I
feel a little guilty for not posting this a while back. Since the summer, this recipe has become
the basis of all of my cooking and has played a major role in my transition to
an oil-free diet. It’s packed with nutrients, is super easy and quick to make, and best of all, costs nothing! I use this broth to sauté with, cook beans, rice, and grains
in, for the base of salad dressings, and even for homemade-dips like
hummus.
As
you cook during the week, keep any clean scraps, peels, and trimmings from all
the veggies that you would normally toss out or compost. Save these in the
freezer until you have a large Ziploc baggie worth. Once you have done this,
put all the scraps into a large pot. Fill the pot with water (making sure to
cover the scraps with at least 2 or 3 inches of water.) Cover the pot and bring
to a boil. Once it is boiling, reduce to a simmer for another 10 minutes. By
this time a delightful smell will have spread throughout the kitchen. Turn off
the flame keeping the pot covered for another 30 minutes.
After
the vegetable scraps have “steeped” for about 30 or 40 minutes, remove the lid and let the broth
cool. After its sufficiently cooled, strain the liquid from the pot into a
glass tupperware container. I typically make between
10 and 12 cups of broth at a time. When refrigerated the broth will last up to
10 days. I’ve been told it can also be frozen for several months.
Suggestions for what to use
A
typical batch of my broth is made from the cores, peels, skins, stems, tops and
bottoms of various veggies.
Cores
include: bell peppers, cabbages, and tomatoes
Peels
include: carrots, onion, and ginger, squashes,
Stems include: kale, collards, and other greens as well as broccoli and
mushrooms
Tops and Bottoms include: carrots, celery, green beans, onions, and garlic.
Tips and Notes:
Not
all of the above ingredients are edible but they are all perfectly fine for making broth
with.
For an
additional boost of flavor, try adding your favorite spices. I often add turmeric,
black pepper, and chili flakes. Bay leafs are also great.
Adding
a whole clove of garlic is also a great way to boost the flavor.
Try tossing in one apple core to help sweeten the broth just a little bit.
Another great thing about this broth is that it is salt-free unlike most found in stores and literally costs nothing to make.
Every week's broth will be just slight different. Experiment with different combinations and have fun.
