Ingredients
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2 large carrots, washed, peeled and chopped
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2 parsnips, washed, peeled and chopped
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1 large sweet potato peeled and chopped
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1 large onion peeled and chopped
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1-2 sticks of celery washed and chopped
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3-4 sprigs of fresh parsley
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1 large bay leaf
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2 litres of water
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1 or 2 cloves of garlic (optional)
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6 black peppercorns(optional)
Directions
Prepare all the vegetables: wash, trim, peel and cut into large chunks;
Place all the vegetables into a large cooking pot, and add the bay leaf and parsley (and the garlic and peppercorns if you are using them) then cover with the water.
Bring to the boil. Once boiling, skim off any foam that rises to the surface and discard, but try not to remove too much of the cooking water.
Loosely cover with a pan lid and simmer the stock on a low heat for 1 hour. Once the stock is ready it should be golden in colour and the vegetables should be soft or falling apart.
Remove the pot from the heat.
Immediately strain the liquid from the vegetables into a large bowl so that you are left with a clear golden stock. Once it has cooled down, refrigerate (this can be done overnight) and then it is ready to use.
To store, portion small quantities of the stock intoreusable food pouches and place in the freezer. The stock can be kept frozen for 3 - 4 months.
Top Tip: Do not feed the strained veggies as a puree to your baby as it will still contain the herbs and spices, plus the nutritional content will have boiled into the stock.
Recipe Note
This homemade vegetable stock offers a concentration of vitamins and minerals in an easily digestible form. It is truly a nutrient-packed food. Vegetable broth was used as an ancient cold and flu remedy, so it is known to boost the immune system. It adds extra flavour to purees which exposes babies to different flavours and helps to mature their palate.
We recommend making large quantities of baby vegetable stock, which can be stored and frozen in reusable food pouches for future use.
Best for babies aged +6 months.
