Let’s talk for a little while about things I feel like are really in right now. DIY. Kale. Bangs. The Bachelor. And while we won’t talk about hair styles or how much we love Sean, we’ll sure talk about kale. Kale is a super food! But you already know that because it is on the cover of every food magazine, boasts the headlines of the national papers, and basically stars in its own daytime TV show.

DIY. So in. Maybe never really out, but I feel like we’re rolling up our sleeves a bit more often and creating, sculpting, mixing, and fixing things ourselves. From tree houses to lotions, DIY is in. There’s even a DIY channel. And has anyone heard of this Pinterest site?

If you’re reading this blog, you are so in right now. Why? You (probably) already cook: DIY=in! You already know about the glories of kale: so in! You are reading a food blog: also very in! So hats off to you, fellow foodie reader. You are in! Walk down the street with your head held high!

One item in your pantry that is completely worth your time to make instead of buy (DIY style…remember, very in) is stock. I didn’t understand this until Neil made stock from scratch. The amount of flavor you miss out on from store bought stock is astounding. So many of your everyday soups can be elevated from mundane to must-have if you simply make a stock ahead of time and use it as the base of your recipe. If frozen, stock will keep for three months, and you can whip it out of the freezer and add it to pack extra flavor. Below you’ll find our recipe for a vegetable stock. Add some aromatics, lentils, and kale and it’s a delicious and healthy weeknight meal.

Enjoy the recipes and know that in our eyes, you guys will always be in!

Vegetable Stock

Prep Time: 15 minutes   Cook Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

6 cups water

3 inches cut off the top of a celery bunch, chopped

2 carrots, rough chop

1 whole red onion, quartered

3 garlic cloves, smashed

1 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt, divided

20-25 whole black peppercorns

1 bay leaf

Preparation:

Place a large stock pot over medium heat. Add all ingredients and 1/4 teaspoon salt to the pot and cook for about 10 minutes. Add the water and scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the pot. Add the other teaspoon of Kosher salt.

Let simmer for one hour. Strain liquid through a mesh sieve and store in an airtight container. Freeze for up to three months.

Kale and Lentil Soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes    Cook Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

3 cups vegetable stock

3 inches of kale stems, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon red curry paste

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 1/2 cups dried green lentils

1 clove garlic, minced

2 cups kale, chiffonade

Preparation:

Bring a medium-sized saucepan to medium heat. Add olive oil, kale stems, red curry paste, and salt to the pan, stirring frequently for two minutes.

Add dried lentils and continue stirring for one minute. Add garlic and the vegetable stock. Scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of pan.

Add kale leaves, cover, and turn heat down to medium low. Cook for 45 minutes.

Serves 4-6

The Newlywed Chefs

We’re St. Louis food bloggers who love to cook! Join us on our culinary adventures as we keep a fresh outlook on life, love, and food.