Here is in Minnesota we are heading into our coldest time of year. When this cold weather hits, soups can be a great way to warm up. This might be why January is National Soup Month. Soups can be not only tasty but economical and health promoting.
Soups have been around as long as man had the ability to cook in a pot, probably about 16,000 years ago. Combining various ingredients into a large pot to create nutritious, filling, easy to digest, and simple to serve meals worked well for many cultures. Since soups are easy to digest, they are often prescribed for those that are ill.
An interesting tidbit of information and history about soup. It is believed that the first restaurant was opened in 1765 by a Parisian named Boulanger. His establishment served mostly bouillons restaurants which translates to “restorative broths.”
The base of most soups is stock and broth which often the most nutritious part of the soup. One type of dish that can be extremely restorative to your health is something called meat stock. Meat stock is the foundation of the GAPS diet. It contains gelatin and amino acids that can heal the gut lining and be a gentle food for someone recovering from an illness such as cold, flu, or other sicknesses.
Meat stock and bone broth are not the same thing. You can check out a previous post that I did on bone broth here. Meat stock is much easier to make, takes less time, and is a complete meal. It is full of minerals, vitamins, amino acids, and other nutrients that are very easy to digest. The stock can be made from any meat or fish. As the name implies it is made from meat and bones, not just bones like bone broth. You want about 80% meat and 20% bones. The bones should contain the joints.
The basic concept is to add your meaty bones, carrots, onions, and water to a stock pot, bring to a boil, skim off the impurities, reduce the heat, and cook for the specified time (depends on the meat). You can enjoy the meat, veggies, and stock as a soup/stew or strain the meat and veggies out to eat; and then drink the stock. Either way you are promoting healthy digestion.
Check out this chart that can be helpful when making meat stock.
Free download Meat Stock Chart
Adding meat stock, bone broth, and nourishing soups to your diet are great for building a healthy body or to help with recovery from an illness. Either way enjoy your soups.
“Soup puts the heart at ease, calms down the violence of hunger,
eliminates the tension of the day, and awakens and refines the appetite.”
Auguste Escoffier
Be blessed and be a blessing,
Heather
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