“I think preparing food and feeding people brings nourishment not only to our bodies but to our spirits. Feeding people is a way of loving them, in the same way that feeding ourselves is a way of honoring our own createdness and fragility.”
-Shauna Niequist
Nourishing Life
Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, What are you doing for others”?What a poignant question with which to begin the new year. How am I going to nourish my own body and spirit and provide nourishment for others? Am I going to spend my time loving and giving in gratitude? Or will I waste my life in selfish ambition? Shauna Niequist points out feeding people is a way of loving them. Feeding someone isn’t difficult, nor is it always convenient.
The decision of the year: love or convenience?
What would the world my life look like if it were more poured out, more willingly inconvenienced, more honoring of one another’s (and even my own) createdness and fragility? A nourished life is not bought. A nourished life is spent. “Drink your wine. Laugh from your gut. Burden your moments with thankfulness. Be as empty as you can be when that clock winds down. Spend your life. And if time is a river, may you leave a wake.” N.D. Wilson
Nourishing Winter
This winter, choose to nourish.
During the cold months, it is essential to drink plenty of water and to fill up on antioxidants and omega 3’s in your diet which will enable your skin to retain it’s moisture. Geting your beauty rest is also wildly essential for the health of your skin.
BUT…
One secret ingredient for the skin is Gelatin. Gelatin can provide our body the building blocks to build great skin, hair, and nails. It helps reduce wrinkles, creates healthier connective tissue, promote firmer glowing skin, reduces sagging and wrinkles, and can help reduce acne and signs of aging.
The nutrients in gelatin provide many essential functions for our body’s benefit.
Besides the health and nourishment of our skin, gelatin is also incredibly beneficial for:
- Reducing joint inflammation and pain
- Improving digestion
- Improving sleep quality
- Enhancing the immune system
- Acting as an overall powerful anti-inflammatory
Nourishing Gelatin
Bone broth is one of world’s best sources of gelatin and collagen. Gelatin is the cooked form of collagen. It is made from slow cooking (12- 24 hours) various animal bones, feet, heads, ribs, necks, backs, and tails. The slower the cooking, the more readily the proteins and minerals like glycine and proline will release from the bones.
To incorporate more gelatin into your diet you can buy unflavored grass fed gelatin powder or make/buy bone broth from grassfed animals. The gelatin powder can be used to make gummies/jello, to add into your smoothies, or to add into soups. One popular trend is adding collagen into your morning coffee. I’ve only tasted it once, in an independent coffee shop down by the beach. I wasn’t much of a fan, but some people love it and claim it gives them their bright healthy glow in the morning with an extra jolt of energy.
Chicken kale and white bean soup is a deliciously nourishing recipe for you to serve your loved ones. It is made with organic bone broth in an Instant Pot, which means it tastes like it has been slow cooked, but is quickly pressure cooked instead. My Instant Pot was my Christmas gift in 2015 and it has been a kitchen staple. My meals stay moist, tender and thoroughly cooked in a fraction of the time. The flavor is always delicious, no matter what recipe I throw in. This soup also contains turmeric which gives it an extra dose of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory power.
So go ahead; show love to yourself by nourishing your body with this bone broth soup and spread the love by inviting others over for a delicious savory dinner this winter.
Chicken Kale & White Bean Soup
serves 6
Ingredients
3 strips uncooked nitrate/nitrite free bacon cut in half (to make 6 strips)
3 garlic cloves peeled and minced
1/2 an onion peeled and chopped
2 TBS olive oil
2 pounds boneless organic chicken ( strips, thighs, or breast)
2 cups chopped organic kale
1 can organic white beans (great northern or cannelini, don’t need to drain)
4 cups organic bone broth (homemade or store bought like this brand)
2 med. sweet potatoes peeled and cubed
1 tsp salt (add more to taste)
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp paprika
2 bay leaves
Toppings (optional): avocado slices or parmesan cheese
Directions
- Set Instant Pot on sauté
- Pour in the olive oil
- Lay the strips of bacon on the bottom of the Instant Pot
- Add the garlic and onion
- Sauté the bacon, garlic, and onion about 3 minutes
- Add the chicken and stir to coat. Sauté for another 3 more minutes.
- Reset the Instant Pot to Poultry and set time for 20 minutes.
- Add all the rest of the ingredients to the Instant Pot
- Cover with valve set to seal and cook
- When finished, allow the pressure to release naturally. If you are in a hurry you can manually switch the seal to let the pressure release quickly but I find the meat gets a little tougher tasting.
A couple of tips:
**Top with avocado slices or sprinkle parmesan cheese
**Strict Paleo? omit the white beans and replace with chopped celery. Although I am ok with beans on paleo as long as you aren’t using it as your every day protein.
**Don’t have bone broth on hand? Use organic chicken broth and add 1 TBS of Gelatin powder
**I like to place my leftovers in my small cast iron dutch oven to store in the fridge for couple days. This way it is easier to reheat on the stove. Plus, breakfast soup with a fried egg on top is delicious!
Disclosure: This post contains an Amazon affiliate link, of which I participate. Read my full disclosure in terms and conditions if you need more info.
Need more inspiration?
- 20 reasons to start drinking bone broth every day
- Bone Broth Recipe 101
- 5 reasons why everyone should eat gelatin
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