Make soup – not waste!

People don’t use stock as much as they should do. Honestly, the delicious and savoury cooking liquid that is “the building block” of many dishes such as curries, soups, stir-fries, and sauces is pretty underrated… And the thing is, we’ve been hearing around campus, that so many people don’t even know how to make a simple veggie stock. Not only that, they don’t actually realise how resourceful and sustainable they could be by being by doing so!

PS: If you haven’t already got the memo, we’re going to say the “S” (sustainable) word a few times.

We are all about the small steps, working towards building a sustainable lifestyle – in fact all of our brands make a conscious effort to be sustainable around (and off) campus! Because of this, we thought we would share one way to be more environmentally conscious and suggest one way that you can incorporate #zerowaste in your everyday life!

So…every day stock, that you can buy from the grocery store, not only comes with large amounts of salt (which Scotty from UNE Life, Functions & Catering, says is a big “no-no”), but it also comes in single-use packaging (obviously we don’t love that).

We know you always looking for a good activity, so why not, make your own stock! It’s super simple, and costs nothing but just 30 minutes of your time!

Next time you cut up some mushrooms, onions, or carrots think twice before chucking it in your compost bin… or garbage bin

INGREDIENTS:

• Vegetables
• Water

TIP:

• Hang on to your scraps when you’re cooking, you can keep them in a glass jar or a ziplock bag in your freezer.
• The scraps will last up to 6 months in the freezer.

SUGGESTED DELICIOUS INGREDIENTS:

Avoid vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and zucchini as it can add a bitterness to the broth!

METHOD:

1. Once you’ve collected enough veggie scraps, put them into a large pot, and cover with cold water.
2. Bring up to simmer for 30 minutes.
3. Strain the scraps! You can do this in a colander inside a large bowl by placing everything from the pot into the colander.
   SUSTAINABILITY TIP: The scraps can then go in your compost pile or bin once all the liquid is strained.
4. Pour your broth into an airtight container or jar. Use a cheesecloth, Chux, or paper towel if you would like to strain any of the superfine stuff.

Yup… it’s that simple! You just made your own stock! The stock will last for up to 4 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer.

If you’re lost for inspiration, Scotty recommends seasoning your stock with soy sauce and using it in a stir fry, and our branding and marketing guru/chef-wannabe Alahna, recommends using it to make a heart-warming risotto– yum!