Vegetable Broth & Vegetable Stew

At Nicole’s last cooking day she talked about a couple different ways to make vegetable broth.  Vegetable broth is easy to make, it is a great use of your leftover veggies, and it tastes delicious!

There are two different ways to make vegetable broth:

1. Use the SCRAPS that you would normally throw away and make an awesome broth.

2. Use vegetables (chopped in chunks) to make your broth, and as a bonus make a stew with the vegetables you used to make the broth instead of tossing them.

 You spend good money for your veggies… so don’t let anything go to waste!

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#1 Vegetable Broth Recipe:

– All the scraps! The tops of your carrots, peals from your carrots and sweet potatoes, skins of your onions, stems of the kale, leaves of the cauliflower, outer scraps from ginger and garlic… and whatever else you have!

– Add them in a big pot of water along with spices of your choice (I love coriander, cumin, cayenne, and a pinch of salt).

– Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer (uncovered) for about an hour.

#2 Veggies for broth… then used for Vegetable Stew:

Use all the ingredients below.  Eventually, they will be a part of your vegetable stew!

Ingredients

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 onion, chopped

4 sticks celery, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

1 small head cauliflower broken up

2 cups mushrooms (or one container… any mushroom of your choice)

1/2 inch raw ginger

Coriander, cayenne, cumin (1 tsp each… I’m partial to coriander so I do an extra tsp)

16 cups which = 2 pitchers of water 

The leaves of 4 stalks of kale, chopped.. Pro tip: Add after the broth has been cooking for about 45 minutes.   

Directions:

Part One

– Cut 3 cloves garlic and let sit for 10 mins, allowing the garlic to sit before cooking it preserves the Allicin which is anti-inflammatory

– Sauté onion in a thin layer of water for 5-10 minutes, or until onions are translucent.  Add garlic, ginger, coriander, cayenne, cumin, and a little more water.  Cover and simmer for a few more minutes.

– Now add all the water and veggies, excluding the kale and leaves

– Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer (uncovered) for 45 minutes

– Now add kale and cook for another 15-30 minutes.  When it smells awesome, it’s ready!

– Drain the broth into a container to keep, now it’s time for the Veggie Stew!

Part Two

– Take all the veggies left in the pot and put them in a crockpot.  Add some more pieces if you’d like (I used the same amount that I used in the beginning).  Add in some of your veggie broth and let it warm in the crockpot for 10-15 minutes.  Then eat up!

– For another variation add some quinoa or lentils to the stew!

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Raw Veggie Power Salad

Raw vegetables are alive, this means that for most vegetables their raw form contains the most nutrients!  Summer is a great time of year to start incorporating more raw foods into your diet.  This salad includes a lot of raw vegetables, and will make 4-5 servings so it will work great as a weekly food prep.

Ingredients:

– 2 cups romaine, chopped

– 1 cup kale, chopped

– 1 green onion, chopped

– 1/2 cup snap peas, chopped

– 1/2 cucumber (spiralized then chopped)

– 1/2 zucchini (spiralized then chopped)

– 1/2 squash or 1 small squash (spiralized then chopped)

– 2-3 tablespoons hemp seeds

– 1 handful raw sunflower seeds

– Freshly ground black pepper

– Option to top with sautéed mushrooms

Directions:

Mix all ingredients and store in a large glass container.  Add dressing as you are eating, feel free to top with anything else you can think of!  This salad will go great with any of our oil-free dressings, click here for blog post of healthy dressings.

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Creamy Garlic Herb Sauce

This creamy garlic herb sauce makes a perfect dip for vegetables, it is great mixed in with sautéed mushrooms,  and can be used as a sauce for Veggie Noodles

Ingredients:

– 1 yellow onion (chopped)

– 4 cloves garlic (chopped, after cutting garlic let sit for 10 minutes to preserve the allicin, which is strongly anti-inflammatory). 

– 2 cups vegetable broth (low-sodium) 1 cup is for sautéing and 1 is for blending.

– 1/2 cup nutritional yeast

– 1/2 cup cashews (soaked 6-8 hours or overnight)

– 1/2 tsp. oregano, thyme, rosemary, paprika

 – 1/2 lemon, juiced

Directions:

– Sauté chopped onions in 1 cup vegetable broth for 5 minutes, then add garlic.    Cook for another 10 minutes, or until onions are translucent.

– Add the onions and garlic to a  blender or food processor, and add 1 cup vegetable broth, nutritional yeast, lemon, cashews, and herbs. 

– Blend to desired texture, to get a creamier texture continue to blend.

– Blend to desired texture, to get a creamier texture continue to blend.

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This sauce is delicious on spiralized veggie noodles!

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Veggie Noodles with Cream Sauce

Veggie noodles are a great alternative to regular pasta, not only are they just as satisfying, but they give you TONS of extra nutrition.  Not to mention they are gluten-free, and gluten is the #1 cause of leaky gut!

You can spiralize any veggies, but this is one of our favorites blends.

Ingredients:

 – 2-3 zucchinis

– 1 cucumber 

– 3 beets (the greens from your beets are great to thinly slice for salads, or to juice/add to smoothies)

– 1 bag kelp noodles, optional (soak before serving)

Directions:

Spiralize veggies, and mix together.  A great tip for food prepping is to keep all these spiralized veggies in your fridge to use throughout the week!

Ways to eat:

– You can warm the spiralized veggies and kelp noodles in hot water just like regular noodles, they will cook in just a few minutes to soften the texture.  If you are warming do not add the cucumber.  For sauce you can use our Creamy Garlic Herb Sauce or Nicole’s Cheese Sauce  

– Veggie noodles are also delicious served cold and the creamy sauces are as well!  This is perfect if you need an on-the-go meal.

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Tropical Green Smoothie

This smoothie is packed with super foods & most importantly lots of healthy greens! Mango &  peaches add a delicious twist.  

This smoothie features two different super-foods you can use for an added health boost! 

Spirulina:  Did you know spirulina is actually the algae you find on top of a pond, and that it was eaten by our ancestors?  Spirulina is an incredible source of protein, and its green color is created by a compound called phycocyanin that is believed to provide strong anti-oxidant properties.  You can buy Spirulina at most health food stores and online.  

Goji berries:  Goji Berries are an antioxidant powerhouse,  they improve immune function, promote skin health & more!  You can buy Goji Berries at most health food stores and online.  

Ingredients

– 1/2 cup frozen mangos & peaches

– 1/4 cup coconut water

– 1/4 cup water

– 1 tbsp. spirulina 

– 2 cups spinach & kale 

– 1/4 cup goji berries (this is a good brand)

– 1 scoop Orange InflamX (optional)

(makes one serving) 

Blend all ingredients & enjoy!

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Almond Milk Recipe

Most almond milk available in stores has several additives, so the healthiest option is always to make your own.  When we teach people here at WTI how to make almond milk they are always surprised at how EASY it is! 

Ingredients:

– 1 cup organic almonds (soaked for 6-8 hours or overnight)

– 2-4 cups water

– You can add 1-2 dates to sweeten it up, vanilla, or cacao powder for a chocolate flavor.  

Step 1:

Soak almonds overnight or for 6-8 hours.

Step 2:

Drain almonds, and combine with 2 cups fresh water in a blender.  Add dates, vanilla, or cacao if using.  

Step 3:

Blend for 7-9 minutes.  The longer you blend the more you will get from the almonds! 

Step 4:

Place a nut bag over a pitcher or a bowl and strain out the remaining almond fiber.  The remaining liquid that drains through is your almond milk!  

Enjoy!

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This delicious oil free, plant based recipe is a perfect start to your day!  

Ingredients

– 2 sweet potatoes

– 1/2 cup low sodium vegetable broth (more as needed)

– 1 large red onion

– 1 tsp rosemary

– 1 tsp paprika

– 1 tsp oregano

– 1 tsp thyme

– 2 handfuls of walnuts

– Optional red pepper flakes

Directions

– Dice two sweet potatoes and add to a large saucepan.

– Add about 1/2 cup vegetable broth to a large saucepan (you want at least 1/4 of the sweet potatoes to be covered in broth). The only difference when you’re cooking with vegetable broth instead of oil is that you need to move it around a little more.

– Chop one large red onion and add to saucepan.

– Add rosemary, paprika, oregano, and thyme.

– Cover and cook until sweet potatoes are soft, about 10-15 minutes, stirring often.  

– Add two handfuls of walnuts, stir.

– Optional: add red pepper flakes for some spice!

– Enjoy!

To switch it up and add a more caramelized flavor, cook the onions with some vegetable broth in the pan for about 10 min (low/medium heat) first, then add the sweet potatoes and proceed!

This is a recipe you can add any vegetable to and it will still be delicious. Try adding some steamed greens, root vegetables, mushrooms, whatever you like!

Also, change it up on how you dice your potato offering different textures!

Meet The Chef:

Nicole Martin is our Wellness Director here and makes sure all of our Recipes are as simple AND nutritious as possible! 

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The Ultimate Spinach Breakfast

Your body will thank you for this healthy breakfast!  Steamed spinach and hemp seeds are both great for the heart, and the fermented veggies support a healthy digestive system.  Top it off with half an avocado for some healthy fats and you have a complete breakfast 😀

Ingredients

– Steam 2-3 cups spinach, either on a stove or using an electric steamer.  Steam to desired texture.  

– Top the spinach with 1/2 cup sauerkraut (recipe here) & 1/2 of an avocado

– Sprinkle on hemp seeds

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Fermented veggies are loaded with probiotics which support your digestive system, immune health, mental health & more.  Here is a simple recipe to make your own at home!

What you will need: 

– 1 wide mouth glass or ceramic jar (something like a mason jar would work) *never use anything metal when fermenting

–  A plastic or rubber lined lid, if you do not have either of those you can use a towel to cover your jar, with a rubber band wrapped around the top to seal it.

–  ½ teaspoon of Himalayan pink salt or Celtic sea salt 

–  Enough veggies to fill up a wide mouth quart jar – cabbage is a good base to use because it is easy to massage out the liquid brine in it, but any vegetable will work: carrots, squash, zucchini, radishes, collard greens, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, etc.

Directions:

–  Before you begin, make sure to wash the vegetables, and any surfaces / appliances you will be using to eliminate any harmful bacteria.

–  Cut/Shred the veggies into tiny pieces, or grate harder veggies such as carrots or radishes.   For cabbage, quarter the head then remove the core first.   

–  After cutting/shredding the veggies, place them into a clean bowl. 

–  Mix in the salt (the salt will help the veggies release their liquid brine)

–  Massage the veggies until the liquid (brine) starts to be released.  If the vegetables were too dry to begin with, you may need to add a small amount of salt water.  Massaging breaks down the cell walls of the vegetables to release the brine so the veggies can be submerged under the liquid.   This can take 5-10 mins. 

–  Once the brine is released, tightly pack cabbage into a clean fermenting jar, or ceramic crock using your fists or other packing tool (wood or plastic only, no metal).  As you press the veggies down the liquid will rise up.   The liquid brine will not completely cover the veggies because they will float, but it should be equal with the top of the veggies, add water if necessary.  

– You can use a full cabbage leaf to cover the top of the veggies to make sure they stay submerged. 

–  Put lid on and then back off a tiny bit to allow the pressure to escape during the fermentation period.  If you are using a towel as a lid, place towel over the mouth of the jar, and seal with a rubber band.  

–  If you are sealing the jar with a lid, it is important to release the pressure from the gases that will build up (to burp the jar) daily.  

–  The goal is to keep the minimum amount of oxygen from reaching the veggies so mold doesn’t develop.  If a light amount of mold does develop at the surface skim it off and remove any discolored veggies.  It is important not to let mold develop to the point that it can get down into the sauerkraut or other vegetables being fermented, if that happens, toss the batch. 

–  Leave jar in a dark place in a bowl (in case any liquid escapes) to ferment for 3-7 days.  Longer means more beneficial probiotic activity.  Start sampling the veggies after 3 days to see when they taste the way you want, some people like a light fermented taste, others like it tangier.   

–  Once it reaches the stage you like, place into a container, such as a tightly covered jar and put into the refrigerator.  Make sure there’s ½ inch headroom and the brine covers the veggies (add clean water if needed).  It can keep for months in the refrigerator.  

*Tip

–  If you are using a large crock, you can place a plate on top of the veggies, to keep the vegetables submerged.​

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Grapefruit Guacamole

Did you know the secret ingredient to incredible guacamole is grapefruit?  This recipe comes straight from our Wellness Director Nicole and it is one of our favorites.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

– ​2 avocados

– Juice of 1/4 grapefruit

– 1 jalapeno chopped fine

– 1/2 yellow onion chopped fine

– 1 tomato chopped fine 

– Handful of cilantro and basil chopped fine

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Directions

– Combine all ingredients and mash with a fork 🙂  Serve with sliced bell peppers and cucumbers, or any other veggies and enjoy!

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