Scrappy Vegetable Stock

Whoa! Stop! Don't throw away those veggie scraps. You can make your own delicious vegetable stock so easily and for virtually NO cost! I can't believe I never thought of this before. I came across a post on another vegan blog site where someone featured this simple idea.

We go through a LOT of produce in my kitchen. So last week I started saving every scrap of vegetable... ends of carrots, onion skins, celery strings, kale stems, you name it. The only thing you wouldn't want in your scrap bag is potatoes or corn. They would not work for stock in my opinion. Being so starchy they could create a milkiness and a thickness that would not be appealling. Also, be careful of adding anything with a lot of overpowering flavor such as fennel or asparagus. And avoid beet scraps unless you want a bright red stock! 🙃

Anyway, within one week I had this huge bag full of scraps. When I first started doing this I found myself unmindfully throwing away scraps. It took a while to get into the habit of saving them. I even put a little post-it note on my trash can... "NO SCRAPS" to remind myself.

The other great advantage to this is that you will have a super fresh stock WITH NO SALT ADDED. It is so hard to find vegetable stock at the market that is salt-free. You’re welcome!

Anyway, give this a try. It’s so easy!

There is really no recipe. Just simmer your scraps in pure water, covered, on low for about an hour. Don’t forget the secret ingredient! (💗). After the mixture is cool enough to handle but still warm, strain it into mason jars. I like to jar it when the broth is still quite warm because the jars will then self-seal as they cool and the broth will stay fresh longer. Refrigerate and use for whatever calls for stock. ENJOY!