What does it mean to "eat clean"?
I know of two different kinds of "eating clean": one is to not eat processed foods; but, the other is to reduce food waste and compost which can save money. i.e. using the stem of broccoli for soups and stir-fries' not throwing it away, making my own bone broth with chicken bones.
When I say "Eat clean" I would like you to eat foods you can recognize. An apple for example is easy to recognize whole, sliced, chopped, even sauced. Its the same for chicken or lettuce greens. Eating clean therefore becomes eating non processed foods. You might even say 'single ingredient' foods. Foods laden with sauces and coatings become much less recognizable and more challenging to weigh and measure.
Eating responsibly is how I would describe eating so there is little to no food waste. My parents taught me to join the 'clean plate club'. Not in a negative way but positive. Coming from a large family my parents wanted me to learn not to put so much on my plate that others didn't get some. I was taught to think of others even when it all looked so good and I was hungry. That made me slow down a bit. They also taught me that food cost money and work. I often helped my Dad in the garden picking strawberries and green beans. I also helped my Mom as she loved to can and freeze those foods. Today we all see our grocery bill rising. I don't want to throw my hard work in the trash. There is so much more I have learned from Coach Dean. We make our own bone broth because the bones have a ton of wealth and nutrition left in them. We compost vegetable peals, egg shells, coffee grounds, and others waste right back into the ground. Much of what is thrown away like brocoli stems and pineapple cores can be blended to make soups or smoothies. (broccoli into soup, and pineapple core into smoothies.) Did you know you can eat a kiwi's skin? Many people don't because of they have a texture like a peach. Some people don't like the fuzz. That might be for another post though.
Making homemade broth is one of those things that over the long run saves you time and will save you money. Making broth using your slow cooker is really easy and requires almost no hands- on time at all. You can use pork, chicken, or beef bones and the results are all good. If you befriend your local butcher, he may even give you a bag of bones for pennies.
Here’s how I made over 4 quarts of Bone Broth.
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 7 garlic cloves
- 3-5 pounds of bones
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
Here’s what to do:
Dump the vegetables in the bottom of a slow cooker. Drop in the bones. Lay the bay leaves around the bones and drizzle with the vinegar. Add enough water to cover everything. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. I’ve cooked mine for over 24 hours. When it is ready, pour the liquid in a large glass container. The broth will keep in the fridge for a few days or in the freezer for six months. Once it's chilled, the bone broth should transform into a beef, jello, gel—a sure sign that it's loaded with gelatin. (Don’t worry—it'll return to its liquid state once it's heated.)
Suggested tweaks: You can leave out the veggies and just use the bay leaves and garlic. The broth can be flavored with salt and pepper afterward. Try using a mix of oxtail, short ribs, chicken feet, and pigs feet but really any bones will do. If you can't find quite the same assortment of bones, you can use chicken backs and wings.
Here’s how I make Simple Broth to use like you would the broth you buy in those cardboard containers.
- 1 Turkey carcass or 3 chicken carcass
- Cover with water
- Add in sprigs of thyme, rosemary, parsley etc
Cook on low adding more water as needed to keep bones covered. The broth is doe when you can easily break the bones. Strain the broth and use right away or freeze.
What other tips do you have for making your food dollars go further?
Enjoy Good Food,
Coach Nancy
