Saving cooking water for stock - is this OTT?

[MrsD'ville mkII]

I'm always aware as I drain away water that veg has been cooked in (from the bottom of my multi-tier steamer, naturally) that it seems a bit of a waste, but of course I never think about that before I pour it away. I'm currently boiling some beans for soup and I thought I could keep the water for stock - is it worth it, do you think? Is it likely to have much flavour? I suppose I could reuse it as the water for making up veg stock.

Does anyone use veg/bean/other water for this purpose? With the quantity of veg we consume it could get a bit out of hand!

[shell]

yes i always save it,mostly for gravy then whats left i freeze for stock to put in my stews or soups,and have been known to put it in my smoothies,or drink it with marmite in,or even in curries,i have a electric steamer but do boil sometimes hence not so much to freeze,i havn`t done anything with the water from the steamer as isn`t the vits etc left in the veg?
shell

[hedgewitch]

I save ALL the water and freeze what I don't use up there and then.

[Milims]

I took it for granted that everyone did it! My granny always did. Mine is used in the gravy or soup. It gives flavour as well as retaining/reusing the nutrients from the veg

[mrsflibble]

if I'm not stock-ing or gravy-ing within the next 24 hours, I let it cool and give it to the house plants.

[hedgewitch]

Oooh good tip missus!

[Berti]

not odd, but ish!!! :)

[ina]

Yep, I always do it, too. Potato water is great for making bread with, btw. (Just watch you don't add too much salt if there was some in the potatoes already!)

[red]

sice we moved over to a water meter.... I let (unsalted) veg water cool, then throw it on one of the pots or tubs just by the back door. I am nortoriously bad at watering plants, but suddenly things are perking up!

[Thomzo]

And there I was thinking that I was being super mean in saving mine for soups and gravies.

Zoe