Low Cost Low Salt Low Fat Vegetable Broth Recipes

HOMEMADE VEGETABLE BROTH / STOCK (LOW SODIUM)

Steps:

• 1. Wash veggies, rinsing off any dirt. Peel onion, but don't need to peel any of the others. Chop onion into large chunks.
• 2. Roughly chop veggies except for garlic, tomato and jalapeno; don't chop too small, just enough to fit them into the pot. Bell pepper can be cut into 2 or 3 chunks. Add jalapeno whole. Don't peel the carrots. Add all to stock pot with water.
• 3. Chop off ends of garlic. Add to pot, peel and all.
• 4. Add salt and soy sauce. (You can add any other vegetable you have on hand; I added fennel, green onions and cherry tomatoes because I had a lot left over. The beauty of broth making is that you can utilize all your leftover veggies into it).
• 5. Cover and simmer for about 2 - 3 hours, until veggies are tender and broth is flavorful.
• 6. Turn off heat, move pot away from burner, leave covered, and let cool for about 30 minutes.
• 7. Strain away the vegetables, leaving a clean broth behind.

LOW COST, LOW SALT, LOW FAT VEGETABLE BROTH

Steps:

• Cooking options: Pressure cooker, stock pot or crock pot.
• Pressure Cooker: Put all ingredients in pot. Add water to 3/4 full. Cook at 15 lb pressure for 1/2 hour or so.
• Let cool to reduce pressure.
• Pot: Add water to cover, simmer (very low) on stove for 10 hours or so.
• Crock Pot: Put everything in 6 qt crock pot. Add water to 3/4 full. Cook on low for 10 hours or so.
• The times are approximate though I like to cook it for a minimum of 8 hours unless using the pressure cooker.
• Strain: Line a colander with a clean loosely woven dish cloth and place another colander on top. (The cloth will be sandwiched between the two colanders.) Strain broth, discard the 'mash' - it has no nutrients left!
• Use in recipes calling for broth - I find that the pressure cooker broth is very concentrated and I often dilute it when I use it. Taste yours to see.
• As this broth is salt free, you will have to add salt to taste. I do not add herbs because the long cooking pretty much destroys the flavor. I add them when using the broth to suit the dish I am making, as this is more economical. Because of this, the broth may not taste that great but it will taste just fine used in cooking and for soups.
• The yield is approximate.
• Ideas:.
• Add the bottom of that celery bunch that you usually throw away. Don't forget mushroom peelings. Toss in that lettuce that didn't make it to the salad. Add that nearly empty jar of salsa for flavor. You get the idea. I sometimes include the peel of an orange or lemon - but only one as otherwise the broth is too bitter.
• I used to toss in small amounts of cabbage, broccoli or cauliflower leftovers and get away with it but stopped after one batch was dominated by a bitter cabbage flavour.

CAULIFLOWER BROTH

Steps:

• In covered soup pot, cook cauliflower with remaining ingredients until tender, approximately 20 minutes.

ASIAN VEGETABLE BROTH

Steps:

• Thoroughly wash and prepare vegetables and place into large stockpot.
• Add pepper and salt and cover with cold water.
• Cover pot and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer uncovered for 20-30 minutes.
• Allow broth to cool before straining and removing cooked vegetables.
• Use broth as desired in other Asian inspired recipes.

VEGETABLE SEASONING OR BROTH MIX

Steps:

• Store in tightly covered airtight container (a clean, used bouillon jar works very well).
• Stir or shake before each use.
• To make vegetable broth substitute: mix 1 rounded teaspoonful with each cup of very warm water.
• For seasoning: just sprinkle a bit on to vegetables while cooking.