Bone Broth

Bone broth is a wonderfully nourishing food.  It’s easy to digest, full of nutrients, and healing to the gut.  This makes it an excellent choice not only for “everyday” foods just as a general thing, but especially for those who are sick — either acutely or chronically.  You can make your own (there are recipes in, among other resources, The Complete Gut Health Cookbook, and Bonafide Provisions founder Sharon Brown’s Healing Bone Broth Recipes).

Healing Bone Broth Recipes: Incredibly Flavorful Dishes That Nourish Your Body the Traditional WayGet It

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There are a number of reasons, though, that you might want broth made for you.

• If you can’t keep up with the demand.  (You use bone broth faster than you can make it.)
• If you’re chronically ill and lack the energy to cook.
• If you have a hard time getting access to good-quality bones to use.
• If you’re just really busy and would rather pay someone to do it for you than do it yourself.

This is where Bonafide Provisions comes in.  If you’re going to buy bone broth premade, you still want it to be made right, so it’s still nourishing and healing like it would be if you made it at home.  Bonafide Provisions (formerly Real Bone Broth) makes their bone broth the traditional way — slow-simmered for 24 or more hours — and then freezes it rather than processing it, to keep it until you’re ready to use it.  And it’s good!  It’s way better than any of the broth I’ve ever made at home.

How to Use It

Honestly, my favorite way to use Bonafide Provisions’ bone broth is to drink it!  It’s so good, without even a hint of bitterness, that it’s really delicious just to heat up and drink warm.  Much of the bone broth I was sent to review I drank straight.  (Well, I do add a tad bit of sea salt if I’m drinking it plain.)  Personally, I prefer the chicken broth (or Frontier Blend — I think this is still forthcoming, but I got to taste a few sips at the Expo) for drinking; beef broth isn’t my favorite as a beverage, although it’s all right.

You can also substitute it as the liquid in many recipes.  Bone broth adds a delicious depth of flavor to simple foods like rice.  Of course you can use it as the base for a soup.  And don’t forget the aforementioned cookbook, which is full of recipes that use broth.

Moong Dal

One of the things I chose to prepare with my broth was moong dal.  I recently read Eat Wheat (highly recommended, and it’s about a lot more than just wheat), and one of the healing, nourishing foods he recommends is a traditional Ayurvedic dish made with moong dal — a legume similar to lentils.  This legume is supposed to be easier to digest than others, making it a readily available source of protein.  I found my moong dal at the local international grocery.

I used 4 times as much bone broth as moong dal.

I also added some turmeric and garlic powder.  Then I simmered them until all the liquid was absorbed.  Finally, I added butter and salt.

I have to say that I’m not sure moong beans are a personal favorite, but I think this was a pretty good way of preparing them, and believe they resulted in a nourishing food.  (Note that this is not an AIP-friendly food.)

I really, really love the Bonafide Provisions bone broth, and my only “complaint” is that it isn’t more readily available yet (no one local to me sells it yet, and none of the online retailers are places I would already be shopping).  I’m sure that will change with time, though, and as more consumers request the product.