Before I became aware of the global recycling crisis last year, I was buying my soup broth in Tetra Paks because it was more 'convenient' than making my own. I know today that single-use convenience items are not convenient for the planet. We are now drowning in plastic and trash. Once I became aware of what was happening to the planet as a result of our actions as consumers, I knew I had to change my habits.
I started looking at the things I was consuming. My goal was to significantly reduce my dependence on single-use plastics and things that could not be recycled. One of the items I was buying a lot of was vegetable broth in Tetra Paks. I found out my waste management company (Thompson's Sanitary) would no longer accept Tetra Paks because the recycling facility they contract with couldn't process them. I decided I needed to start making my own. I mean, how hard could it be? I looked at the ingredients on the back of the box. Many of the items I already had in my fridge which was really ironic! I was paying a lot of extra money for convenience!
Making the broth was so easy. It took about 5 minutes to prep and 10 minutes to make. It was fresh, delicious and I actually knew exactly what was in it. I was suddenly inspired to see what else I could make myself and other ways I could reduce my waste.
Here is my recipe for vegetable broth that only takes 15 minutes to prepare and make:
VEGETABLE BROTH:
1 Onion
2 Carrots
4 Celery Stalks
1 Fennel Bulb* (optional but I love fennel)
Sea Salt (To taste. I don't like things overly salted)
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp pepper
1 Tbs turmeric
2 Tbs olive oil
water as needed
I chop the veggies into small pieces and sautee all of the items together (including the spices) in olive oil adding enough water so they simmer and don't burn. Once all the veggies are soft (onions are translucent) and smelling fragrant, I add another three cups of water. Then I get out my Cuisinart Hand Mixer (obsessed with this little gadget!) and blend it all up and there you have it! It's a wonderfully flavorful, healthy and environmentally friendly soup broth. You can add more water if you need to. You can also add garlic or other vegetables and spices to suit your tastes.
Have fun with it! It isn't hard, it doesn't take much time and it feels good to know you are making the effort to help heal Mother Earth one Tetra Pak at a time.
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