I haven't been a vegan gal long, but, I have come up with a few ideas that help pitch a penny.
Home made stock- I try to hang onto scraps as much as possible i.e. veg peelings, ends, skins. As I'm preping meals I have a big ziplock bag to put the scrap pieces in that I keep in the freezer till full to the top.
these are scraps that will make great stock- carrot ends-tops-and peelings, onion skins-ends-tops,celery ends-tops, zucchini tops and bottoms, leeks green top-and root end, shittake mushroom stems and water if you rehydrated them, the seed [guts] from squash, tomato tops and bottoms and seeds if your removing them for a recipe, garlic peels and root bottoms, ginger peel (for an asian flare), parley stems..this is almost a must for great stock..in my meager opinion.
If you use allot of a certain kind of veg at home, most likely you will want it in your stock. I would avoid broccoli stems, asparagus stems, cabbage, or anything that would make a "stinky" broth.
when your bag if full, put all your veg scraps in a large pot and fill with water with about an inch clearance from the top. turn to med to med high and let it boil till 3/4 of the water has boiled away. this will really concentrate the flavors and make for a great base for soup, stews, seitan broth. It is also great to use in place of water for rice, couscous, and any grains and beans for that matter.
When you pot has boiled down, strain off solids and let stock cool to room temp. I store mine by ladling it into zip lock bags to the top or mid way squeezing out any extra air to avoid freezer burn. Then just pull out and leave to defrost in the fridge or in a sauce pot on the stove. This doesn't save a ton of money but, every penny counts. It's a great way to also get the most out of your veg and you toss the used remains in the compost for next planting season!
Home made stock- I try to hang onto scraps as much as possible i.e. veg peelings, ends, skins. As I'm preping meals I have a big ziplock bag to put the scrap pieces in that I keep in the freezer till full to the top.
If you use allot of a certain kind of veg at home, most likely you will want it in your stock. I would avoid broccoli stems, asparagus stems, cabbage, or anything that would make a "stinky" broth.
when your bag if full, put all your veg scraps in a large pot and fill with water with about an inch clearance from the top. turn to med to med high and let it boil till 3/4 of the water has boiled away. this will really concentrate the flavors and make for a great base for soup, stews, seitan broth. It is also great to use in place of water for rice, couscous, and any grains and beans for that matter.
When you pot has boiled down, strain off solids and let stock cool to room temp. I store mine by ladling it into zip lock bags to the top or mid way squeezing out any extra air to avoid freezer burn. Then just pull out and leave to defrost in the fridge or in a sauce pot on the stove. This doesn't save a ton of money but, every penny counts. It's a great way to also get the most out of your veg and you toss the used remains in the compost for next planting season!
I LOVE this idea! Never thought of doing this. THANKS for the tip. We are on the road to healthier eating also. We've been reading up on greensmoothiegirl.com. Maybe you've heard of her. Pretty awesome stuff. Thanks for sharing recipes, I'm excited to try them out. :)
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