This mineral broth is a nourishing yet light food, which is often exactly what people want when they are unwell or going through treatment such as chemo and heavy meals are hard to face. It was shared with us when Julien first became sick. He was having a hard time eating, and he enjoyed drinking this broth throughout his chemo. It was one of the few foods he could eat that felt both nourishing and light, and it has had a place in our kitchen ever since.
It is made from root vegetables, celery, leeks, kombu and herbs, so it is full of flavor and easy to sip. We like it on a chilly day, between meals, or any time we want something nourishing. We also enjoy it alongside our daily Taheebo Wellness Tea.
Light foods like soups and broths are often suggested when appetite is low or solid food is hard to face. If you are in treatment, your care team can help you decide what suits you best.
Root vegetables are a classic soup base, and macrobiotic cooking sees them as grounding, or yang, because they grow underground. That grounding quality is part of why a warm root vegetable broth feels so comforting in cold weather.
Along with the root vegetables, the broth gets its depth from kombu, bay leaves, juniper berries, black peppercorn and parsley. Together they give it a savory, slightly peppery flavor.
We drink this broth with a couple pinches of good quality sea salt but have also used it as a base for soups. This past Thanksgiving we even added it to our cornbread stuffing which totally elevated the flavor and made it absolutely delicious!
You can drink this broth between meals, as an appetizer, or whenever you want something warm and light.
Mineral Broth
This simple recipe (adapted from Rebecca Katz’s Magic Mineral Broth recipe) uses a slow simmer, similar to how we brew Taheebo Tea, to draw as much of the vegetables’ flavor and nutrition into the broth as possible.
- 12 Quart Stock Pot
- Large Strainer
- 6 Carrots
- 2 Yellow Onions
- 1 Red Onion
- 1 Leek
- 1 Whole Bunch Celery
- 4 Red Potatoes
- 2 Sweet Potatoes
- 1 Garnet Yam
- 1 Head Garlic
- 1 Bunch Flat Leaf Parseley
- 2 strips Kombu
- 1 tbsp Peppercorns
- 10 Juniper Berries (dried)
- 4 Bay Leaves
- 3-5 inches Ginger
- 18 cups Spring Water (or filtered water)
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We highly recommend using only organic ingredients for this broth. This slow simmer draws a lot from your ingredients, so choose fresh, good-quality produce.
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Clean and roughly chop all your veggies. Many of a vegetable’s nutrients and plant compounds are concentrated in the skin, so we leave the skins on (just scrub them well).
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Add veggies and other ingredients to a large stainless steel or non toxic ceramic pot.
Add 1+ gallons of spring water (or filtered water) to cover all vegetables while making sure to leave space at the top for boiling/bubbling.
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Cover with lid and bring to a boil.
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Remove cover; reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 2 to 4 hours.
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No need to hover over this; just give it a good stir whenever you think of it.
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Remove from heat and allow it to cool.
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Strain your broth and store in the fridge for up to 7 days.
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We like to store half in a big glass jar, and freeze the other half in a plastic container. Then whenever a recipe calls for broth, we pull it out and defrost it. It really elevates the flavors, and also feels great knowing we’re getting a bunch of added nutrients!
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Makes 1+ gallons you can reduce ingredients to adjust to your desired final quantity.
How do you like to drink your broth? Leave us a comment and share your experience.