Bone Broths and Harmony

One of my patients recently asked me “Is there anything I can be eating to support my fertility?” My first answer always is: Bone broths! Oh broth…how I love thee. Let me count the ways! (Also, as a bonus, I’ll share the no-fuss method behind how I make my own bone broths at home!)
Cooking time/temp: 
minimal prep, 12+ hour cooking time

- the contents of the broth bag (usually at this point, I have 3-4 large ziploc bags that I’ve filled with goodies)

- 1 large onion quartered, with the skin left on

- 1 large garlic quartered, with the skin left on

- 4 large carrots chopped up roughly

- 4 large stalks of celery chopped up roughly

- 2 large bay leaves

- a healthy dash of Himalayan sea salt

- a dose of fresh ground pepper

- a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar (to help leach the minerals from the bones)

- add filtered water to fill the stock pot



I've written a full blog post about why bone broth is so fantastic right here!


I usually use free-range, organic chicken but you could also use free-range, organic beef bones as well. It is very important to start with the right ingredients.


The build-up to making a bone broth is a daily practice at my house. I have what I call a “Broth Bag” in my freezer. It is basically just a big ziplock freezer bag that lives in the freezer so that I can put chicken broth ingredients in it until I’m ready to simmer it up. Whenever I buy chicken for dinner, I’ll purchase a whole chicken or thighs with the bones still in them. It pays to be friendly with the butcher because I can ask them to cut up the whole chicken into its parts. Or I buy a whole rotisserie chicken and use it for dinner and save the bones for a bone broth. Into the “Broth Bag” the skin and bones go and I’ll just keep it in the freezer until it is ready for use. I also toss into the bag any vegetable cuttings that I accumulate as I’m cooking my daily meals. Mushroom stumps, broccoli stalks, the green parts of leeks, the ends of zucchini, carrot pulp from juicing, the list goes on…and you’d be surprised how quickly the bag fills up!

Then I pick a day when I know I will be home for the majority of the day. I love the smell of chicken broth simmering on the stovetop all day. Just the process of making chicken broth feels incredibly grounding to me.


In a large stock pot, add everything from the ingredients list.

Bring all this magical goodness to a light boil and then simmer for hours and hours. I like to simmer mine for a minimum of 10-12 hours.


Strain through a fine-mesh strainer or a coffee filter and enjoy!!


You can enjoy over the course of 2-3 days if you refrigerate your delicious bone broth or you can freeze it and enjoy it over several months. This same process can also be done in a crock-pot on a low setting. Something to note is that when you cool bone broth, it can turn gelatinous from the breakdown of collagen. Don’t be grossed out. This just means you’ve made a really good batch of broth full of collagen. Actually, you’ve just made the Holy Grail of bone broths if you can get it to look like jello when cold.



Now that you’ve got a delicious bone broth, what are some ways to enjoy this you ask?

- add (gluten-free) matzo balls  and some julienned carrots and celery for Matzo Ball Soup!

-  add whatever fresh veggies you’ve got (bok choy, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, sprouts, etc), some miso paste and soba noodles for a delicious noodle treat!

- use it to cook grains like quinoa or brown rice for a rich flavored side dish!

- simply warm it up for a quick protein rich snack/drink! It’s healthier (and in my opinion, more delicious) than coffee. The perfect pick-me-up for that mid-day slump when you would normally reach for a cup of joe.