Vegetable Broth & Soup Starters

I started making my own vegetable broth a couple months ago, and I'm now hooked. The depth of fresh flavor is spectacular, which really does a number on a pot of plain beans. The process is really easy and is something I can do throughout my day in between my other activities. I don't know if it is cheaper than buying vegetable broth cartons--I haven't gone to the trouble of figuring it out. I just know the flavor is much better.

Vegetables ready to simmer The broth is ready to be strained Beautiful color! And the other little brainchild of this endeavor is the soup starter. Once I have made my broth, I chop and saute onions, carrots, celery, and garlic in a little oil. I then divide the vegetables into mason jars filled with broth and put them in the freezer. Now when I want to make a soup or pot of legumes, I just thaw a jar, add my soup ingredients, and let it simmer. SO EASY. It is great to know that I can have a flavorful dinner without standing and chopping all those veggies. Sometimes I don't want the chunky vegetables so I blend the soup starter up before adding to my legumes.

The soup starters ready for the freezer Here is a basic recipe for vegetable broth, but there really are no rules and you can add anything that is in your fridge.

Vegetable Broth

1 T oil (I use grapeseed)
1-2 onions, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, coarsely chopped
2 leeks, coarsely chopped
4-5 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/2 c mushrooms
1 red pepper, coarsely chopped
1 c parsley
8-10 cups of water
1 t salt
1 t peppercorns

Heat oil in stock pot and saute onions for 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for an hour and a half. Strain vegetables through a fine mesh strainer, press the vegetables firmly to express the liquid out.