How To Get Your Bone Broth Fix in the Summer

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Cold soups: Summer’s overlooked savior. (Photo courtesy of Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.)

Bone broth was the breakaway health trend of the winter. Chock-full of vitamins and minerals, comforting, and full of flavor, it was everything a cold-weather superfood should be. But don’t count it out now that we’re in the thick of summer: Creative minds are sneaking bone broth into warm-weather staples, and you can, too.

What’s more, says Ariane Resnick, CNC, author of The Bone Broth Miracle, is that the benefits of bone broth can give you a major boost in warmer months. The collagen in bone broth has been shown to have skin-boosting properties, and some evidence suggests it can help in growing hair and nails. And as we know, she says, “your skin, hair, and nails are more visible in the summer.”

There are lots of ways to add bone broth to your seasonal meals, Resnick says. Try, for example, using bone broth instead of water in recipes for potato or pasta salad — the drink will infuse the ingredients with flavor and nutrients, a win-win at junk-food-heavy barbecues and pool parties.

What about using bone broth in smoothies? “It’s definitely done,” Resnick says, but “I wouldn’t replace the dairy or dairy alternative, I would replace ice cubes with bone broth ices. I recommend using stronger-flavored fruits like bananas and berries.”

Want to try it for yourself? She suggests a base of raspberries, and then adding coconut milk with spinach, vanilla whey powder, and bone broth ice cubes.

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Youkilis’ savory blend mixes good-for-you veggies with bone broth. (Photo: Instagram.com/robynyoukilis)

Health coach Robyn Youkilis, on the other hand, uses bone broth to make savory smoothies when the temperatures rise. She blends bone broth with cucumber, spinach, herbs, lemon, and salt for a veggie-packed drink. (You can find her recipe below.)

Youkilis also suggests making a traditionally hot breakfast, like scrambled eggs or savory oatmeal, and bringing it to eat on the go to eat after it’s cooled down. “I use bone broth as a base to make a quick breakfast,” she explains. “Heat the broth in a small saucepan (as much or as little as you like), add an egg or two, and whisk with a fork. Add some ripped kale, and finish with a splash of tamari (optional) and a few sheets of nori.”

Can’t be bothered to turn on the stove when it’s hot out? Take a page from Resnick’s book and blend broth into a cold, creamy soup.

Chilled Avocado Blendie Soup

Ingredients:
3 ripe large avocados
1 cup yogurt
2 cups chicken or fish broth
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons dried coriander
1 teaspoon ground white pepper

Directions:
1. Scoop avocados out of skin and place in blender.
2. Add all other ingredients and blend until smooth.

Robyn Youkilis’s Savory Smoothie

Ingredients:
½ cup bone broth, more if needed
1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
½ cup cilantro, chopped
Juice of one lemon
½ cup spinach leaves
2 ribs of celery, chopped
Pinch of sea salt, optional

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in blender. Blend until totally smooth, but try to avoid over-blending as this will create foam.
2. Add more bone broth if needed.

(Smoothie recipe excerpted from Go With Your Gut, out January 2016.)

Read This Next: Bone Broth: 4 Reasons Wellness Experts Are Obsessed (Plus Recipe!)

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