Bits-N-Pieces Soup

The beauty of Bits-N-Pieces Soup is that it is probably different every time you make it! The name does not conjure up visions of fancy cuisine by an elite chef in a five star restaurant but it is healthy, economical, eco-friendly and just plain tasty.

The name, Bits-N-Pieces Soup is also very descriptive because it is made from bits and pieces of veggies, like the stalks of broccoli when not needed for original dish, are saved and frozen for later use. You can make stock from them, use them to make a soup and/or base for anything else later down the road. Food is not wasted and nutrition is boosted by using the bits and pieces leftover from something else. I routinely freeze scraps, un-used pieces (for instance, the white ends of green onions when I only need the green tops) for another time. I gathered all my ziplock freezer bags labeled....you guessed it, Bits-N-Pieces....and made a delicious soup for dinner the other night.

This time I had broccoli stalks (I peeled & chopped), end pieces of onions, the stalks of Swiss chard (chopped), and a few carrot nubs. To that I added, fresh garlic, more onion, 1/2 pound (half a bag) of lentils, 2 bay leaves, 2 red sweet chilies, 1 red hot chili, 4 small potatoes (large dice) just barely past their prime but too good to waste, 1/2 link of venison sausage and 4 skinless chicken thighs. It turned into a pot of dense goodness just oozing with nutrition. I served it with flat garlic Indian bread brushed lightly with olive oil, then heated till fragrant and we literally licked our fingers when done!  

I compost veggie peelings & seeds (unless they are winter squash seeds - I save some to plant and roast the others- hmm, snacks!) but I save the hunks, nubs and pieces for Bits-N-Pieces bags. Dinner doesn't have to be fancy every time to be delicious and we do not have to be wasteful any of the time! My cousin, Terry, saves left over cooked veggies, like green beans, corn, etc in a large freezer bag for a soup starter. People pay good money at the supermarkets to buy soup starter kits and you can build one as you go by making your own Bits-N-Pieces bags. Did you know that if you save the paper-like skins from yellow onions you can use them to flavor stocks and soups. You can use any color skins but the yellow contribute a rich color to stock as well as flavor. You can let them cook down to nothing or strain them out but certainly use them, do not let them go to waste. Put them in your Bits-N-Pieces bags!

I also save and freeze leftover breads and rolls. Last night I made a salmon loaf using bread crumbs I made from leftover Italian bread I let dry out, then crumbled using a rolling pin and plastic bag. You can use a food processor for that job but why spin the light meter when a rolling pin gives you the same result and a workout at the same time? Maybe this post needs to go on The Simple Life at Hacienda Hill, too, the blog I write where I talk about going greener, getting back to basics, shedding the excess in our homes, etc.

I don't know about you but it nearly kills me to have to throw out food that is not used or has gone bad. So, friends, if you do not already practice this, get out a freezer bag and start. Fresh veggies are better for your family's health and provide an ongoing contribution to your Bits-N-Pieces bags. Before you know it, you, too, can make Bits-N-Pieces Soup! Cook healthy, wisely and eat well!