Recipe for Vegetable Broth

Since many packaged broths contain tomatoes, or high levels of salt, or other unfriendly ingredients, we started making our own.

If you are like us, you are eating a lot of fresh vegetables to keep your body alkaline. Save your peelings and parings from a week's cooking in a zip lock bag in your vegetable drawer in the fridge. You can keep everything! Carrot butts and peelings, potato peelings, the leaves and stems from a head of cauliflower, cilantro stems, broccoli trimmings... Since you are going to boil the broth, the quality of these can be lower than what you would normally think of eating. When your 1 gallon freezer size bag is about 3/4 full, you're ready.

Use a large stock pot, and place the veggie bits with water to near the top of the pot. Add some fresh herbs such as thyme, sage, dill, and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper to taste. I use a tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil.

Simmer for about 1.5 hours partially covered. Taste the stock, and adjust seasonings or cook longer to bring out more flavor. Use a slotted spoon to take the chunks out, then filter the rest through a fine sieve. Use the stock to make a vegetable soup, or to cook your rice, or to steam your vegetables. You will love the flavor!