I love using my cooking scraps to create my own homemade vegetable stock. Honestly, it is very rewarding while taking almost no effort. It saves another package from entering my house and having to be recycled or disposed of – which is huge! I can also control exactly what goes into the broth. It can be flavored a bit more garlicky. At times, I add less salt to fit my own taste and based on my low sodium health goals. Other times, I tailor it for my husband’s taste which is very salty.
Regardless of the vegetables and exact flavor, the taste is so much more delicious knowing that it is made from food waste. I love that I am diverting food waste to something so healthy, and something that I use so often. It easily keeps in the freezer and is barely an extra step when preparing other recipes. Anytime I make meals that require vegetables, I just save the scraps and add them into a Stasher Reusable Storage Bag
Once I have two bags in the freezer and a little extra time, I take them out and make the vegetable stock. I then store the vegetable stock in the freezer until I need it. And then I begin the saving scraps process all over again. I love these Rubbermaid Glass Storage containers. They are great in the freezer, fridge, and stand up well in the dishwasher, plus I love how well they seal! They can each easily hold four cups. Use these Anchor Hocking Glass Measuring Cups (that are fabulous and made in America) to measure out your stock and divide it into your containers.
I recommend that you measure out your stock prior to storing it in the freezer because it helps when you go to grab your stock for use in a recipe. And this Bistro Chalk Marker can help you to keep track of everything by using it to draw directly on the containers. Note ingredients, date made, and how many cups/ounces are in the container.
Ingredients
Note: I always wash my vegetables before preparing them, and just remember to compost or mill blemished or dirty pieces along with root ends. I use the peels, trimmings, and some of the skins from the following vegetables:
- Peppers
- Fennel
- Tomatoes
- Parsnip
- Carrots
- Onions, including skins
- Garlic, including skins
- Squash
- Mushroom stems
- Herbs
- Root vegetables
- Celery
Instructions
Once you have between 6-8 cups of vegetable trimmings in your freezer bags you are ready to make your broth.
In a large pot of water over medium high heat, add your vegetable trimmings. The water should cover the vegetables, but sometimes my frozen block of veggies has to defrost a bit and drop into the pot – so give it a few minutes. Bring the ingredients to a boil, and then drop the temperature to a low simmer for 45 minutes. You can add salt and pepper to taste. Strain with a sieve, adding the solids from the sieve to your mill or composting. Use immediately, or cool and freeze your delicious vegetable broth until you are ready to use.
I hope you find this to be as fun as I do! Let me know what you think!
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