Each time you prep veggies, store the peels, leaves and end bits in a freezer-safe container. Be sure to scrub your veggies well beforehand. Once you’ve collected about 3 litres, transfer them to a pot and cover with water. I added and additional quartered onion for extra flavour. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer for 45 minutes. Strain the stock and set aside. I ended up with about 7 cups. (Obviously you can skip this if you’re using prepared vegetable stock).

In a large pot over medium-high heat, cook the diced onion and garlic in a splash of the veggie stock until tender. Add more stock if the pot becomes dry. Add the carrot, celery, dried herb of your choice and bay and sweat them off until they begin to soften.

Add 6 cups of your vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the veggies are soft then add the noodles and chickpeas. Simmer for the length of time indicated on the noodle package.

If you’ve got extra stock you can use it to thin out the soup if you want. Add salt and pepper to taste (a tablespoon or two of soy sauce is delicious). Serve immediately and garnish with a sprinkling of fresh herbs if desired.