Homemade Vegetable Stock

The season has certainly shifted here on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. The constant rain that has been with us since last September, has been accompanied by much cooler days. The jumpers finally came out over the weekend and the sniffles came a'callin’ so homemade chicken soup was the order of the day. There’s nothing like fresh, crunchy bread and a steaming bowl of fragrant soup to get you back on your feet and to chase those Winter chills away.

Most families have their secret recipes that have been handed down through the ages, and ours is no exception. I have tweaked our families Homemade Chicken Soup recipe over the years to suit the tastes of growing children, however nothing has had the impact that this little gem did quite some years ago. All these years on, I can’t remember exactly where I heard this little secret, but it has certainly been a game changer when it comes to our homemade soups and casseroles.

We’ve all heard that the most nutrients are 'just under the skin' in fruits and vegetables and we are more conscious than ever about what we eat and where it comes from. The slow living movement has also been a timely reminder to be more mindful of how we live, to reduce, reuse and recycle. I have to admit, that I have always hated wasting food. I didn’t grow up in a wealthy family and have raised my children to appreciate second hand, vintage, preloved. Don’t get me wrong, new is a wonderful thing, but being a little more careful with how and why we spend our money has allowed us to make memories we otherwise wouldn’t. We’ve lived and renovated, travelled and explored the world in ways we wouldn’t if we had been adverse to getting our hands dirty. As a result, this clever cooking tip has been embraced in our family as not only a tasty alternative but a way to make a difference in our world.

INSTRUCTIONS:

• In order to begin the process of making your own Homemade Vegetable Stock, first you must collect the material needed. This is as simple as collecting your usual veggie scraps as you go about your regular, daily meal prep ie. making a salad or stir fry for the evening meal. Instead of discarding the skin from your onion, garlic, ginger, carrots . . . the leaves from the celery, the off-cuts and seeds from a capsicum etc, pop them into a large, resealable bag or big empty container and put them into the freezer (yes, the freezer). This will keep them fresh while you continue to add to your stock supplies over the coming days | weeks. Simply pull this bag | container our when prepping meals and throw your scraps inside. Continue to reseal and freeze each time until your container is full. Expect this process to take a couple of weeks, although you may be surprised just how fast it fills up

• When your scrap container is full, simply empty the contents into a slow cooker or large stock pot, cover with water and allow to simmer gently for at least half a day. Honestly, the longer they cook, the better your stock will be. And another little bonus . . . the smell is amazing!

• Make sure to add a lid to your slow cooker or pot to ensure the moisture stays inside and doesn’t evaporate. Check on the progress of your stock throughout the day. The water level must remain high and you will notice the water slowly change from clear to a deep, rich, fragrant brown as it absorbs all the nutrients from your vegetable scraps

• All that is left to do is to drain the scraps, retaining the stock in a few handy jugs, and discard the soggy vegetable scraps that remain. Make sure to add them to your garden or compost heap - Mother Earth will be ever so grateful you did

THINGS TO NOTE:

• DO NOT add meat scraps or egg shells! NO fruit peelings (oranges, apples etc), and NO scraps that are showing signs of spotting or decay

• This delicious Vegetable Stock can be made ahead of time - I like to make my stock the day before use, OR pour it into resealable containers and freeze to use at a later date. A little hint: freeze in large volumes for soups and smaller volumes ie. in ice trays, to use on a smaller scale to flavour casseroles and stews

• Vegan friendly stock that delivers the ultimate feel good vibes . . . Good for you, Good for the hip pocket and Good for the planet!

Frozen Vegetable Scraps