Healing Green Broth (Paleo, AIP, Bone Broth, Whole30, Low Carb)
UPDATE: Read on for the original recipe, but if you’re interested in the Healing Green Broth 30-Day Challenge that blossomed out of this original post, JOIN HERE. Treat yourself to a mug of this zingy and nutrient-dense elixir once/day for a month and enjoy smoother skin, fewer cravings, and improved energy. It’s awfully fun what one delicious and nutritious recipe can grow into!
Sometimes, I am a damn fool.
The more I talk with people about whole food/paleo, anti-inflammatory food choices, and the autoimmune protocol in particular, the more I recognize a stage we all pass through – we start to feel better, and then we forget that we can’t eat whatever we want, and then we eat a bunch of foods we haven’t successfully reintroduced yet, and then we get KNOCKED FLAT. It’s a form of aversion therapy and it can actually be quite effective at reminding us why we’re bothering to eat this way.
BECAUSE INFLAMMATORY REACTIONS SUCK. Ouch.
I did a real number on myself recently. In fact, I’d been building up to it for several weeks. I’ve been tralalaaaaing all over town, attending food events and eating out more often than normal, albeit very carefully. But still, I feel my very best when I’m cooking my own food. I’ve had a glass of wine here and there, which is fine once or twice/week, but is disastrous if more often than that, particularly if I have more than one glass. I’ve been not sleeping nearly enough. NOT NEARLY ENOUGH. (This post is laden with a lot of capital letters to represent me chastising myself.)
Basically, an anti-vroom, kablam sort of situation developed, where I hit a wall of exhaustion, gut inflammation, and outright pain. I had a pretty serious talk with myself, and with any friend who would listen, woe-is-me-ing a bit about how even when I feel good I’m not really “normal” anymore. Which I already knew. But apparently had to test.
Aversion installed and noted.
And so, what to do when you’ve made mistakes and are feeling unwell? Well, forgive yourself, for one. And then sleep, as much as you can. I drink lots of water, and soak in it too: epsom salt baths are particularly soothing, they put magnesium in your system and that’s a nice thing when under stress. If I realize pretty quickly that I’ve made a hell of a bad food decision, I take activated charcoal tablets within 24 hours of a food exposure. I believe they help. I also take a giant dose of Vitamin C. And I make sure that I don’t miss my daily Vitamin D, Vitamin K2, L-glutamine, and fish oil doses.
And I hit the bone broth, hard. At this time of year, my favorite way to drink broth is blitzed with fresh greens, herbs, and lemon into a frothy, salty, tangy bowl of yum. I bulletproof it for extra nutrition and creaminess (which means I add collagen, ghee, and MCT oil). This is a seriously restorative mug of broth – whenever I hand some to a friend, they’re a little bit blown away that it takes approximately 10 minutes to create something so beautiful and delicious. If you’re looking for a light first course for Easter dinner…pour this into china cups and pass them around. (For a similar soup with a bit more heft, see this cauliflower-leek version with crispy shrimp.)
For more fun, easy ideas, come and cook with me at a Paleo Sunday Suppers cooking class at Kitchen in the Market! Next up: Sunday, April 12, at 4pm. We’ll talk about everyday cooking with whole food ingredients, eating for health AND deliciousness, cooking ahead for fast meals, all while preparing a beautiful meal. I hope you can join me! Come with your mom, wife, girlfriend, or sister for an early Mother’s Day celebration! 🙂
Healing Green Broth (Paleo, AIP, Bone Broth, Whole30, Low Carb)
Serves 2 in small mugs or 1 in a bowl
1 cup rich broth or stock
1 cup watercress or arugula leaves
2 tablespoons each chopped tarragon, chervil, and chives (or other favorite fresh herbs)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (or more to taste)
1 tablespoon ghee or grass-fed butter (substitute extra-virgin olive or avocado oil for first stage of AIP)
1 tablespoon MCT oil or extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon collagen (optional)
sea salt to taste
Heat broth until very hot.
While broth heats, put remaining ingredients except salt in a Vitamix or other high-powered blender. Pour broth into the blender and (carefully, especially when working with hot liquids) blend on high speed until pale green and frothy.
Season to taste with salt and additional lemon juice.