Light Spring Bone Broth with Veggies

Light Spring Bone Both with Veggies

I'm often asked about bone broth: how do I make it, will it take hours, is it really worth it? And yes, my preferred way is using a chicken carcass with additional wings, in a slow cooker, over night wtih plenty of ginger, turmeric, herbs and veg scraps. Bone broth is the single best way to incorporate natural collagen into your diet and is great for everything from gut health and calming inflammed joints to keeping your skin naturally wrinkle free. But you can create a simpler bone broth in a fraction of the time, and therefore much more regularly, with this simple recipe. Feel free to flex your culinary muscles as you see fit - add fresh or dried chilies, fresh herbs, more garlic and frankly any veg you like without exception, though beetroot will turn your broth pink. You have been warned!

Ingredients:

2 x chicken legs OR a pack of chicken wings OR a whole chicken if feeding a crowd

1 tsp vinegar - any

1 small onion or a leek

1 large slice of fresh ginger, and preferably the same of fresh turmeric

1 or 2 cloves of garlic, crushed

a pinch of chilli flakes, or half a fresh chilli, pierced

1 tsp miso paste (optional)

3 - 5 stalks of tenderstem broccoli

1 small handful of fresh or frozen peas

1 handful of baby spinach leaves or shredded wild garlic

1 handful of fresh herbs (parsley, coriander and/or basil)

1/2 can of tinned cannellini beans or chickpeas, or a tbsp of dried quinoa or red lentils

Nutritional Yeast to serve (optional)

Method:

1. Fill a deepish saucepan with cold water, then add the chicken and tsp of vinegar

2. Bring to a soft boil, adding the ginger, turmeric, chilli & 1/2 tsp of salt

3. Simmer for 40 mins, removing any unwanted froth as you go

4. Turn off the heat and leave the chicken to rest in the water for a few minutes before removing & setting aside

5. Remove the ginger and turmeric slices, then reduce the stick by about 1/3rd

6. Then add the peas, broccoli and beans/chickepeas & add any other flavourings (such as soy sauce or sesame oil for an Asian twist)

7. When the chicken has cooled, strip the meeat from the bones & add it back to the pan in chunks

8. Check the seasoning, bring back to the heat and add the spinach leaves.

9. Serve nice and hot with a sprinkle of Nutritonal yeast for a little B12 boost ;0