for your blood and bones and to prevent connective tissue and bone disorders. Bone marrow broths are especially good for those with IBD. The broth is so easy on your system! It’s also great for weight loss, replenishing your red blood cells, strengthening the kidneys and having anti-inflammatory properties. Winner! Sold!

The natural bone broth I’m talking about is not sold in stores. It’s so simple to make, and has so many health benefits that it’s hard not to make it!

I will usually make bone broth I’m a crockpot. It depends on the purpose of your broth – whether you want to use it while cooking, as a soup base or just keep it as a simple broth. Many times I will add herbs, garlic, and onions if using it in a soup. When doing this, it is so flavorful that you hardly need to add anything extra!

Here we use beef bones, however, you can use any kind of bones you’d like. I’ve also combined chicken, beef and duck which has made rich and flavorful broths as well.

Now for the recipe.

5-6 grass fed beef bones (marrow bones if possible)
2 medium-sized onions
4 carrots thickly diced
4 celery sticks
3 cloves of garlic
Fresh herbs of choice (we used thyme, oregano, rosemary, cilantro, and chives)
3t Apple Cider Vinegar
1t sesame oil
1t black peppercorns

1. Rinse bones.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
3. On a foil lined tray, place bones in oven uncovered for 20 minutes. This brings out extra flavor in the bones before simmering!
4. While the bones are roasting, dice vegetables.

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5. After the bones are done roasting, place on the bottom of the crockpot.
6. Add vegetables, garlic and herbs on top of bones.

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7. Add peppercorns, sesame oil, and apple cider vinegar.

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8. Cover ingredients with water.

9. Cover and summer on low for 24-48hrs.

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10. Wait until broth cools. Strain. And pour into jars for storage!

Note: If using beef bones, it’s ok to reuse them again. Maximum time for simmering is 72 hours. If using chicken bones, do not simmer for more than 24 hours.

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Use an ice tray and freeze the broth for one ounce cubes for cooking!

Add veggies and protein for soups!

Or just drink it straight up. 🙂