Simple

Bone broth is so helpful for this spoonie but sometimes the brainwork to make it an appealing treat is more than I can handle in the heat of the moment.  In a flash of inspiration today, I remembered I had recently made a couple of jars of Nom Nom Paleo's "Magic Mushroom Powder".  I simply stirred a teaspoon of it into my fresh broth.

For anyone who hasn't checked out Michelle Tam's award winning website, you should.  She has her own jars of "MMP" available on her site, but you can also find her recipe there.  I am terrible at precision, [lazy] so my first go at creating the powder was way too salty (I assumed that a 1 lb. package of salt was 2 cups, and it clearly isn't).  I just bought a bunch more dried mushrooms and mixed them into my first batch and it's just perfect now, though I'm sure it'd be even better if I'd actually followed Michelle's guidance.  In any case, now that I have a reasonable facsimile of the "Magic Mushroom Powder", it fits beautifully into my imprecise [lazy] manner of doing things.  It is so darn good stirred into bone broth!  Simple.

Waste Not, Want Not

Striving for plenty of 9-cups-of-veg days full of healthy proteins and fats, I'm always looking for opportunities to squeeze in what I need.
Last night I poached a couple of Vital Choice Wild King Salmon fillets in coconut milk and wine, with a sliced onion and a cup of sliced mushrooms.  The fish was so delicious, but I was left with a panful of omega-3 infused broth.  Realizing it was a wonderful soup-starter for the next day, after dinner I saved it in the fridge.

This morning for breakfast, I warmed the broth and vegetables along with some sliced bok choy and carrots, and enriched it with bone broth and garlic.  This "poaching liquid veggie soup" was a wonderful way to start the day, and get a head start on today's 9!

[Note:  I receive no compensation from Vital Choice.  The company was recommended by my Functional Medicine Physician and I am very impressed with them.  The fish is amazing, and it's good to share what works.]

My Broth Quota

I've been trying to get two cups of bone broth a day, and here's how I had it this evening.  The broth made a lovely fresh soup with a spoonful of coconut milk, a splash of tamari, a shake of turmeric, a tiny pinch of sea salt and these fresh veggies.  Beginning to end, the soup took 10 minutes to make.  I still have another bowlful for breakfast tomorrow so am ahead of the game.  Delicious.

Shades of White

Sometimes you get lucky.  When I decided to pour part of a batch of bone broth into a jar to freeze, I chose the right one through happenstance, and I didn't overfill it, so all went as hoped.  Later that week, I got to the part in The Autoimmune Wellness Handbook that explained how important it is to use straight wide-mouthed jars for freezing (without "shoulders") to avoid cracking the glass when the contents expand.  The book also mentioned the "fill line" that is on the jars, which I hadn't even noticed because of my MS vision.  I'd luckily filled the jar right to the line!

Here's my latest frozen jar, pulled out to thaw.  I thaw it overnight in the fridge.  I've gotten into a pretty good routine with the broth now, I think.  I use a large glass pitcher in the fridge, plus one of these pint jars in the freezer for each batch.  As I'm getting to the bottom of the pitcher, I pull the jar out of the freezer.  As I begin using what's in the jar, I start a new batch in the slow cooker.  I'm having about 2 cups a day now, either in soups or in a mug with coconut milk.  

What is This?

You've probably guessed it: eggs! In this case turmeric/dill eggs. This was so much more fabulously delicious than it looks. The eggs look cooked to death, but don't let the rusty turmeric hue fool you. While lightly crisp on the outside, the yolks were still liquidy-warm inside.

Turmeric is so good for us! Regaled for it's integrative success in treating head-and neck cancers, it's also a powerful anti-inflammatory and, surprisingly, has been found in a clinical study to give Prozac a run for it's money in treating certain forms of depression. I'll not eschew any of these benefits, but I indulge in turmeric, in food and supplement form, for its anti-inflammatory role. For those of us with auto-immune disorders, anti-inflammatories are a valuable end-game tool. They not only alleviate aches and pains, they quiet the over-the-top immune response that usually accompanies inflammation of any kind. Despite our best efforts to avoid immune system triggers, it does happen. It's nice to have a few tricks up our sleeves for the inevitable occasional assault. I enjoy turmeric at least once every day, whether in curries, just sprinkled atop food as a seasoning or in a delicious mug of Wahls' Protocol Bone Broth with coconut milk and a little cinnamon. This healing, warming rhizome will be more and more appealing as the weather cools.