Looking for a cheap and eco-friendly way to add flavor to your recipes? Try making your own zero waste vegetable stock! This simple recipe uses vegetable scraps that would otherwise go to waste, helping you reduce food waste while also saving money. Plus, it's a great way to add more plant-based goodness to your diet.

Ingredients:

• A mixture of vegetable scraps such as:
• Onion skins & ends
• Garlic skins & ends
• Potato skins
• Any part of a celery
• Carrot tops and peelings
• Mushroom stems
• Broccoli stem and leaves
• Cauliflower core and leaves
• Any part of herbs that were not used
• 700 ml water
• Bay leaves (optional)
• Peppercorns (optional)

Instructions for 500ml of stock:

1. Collect your vegetable scraps in a container or freezer bag. Keep them in the freezer until you have enough to make stock.
2. When you're ready to make stock, put the vegetable scraps in a large pot and cover with water. Use enough water to cover the scraps by about an inch or two.
3. If you have any fresh herbs like bay leaves or peppercorns, you can add them now. This will give your stock some additional flavor, but it's not necessary.
4. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for about an hour. If any foam appears on the surface, skim it off with a spoon.
5. After an hour, strain the stock through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth to remove any solids. You’ll know it’s ready when the vegetables have wilted and are soft and the liquid has turned a slightly darker colour and gives off an earthy aroma.⁣
6. Discard or compost the scraps and keep the liquid.
7. Let the stock cool to room temperature, then transfer it to storage containers like jars or freezer bags. You can keep it in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

That's it! With just a few simple steps, you can turn your vegetable scraps into a delicious and nutritious stock that's perfect for adding flavor to all kinds of dishes. Plus, you'll be reducing food waste and saving money on buying pre-made stock at the store.

This recipe comes from our zero-waste cookbook by Max La Manna "More Plants Less Waste Cookbook: Plant-Based Recipes." In his first cookbook, he shares 80 of his tasty, healthy recipes and that will help you save money, and food and eat well. Get your taste buds watering with recipes for sumptuous Spaghetti Bolognese, Crunchy Cauliflower Curry, and Leftover Veggie Nachos in a Hurry just to name a few!