Homemade Soup :: Using Veggie Scraps

I love this idea that I got from a friend's mother a few years back. It's now a winter staple, especially during the flu season. 

It's a simple, non-creamy, vegetables soup with an Asian flair {miso}. The fun part is making the broth using the ends of vegetables {i.e. carrot heads, cabbage leaf bottoms, excess onion, kale stems, fennel ends, celery leaves, etc.}.

Broth:

I made the base the other day while making the homemade raw meatloaf. The meatloaf recipes calls for lots of vegetables, which always means LOTS of compost scraps. Well, instead of composting them, I added them to boiling water and let them simmer for hours. 

I then added veg boullion and kept it cooking most of the day. Afterwards, I strained the mixture and was left with a hearty, healthy broth (doesn't taste all that great until you make the soup and add all the toppings). 

Soup:

Broth {see above}
mushrooms
onion
winter squash
miso
boullion, veg
sea salt

olive oil {or  macademia nut oil}
raw garlic
avocado
kale

I am not going to do measurements for this soup because honestly, my mom and I have made this year after year using tons of veggies. I posted the veggies that I personally like. {You can also add a grain or potato if you like. I don't particularly like it that way}. 

First bake the winter squash for an hour at 400 degrees in the oven. Then add it, along with the other first 6 ingredients, in a large saucepan/pot. Cook for 2 hours - really low until time to serve. 

Serve in a bowl and top with the rest of the ingredients. Using a garlic press, add the garlic, chopped avocado, shredded kale and more sea salt to taste. Drizzle olive oil for more substance and flavor.

Enjoy - the garlic of course adds tons of winter cold protection and fights off viruses. The kale is hearty and barely cooked {almost raw} when done this way. The avocado and oil makes the soup creamier and more filling. Serve with a green salad if still hungry.