Vegetable Broth ~ For Flavor & Nutrition

Vegetable broth is so quick and easy to make and so healthy and flavorful, there’s no reason not to have it in stock (pardon the pun) in your freezer or fridge!

Use it as a base for soups, stews, gravies and sauces. Add it to your macaroni and cheese, alfredo sauce, mashed potatoes or breads to boost nutrition. Cook rice or grits with it.

If you leave it unsalted you can even add it to smoothies and fruit juices.

How about a lighter Bloody Mary with vegetable broth added? Fruit & veggie popsicles?

Serve it plain, lightly salted with a little lemon juice and fresh basil in a noodle bowl.

Vegetable consomme highlighted with fancy salt and a drizzle of good olive oil makes a great soup course.There are endless possibilities.

The best part? If you store your vegetable scraps in a freezer container as you accumulate them, you can use them to make your vegetable stock and be making food from something you would usually throw away.

If you are growing your own food, or purchasing from a co-op or farmers market, you are extending that freshness and your food dollars!

There’s no strict recipe for this. Start with a base of fresh chopped carrot, celery and onion. Heat gently in a saucepan with a little olive or vegetable oil until soft and onion is translucent. Next add clean fresh or frozen vegetable scraps (my favorite use for mushroom and asparagus stems!) and enough water to fill the saucepan half or two-thirds full.

Add a bay leaf and some peppercorns, or any fresh herbs you like. Simmer, uncovered on low heat for 30 minutes to an hour. Let cool, then strain out the solids. Use immediately, or store in the refrigerator for up to a week. If freezing your vegetable broth, label it with the date and use within one month.