Author: Lily Mazzarella
As we learned in the spring and summer cleanses, broths are at once cleansing and nourishing. Nutrients in broth are solubilized, easily absorbed from the intestines, and ready to be lapped up by your cells. In spring and summer, we focused on veggies to produce a delicious, mineral-rich alkalinizing broth. In fall, we're emphasizing broth's immune building potential by adding bones (for the omnivores among us), and a range of mushrooms and herbs traditionally used to ward off illness. Drink 1-2 cups daily throughout the season -- best between meals.
This can also be used as the base for soups, and as cooking liquid for grains, legumes or quinoa.
Ingredients
Leafy:
1 small bunch spinach (frozen spinach can be used!)
1 small bunch flat parsley
1 small bunch cilantro (optional)
1 small bunch Swiss chard or kale
4 stalks celery with tops
Rooty:
1/2 onion
1/2 celery root (aka, celeriac)
1 medium-sized carrot
Herby:
1/2 inch knob of ginger, peeled &
roughly chopped
1-2 pieces of Kombu or other seaweed
Mushroom-y:
1 handful cremini or button mushrooms, roughly chopped (with stem)
3-4 dried or fresh shIitake mushrooms (more if desired)
*Feel free to experiment here! You can add mixed dried wild mushrooms, available at most co-ops and many supermarkets, or tap your local farmer's market. Save delicacy varieties like oyster, maitake, and lion's mane for the Immune Star Stir Fry. Add mushroom stems you’ve saved from other dishes to your broth—just make sure they're not discolored or hard. That indicates breakdown and loss of important nutrients.
Optional:
1-2 clove(s) garlic
1 bay leaf
Himalayan pink salt or high quality sea salt (to taste)
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 pound grass-fed beef marrow bone, cut into 1-inch chunks to expose marrow; organic chicken bones; grass-fed oxtail or pastured pork bones. Chicken and pork provide the mildest flavor; beef marrow tends to be stronger.
Directions
If you are using bones:
In a large stockpot combine water and bones, and 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar.
Cook for 2-12 hours (or overnight in a crockpot). You may need to simmer this on a very low temperature to avoid evaporation, and add water as you go along to maintain original level.
When the bones have cooked for as long as is conveniently possible for you (2 hours is the minimum, a day is the max), proceed with the vegetable portion of the broth:
Wash & roughly chop all ingredients. Don't worry about peeling them.
Remove bones from stockpot and add vegetables. This will cool the broth, so bring to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer, cover partially & cook for a minimum of 1.5 hours.
Strain & add salt to enhance flavors. The salt should be detectable, but not taste salty. Add pepper to taste.
Pour into quart-sized mason jars. Refrigerate 1-2 quarts & freeze the rest.
No Bones:
Wash & roughly chop all ingredients. Don’t worry about peeling them.
Combine in the largest pot you have (a stockpot is a great investment, if you don’t already have one!).
Cover with filtered water & bring to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer, cover partially & cook for a minimum of 1.5 hours.
Strain & add salt to enhance flavors. The salt should be detectable, but not taste salty. Add pepper to taste.
Pour into quart-sized mason jars. Refrigerate 1-2 quarts & freeze the rest.
Forest Floor Immune Broth
Forage no further than your kitchen cabinet. We've done the hard work of sourcing organic, broth-enriching ingredients for you.
Roots, rhizomes, mushrooms and a dash of mineral-rich seaweed have been gathered for you in one beautiful jar! These botanical gems offer deep immune and full body support through seasonal changes and winter months. Simmer with your bone or veggie broth for 2-24 hours for best extraction. Earthy, delicious, with a flavor zip from ginger and turmeric. Each jar makes 3 batches of broth.
Contains: Reishi mushroom, Astragalus, Shiitake mushroom, Maitake mushroom, Eleuthero root, Poria fungus, Ginger, Turmeric, Wakame and Dulse.