Soup & Springtime

Time for rain boots!

My mom Tina, my sister Martina and my dog Davidson enjoying the sun!

Last week was March Break here in Ontario so my mother, Tina, my sister, Martina, and I had some playtime to enjoy the warm spring weather that is finally thawing the hard-packed snow up here!

We also spent some time in the kitchen with my mom and sister doing what we do best... making soup! My mom is an amazing soup connoisseur and helped my sister and I whip up a delicious Bone Broth Beef & Veggie Soup. During change of season times I love making hearty meals that warm and nourish my body from the inside out as in keeping with Chinese medicine principles.

Here is the recipe for what we whipped up in the kitchen. You can start it in the afternoon and have it in time for supper:
Van Diepen Girls' Bone Broth Beef & Veggie Soup

To Make the Bone Broth:
1. Place several beef soup bones in a large soup pot along with 1 whole bunch of celery, 5 carrots, 2 onions, 1 whole head of garlic (unpeeled, yes, believe me), 1 bunch parsley, several bay leaves and 1 tbsp each of coarse sea salt and whole black pepper corns. Cover all of these ingredients with water. Bring to a boil. When boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer partially covered for 5 hours.

2. Strain the broth into another large soup pot, reserve the bones and discard the remaining ingredients. Use your hands to remove the meat from the bones and add the meat to the stock. Discard the bones.

To Make the Soup:
Heat stock over medium heat and begin to add the following chopped ingredients: 5-6 peeled, coarsely chopped carrots, 2 large chopped onions, 3 chopped parsnips, 12 Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced, 4 fist-sized, coarsely chopped potatoes, 6 stocks of celery (including leaves), chopped. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes. Add seasonings and serve hot. It makes A LOT!

Most Important Thing:
This is a bone-based broth - you want to have the bones because there is highly-digestible protein, minerals and healthy fat in the bones that comes out in the soup.

You'll know you have a good soup because after refrigeration the broth will be gelatinous!

Delicious!