It's really easy!

And like almost all of my- This is super easy, I swear- recipes, it involves the crockpot. And it's cheap!

Step 1- The Saving Part

Save all the bits of veggies you would normally throw out.

The ends of onions. The kale stems. The fresh carrots that you were going to use but they got too bendy. The wilty celery and the celery leaves. Beet stems and leaves.

Make sure they are washed off and not gritty. And then you're gonna pop them into a gallon ziplock bag or another container that fits in your freezer. So when you cook, you save these bits up. After a couple of weeks or a month, you'll have enough to fill the crockpot.

Don't use anything that's moldy or that smells weird or has really gone bad. Bendy and wilted = ok. Black spots or mold = not ok.

Don't use the seeds from hot peppers. Those seeds will make the broth too spicy. You just have to toss these. Also-- be smarter than me, and use gloves when cutting hot peppers.

Step 2- The Crockpot!

Put enough veggie bits in the crockpot to fill it up to about an inch below the top. A gallon bag of bits will usually do it. Fill with water.

Add spices. Salt, pepper, a bay leaf, and garlic are a must. I also use parsley, basil, oregano, Italian seasoning, Cajun seasoning, chili powder, garlic and onion powder, sriracha, tamari soy sauce, and nutritional yeast.

Why so much seasoning? I want this broth to have a full and big flavor because it's going to be the base for a lot of the other cooking Josh and I do. You can always adjust the seasoning to your taste and over time you'll figure out what works for you.

Put the crockpot on low and leave it overnight.

Step 3- Freezing!

Turn the crockpot off in the morning and leave it for a few hours to cool down.

You have to strain out the bits and throw them away. I don't love the idea of pouring a whole crockpot's worth of stuff thru a strainer (also, I don't have a strainer). So I use tongs to pull out the big pieces and then use a slotted spoon to get the smaller bits out.

Wooooo! That's a whole crockpot full of broth that you've made!

Now you take 2 or 3 ice cube trays and spoon broth into the trays and then freeze them. Once they're frozen, you stick the broth cubes in a bag in the freezer. Then you can use as little or much as you want.

You can add the frozen broth cubes directly to dishes you are making on the stove, without having to wait for it to melt before you can use it. Which is what I do when I'm making gravy.

And that's it. EASY!