Sometimes all you need is a nutrient-dense vegetable broth — packed with greens, root veggies, seaweed, mushrooms, herbs and spices! Add 3-4 cups of this miracle stock to any soup for delicious flavor and optimal nutrition.

Makes ~3 quarts of broth.

ingredients:
1 large onion, chopped (include the outer skin if organic)
2 large carrots, sliced (include carrot tops and skin if organic)
1 cup daikon or radish (ideal, but optional)
1 cup root vegetables (turnip, parsnip, not potato!)
2 cups chopped greens: kale, parsley, beet greens, collards, chard,dandelion, cilantro
1/2 cup seaweed: nori, dulse, kelp, kombu (optional, but highly recommended)
1 leek
1/2 cup cabbage
2 celery stalks
1 cup fresh or dried shiitake mushrooms (optional)
6 whole black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
2 whole all spice or juniper berries
3-5 whole cloves of garlic
2 inch piece of fresh ginger, sliced
sea salt, to taste
4 quarts cold water, more if needed

method:

1. Rinse all the vegetables well, including the seaweed. In a large stock pot, combine all the vegetables and spices except for the sea salt.
2. Fill the pot to 2 inches below the rim. Cover, and bring to a boil.
3. Once it is boiling, remove the lid and decrease the heat to low. Simmer uncovered for at least two hours.
4. As the broth simmers some of the water will evaporate, add more if some of the vegetables start to peek out.
5. Simmer until the full richness of the vegetables can be tasted.
6. Strain out the vegetables through a large coarse mesh sieve (remember to place a heat-resistant container underneath), then add the sea salt.
7. Let cool to room temperature before refrigerating or freezing (up to 3 months).