My daughter, Emma. has been trying to make some homemade soups of late, but she has some intolerances one of which is yeast. Yeast is present in many stock cubes etc which we all take for granted in our daily cooking. So I have come up with a homemade vegetable stock recipe for her to use and she thought it was a good idea that I share this with you too.  For there are many more of you out there, whom are also intolerant to yeast, or maybe your just looking to cook for yourself from scratch, so you know whats in your food. Either way this recipe is simple, easy and can be used in numerous other recipes.

So for a great Homemade stock which is a healthier option to the supermarket version and it is easy to make too. You can store a homemade stock in the refridgerator for up to 4 days or better still prepare and freeze for your own convenience.

For a great flavoursome vegetable stock your going to need: 1 chopped potato, 1 chopped carrot, 1 chopped onion, 1 chopped stalk of celery, 1 tblsp olive oil, 2 cloves of garlic peeled, sprig fo thyme, 1 bay leaf, some parsley, 600ml water and salt and pepper.

Heat your oil in a large pan and add the vegetables then cook covered for 10 minutes or until softened stirring, then add in your garlic and herbs. Pour on the water and bring to the boil then continue to simmer for around 40 minutes partially covered over. Then strain, season with salt and pepper as required for a great tasting vegetable stock. Some people choose to blend rather than strain if your adding to soup for instance.

This Littala 3.0 Litres/22cm  saucepan which is part of the ‘tools’ range is great, made from a compound multilayer construction that distributes and retains heat evenly, it has generously proportioned handles and is also suitable for use on induction hobs. This useful saucepan is dishwasher safe. The “Tools” is a range of pots and pans with a dual purpose - not only are they high quality cooking vessels, but their stunning design and sturdy, oversized handles make them ideal for bringing your culinary creations directly to the table. Designer Bjorn Dahlstrom worked in collaboration with world-class chefs and materials specialists to create attractive yet highly functional cookware whose features and construction lend themselves to a variety of cooking techniques. “Tools” are big. Everything about them is larger than life, which makes them ideal for large dinner parties as well as for everyday use. This is definitely something that every good cook should have in their kitchen.