Let’s countdown to spring with 30 days of Men’s Sexual Wellness Tips to get you ready to get ready for the summer.
Hope it’s not eternal! Can’t wait for Summer!
TIP #1 – BONE BROTH
BONE BROTH is liquid gold.
Though all cultures have their own form of bone broth, I’m partial to my Bubby’s Eastern European (Hungarian) chicken version.
*RECIPE DOWN BELOW*
I’m a big believer in pre-emptive chicken soup.
During winter months especially, I fill a giant carafe with Jewish Penicillin every morning, instead of coffee.
Our bodies don’t necessarily need coffee in the morning like we may be accustomed – they just crave something warm to kickstart our metabolism.
And what’s better than homemade bone broth?
My boys often eat this for breakfast (much healthier than sugary cereals) and – GO FIGURE – they are almost NEVER sick.
Here are some of the key health benefits of bone broth:
- Improved libido and increase testosterone – Drinking bone broth stimulates hormone production including testosterone, DHEA, and cortisol which helps increase libido and boost energy levels during illness or fatigue due to illness. https://www.cell.com/immunity/fulltext/S1074-7613(13)00341-5
- Anti-Inflammatory – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8618064/
- Reduces Joint Pain – Bone Broth is a great supplier of glycine and proline to the body, which are critical in collagen production. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3773366/
- Improves Gut Health – Gluatimine production might improve intestinal issues https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3358810/
- Mitigation of Respiratory Infection – Bone broth is the Blue Collar Vaccine. As we head down to homestretch in respiratory virus season, it’s great to have as much bone broth on hand as possible, should you get that tickle in your throat. https://journal.chestnet.org/article/S0012-3692(15)37721-7/abstract
RECIPE: Bubby’s Hungarian Chicken Broth (Hoosh Levesh)
Bubby’s soup is complex and rich in flavour, but very simple to make.
You just need the time.
To make a LARGE stock pot (15-20 quart) of chicken bone broth, you should use as many CHICKEN BACKS and small pieces of chicken as possible.
I don’t like to waste chicken by boiling it (not a big fan of boiled chicken, but some people are).
What I like to do is get a package of 3 WHOLE chickens from Costco,
cut the chickens into pieces,
save the breasts/thighs/legs/wings for a meal or 2,
and use just the backs for soup.
Ingredients
3 whole chicken backs and necks
2 large carrots, washed and cut large pieces
2 parsnips – washed, cut in large pieces
1 celery stalk, washed and trimmed, use the leaves and inedible pieces
1 large (or 2 small) yellow onions, cut in half (Keep skin on)
1/2 bunch of curly parsley – washed
1/2 bunch of dill – washed
1/4 cup kosher Salt
Egg Noodles (thin), Bechtle Brand
Kitchen Items
15-20 QT Stock pot
Mesh Colander
Tupperware for storage/freezing
Directions
Place chicken backs into large stock pot with 2TB non-seed oil (avocado, olive)
Cook on med high for 10 minutes and stir often.
Fill 16QT stock pot with water about 2/3 of the way from the top.
Add ¼ cup of Kosher salt and and 1TB of white vinegar (this draws out some additional nutrients from the bones).
Stir.
Place stock pot on HIGH heat, uncovered.
Stir it every 5-10 minutes to move all the undesirable floating pieces to the top.
Scoop the floaters out with a mesh colander and pitch it into the sink, until it’s pretty much all gone.
After about 25-30 minutes, prior to boiling, you will start to see some white/brown bubbles and froth near the top of the stock pot.
**VERY IMPORTANT**
This is SCUM and needs to be removed.
It might take about 15-20 passes with a strainer to properly clear all the scum.
Continue to stir and remove scum.
After about 45 minutes total, you should have a light rumble boil going and all the scum from the top of the stock should be all but removed.
Your broth should be somewhat clear if you did this VERY IMPORTANT PART correctly.
Add carrots, parsnip, celery tops and leaves, onion, onion skin, parsley, dill.
STIR.
LOWER heat to about medium low
Let simmer for a minimum of 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
After 2 hours of simmering – Taste soup.
Add additional water during the cooking process if broth quantity falls or if broth becomes too salty.
You can continue to cook for an additional 2 hours, but I find that 2 hours is plenty.
Turn off heat and allow soup to cool for an hour or two (but not much more).
(It’s ready to eat, if you are so inclined)
Strain entire stock pot of soup into a very large Tupperware container.
This should provide enough for 20-30 servings!
For storage:
Place in fridge overnight.
Optional – save the parsnip and carrots to add to soup if you like vegetables in it.
The next day, you may have a layer of fat on the top of your chilled bone broth.
You can strain it out with a mesh colander (and save it if you want – it’s a terrific flavoured fat)
Transfer to smaller Tupperware and freeze
(or you can use Ziploc bags)…
Boil Bechtle egg noodles in water (separate from the broth) and add to warm broth.
Perfection.
Enjoy the elixir of the gods!
