I have made vegetable broth a couple of different ways. The first two times I made it the traditional way, using onions, celery and carrots in water with some basic seasoning and simmered on the stove top for an hour while the vegetables cooked and created a thin watery soup base. Another time I used these same vegetables plus one cup of lentils, giving the broth more body. But I hated straining out the vegetables and tossing them, even though they are mush and have little flavor at this point. Given a choice, I prefer to saute those same veggies in a pan and then heap them on my plate and eat them, just like that!
When I found this recipe for 'instant dry veggie broth' I was skeptical but knew I would have to try it. I am posting the recipe link here. This recipe is now one of my 'top ten favorite pantry items.' It takes only one tablespoon of dry mix to make one quart of soup broth. I keep a jar of it made up and on hand in the refrigerator to add to recipes and use for sauteing vegetables (in place of oil or spray). This dry powder mixes with water quickly whenever you might need some soup stock.
All three variations pictured above utilize the instant vegetable soup broth. I saute my vegetables in a pan on the stove top (mushrooms, onions, celery, carrots, bell peppers, carrots), toss in some sprouted lentils and a small amount of cooked brown rice or cooked whole grain linguine and then just add in a quart of the vegetable broth, heat and serve up.
Soup's On!
