These very words were uttered/typed by me
six months ago. It was a part of my cooking philosophy: be healthy, but don't be ridiculous.
HA!
Funny how things change over time.
No, today did not find me boiling chicken bones to make broth, but it did find me boiling vegetables to do the same thing. It is a part of this whole
October Unprocessed dealio I've got going on... I had to find a substitute for this:
Oh, how bullion cubes have come to rescue so many times! Vegetable, chicken, or beef -- it doesn't matter. They have been a staple ingredient in my cooking. Countless risottos and various soups, among various other food items, have been put on my table thanks to these little packaged squares of salty-goodness.
But look at that ingredient list. Clearly I was putting more than just risotto and soup on the dinner table. Today was the day I took my stand. It was time to make risotto, and I needed to do it without the aid of Knorr or Herb Ox. And it turned out to be a success.
You want to know a secret? I cried a little when I tasted it. Yep, I did. For someone who barely knew how to boil an egg when this journey began, this is a huge milestone in my cooking life. For the first time I felt like I was actually
making something, not just putting things together to get the desired result.
I can create food out of plants -- and not just salad! Take that, Kraft!
It is so easy. First, take a whatever vegetables you have in your fridge (ideally with carrots, celery, and an onion, plus whatever else you have). I had carrots, half a cucumber, some celery, garlic, and collard greens, so I just used those. Cut into pieces and then saute for about 5-10 minutes. Add a teaspoon of salt and two quarts of water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for an hour. Strain out the vegetable pieces. Will make about six cups. (I used three for my risotto tonight and saved the other three for later. Next time I will make more and freeze it, I just wanted to make sure I liked it first!)
I love this Tiffany! I will definitely be making this soon. I love the idea of freezing it for later too - I probably would have forgotten I could do that too! :)
ReplyDeleteAint life grand! Especially when we can get so excited over some of the small stuff! :)
ReplyDeleteThe extra effort is definitely worth it! I make chicken, turkey and beef stock on a regular basis. I use an ice tray to form cubes and then transfer to a ziplock. I have never gotten a veggie stock mix just right, so I will definitely try this recipe. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteDanielle, thanks! I totally get that, I get all proud of my blog friends, too. :) So, the pieces were really mushy. I guess they could be salvagable, but I just tossed them. I had use the ends of carrots and unpeeled cucumber pieces, so they were really edible to begin with. I think they get super soggy and all the flavor is probably gone, but who knows? Try and then tell me ;)
ReplyDelete