First bone broth experience

Hi friends! How’s the day going? It’s been a cloudy, gloomy and comfy day over here. To catch up on some lost sleep (Liv was sick while we were in Tucson, so we were up all night for a few nights), I decided to skip my alarm today. It was a wise choice. 🙂

I’m also doing the sore swagger walk around the house. My legs are still sore from filming the Winter Shape Up videos! They are definitely tested and approved.

Wsu videos2

I have to tell you about the soup we enjoyed night! Even after the chicken switcheroo (we didn’t have a pot that was big enough), everything worked out. I roasted the chicken in the oven, added it to the broth, with the rice, onion, and lemon-egg mixture, and it was glorious. I love that the eggs gave it a beautiful creamy texture without the addition of dairy. Liv, the biggest soup fan in the house, went crazy for it, and the Pilot, who is kind of blah about soup, said multiple times, “This is amazing.” It’s definitely in the top faves list, along with this recipe and this one. 

With the rest of the chicken, I decided to give bone broth a whirl. I’d heard a lot about this, and was recently reminded in this Well+Good post. I’m a huge fan of drinking chicken or veggie broth during the colder months -especially during cold/flu season- and heard that bone broth is a fantastic source of nutrients. For more info on the benefits of bone broth, check out this post. For my version, I added the chicken to the slow cooker with enough water to cover it, plus two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, one quartered leek, two peeled and quartered carrots, one quartered onion, sea salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary, and towards the end, I added an entire head of garlic, cut in half. It cooked overnight for 12 hours.

The verdict? I LOVED it. I can definitely see myself sipping on this in the afternoon. It tastes pretty much exactly like chicken broth, but with a deeper, richer flavor. 

Bone broth 1 of 1 2

I froze some in the ice cube tray to add to sautéed veggies, sauces, and soups for a little flavor boost.

The broth was enjoyed with a side of Women’s Fitness Specialist studying. One of my goals for the new year is to amp up my certifications, so I’m diving into this one. I am already sucked in, and really enjoying the course. While I love training everyone and anyone, my passion is women’s fitness. I’ve certainly had a couple of dude clients in the past, but it’s approached in an entirely different way. I’m excited to narrow down my focus, especially in the pre and postnatal realm. 

Wfs 1 of 1

Speaking of new years, start crackalackin on those inspiration boards! I’ll put the official call out in the am (and share my own board), but it’s a fun activity if you get some down time tonight. 

Time for an easy walk at the gym to shake my legs out, and Liv is asking to see Annie again. I kind of want to see it again, too. 😉

Hope you have a lovely night!

xoxo

Gina

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23 Comments

  1. RachelG on December 30, 2014 at 3:27 pm

    I have the same pre natal hopes for the upcoming year as you do, in the puppy and baby arenas. 😉 Looking forward to hearing about the new certificate! 🙂

    • Fitnessista on December 30, 2014 at 3:29 pm

      YESSSS. omg, i’m so excited for you. you two are going to make beautiful babies, just sayin’ 🙂

      • RachelG on December 30, 2014 at 4:20 pm

        hahaha you’re so sweet. i keep saying they’re going to be the most sarcastic kids on the playground. lol! happy new year to all! <3

  2. Megan @ Skinny Fitalicious on December 30, 2014 at 3:41 pm

    My Mom has been begging for me to see Annie with her. I was skeptical about it, but after reading the good things you had to say about it I’m more into seeing it. I can’t wait to hear more about your certification. I’m not sure I would want to train men either. They’re just wired differently. Haha!

    • Fitnessista on December 30, 2014 at 3:44 pm

      it’s an entirely different beast haha
      and YES. i wasn’t sure how i’d like it, but it was super cute and the music is great.

  3. Alex @ get big, go to work on December 30, 2014 at 3:42 pm

    Can’t wait to see the final Winter ShapeUp videos! I absolutely love bone broth. I’ve been making it for a solid 6 months now, and it never disappoints. It has such a deep flavor compared to store bought brands, and it has so many beneficial properties to it…like helping Liv get over her illness 🙂 Glad you like it so much too!

  4. Natalie @ The Ravenous Mommy on December 30, 2014 at 3:45 pm

    I’ve never made bone broth but I think I’ll have to start soon 🙂

  5. Linda @ the Fitty on December 30, 2014 at 4:00 pm

    I’ve never tried freezing them into ice cubes. Interesting concept, I think I’ll try it! 🙂

  6. Britt@MyOwnBalance on December 30, 2014 at 4:09 pm

    I’ve heard a lot about the bone broth phenomenon but haven’t been brave enough to give it a go. Sounds like it would be perfect if you were a bit under the weather!

  7. Ashley @ A Lady Goes West on December 30, 2014 at 4:27 pm

    Hi Gina! I’ve been reading a lot about bone broth too and haven’t tried it yet. Thanks for sharing your experience!

  8. Erin on December 30, 2014 at 5:11 pm

    Maybe this is a dumb question – but from your recipe, it sounds like your bone broth is basically homemade chicken stock? That’s how I’ve always made my chicken stock. You know you’ve done a good job when it solidifies when cold.

    • Fitnessista on December 30, 2014 at 5:41 pm

      Yep! But I just used the chicken bones- I took off the skin and meat for the soup we ate last night.

  9. Kathy on December 30, 2014 at 8:08 pm

    This might also be a silly question… But I see you added veggies to make the bone broth… And the broth is clear… What did you do with the left over veggies? Make a seperate soup from them?

    • Fitnessista on December 30, 2014 at 8:26 pm

      not a silly question at all. i just used them to flavor the broth. they were super mushy after 12 hours. i could have used them for a soup, but i like soup veggies to be more al dente

  10. Amanda on December 30, 2014 at 8:34 pm

    I’m obsessed with bone broth! I’ve been making it for about a year now. My favorite method is to ‘roast’ the whole chicken in the crock pot (no liquid needed) then I pull off the meat and add the veggies, ac vinegar, seasonings, and water and let it simmer on low for 24 hours. It’s so insanely flavorful!

  11. Livi @ Eat, Pray, Work It Out on December 31, 2014 at 5:18 am

    I’ve really been wanting to try bone broth! I’ll have to make that happen for 2015!!

  12. Amber @ Busy, Bold, Blessed on December 31, 2014 at 5:47 am

    I’ve made bone broth a few times, but haven’t really committed to it. It’s all the rage in Paleo-land… with everyone getting the flu around me, seems like a good time to get on board!

  13. justine mckenzie on December 31, 2014 at 6:25 am

    Please do make a full barre class DVD!!!! I love your barre burner’s on youtube. I do them so often my husband says “hanging out with Gina again?” when he sees youtube up on our TV in our home gym. lol.

  14. Stephanie @ Whole Health Dork on December 31, 2014 at 10:12 am

    I’ve been making bone broth the past few months (not enough!) and I love it. I tend to freeze it in mason jars. Be sure to leave a bit of room at the top! I made the mistake of getting the last drop in and my jar broke in the freezer. There went that batch. 🙁 I usually use grassfed beef bone, but have also done chicken and turkey. I love how gelatinous it is before you warm it up!

  15. Marlene @Fit Delight on January 2, 2015 at 10:10 am

    Hi Gina is that certification through NASM? Thanks

    • Fitnessista on January 2, 2015 at 9:56 pm

      yep!

  16. Laura B @ FitMamaLove on January 2, 2015 at 10:23 pm

    I always make broth out of my leftover chicken when I roast it, but I always make it into soup. I’ve never had it on its own!

  17. Lauren @ The Bikini Experiment on January 3, 2015 at 1:20 pm

    I have been meaning to give bone broth a try. Thanks for the reminder! Look forward to seeing the Winter Shape Up videos.

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