via GIPHY At this point, you go overboard and think you have to cook gourmet. You look in the fridge and possibly your wallet and then maybe the clock and think: “if I only had the time, I would…”. And that’s when you reach for the ready-made, pre-packaged freezer meal. If only there were one magic item that could cut the shame spiral and make it all better! Ah, but there is! One magic bag of frozen vegetables, bought on sale for $1, containing only 1 ingredient… frozen vegetables. via GIPHY
Are Frozen Vegetables as Healthy as Fresh Veggies?
Yes! In fact, some may even say they are healthier. When picked at their peak, vegetables get to ripen fully and develop all of their nutrients before they are flash frozen and packaged. “Freezing preserves defects as well as superior quality,” a USDA publication reminds us, so the veggies must be top-notch to begin with. Fresh vegetables, on the other hand, are picked just before they are ripe and finish ripening when they’re on their way to the store. They don’t get a chance to fully achieve their nutrition potential before they’re shipped off. Freezing doesn’t work with every vegetable, however. Green beans, for instance, can get mushy, and cucumbers aren’t great for freezing at all. While the process does lower the Vitamin C content of most vegetables, the other nutrients are preserved, and so is the flavor and texture.
10 Uses, 1 Bag (or More) of Frozen Vegetables
via GIPHY With all this in mind, here are 10 great ways to use frozen vegetables to amp up the nutritional value of every meal without sacrificing flavor or time:
No-Cook Black Bean Salsa
You probably already have all the ingredients you need to create this deliciously simple side dish. Feel free to swap ingredients based on your taste and what you have on hand, substituting black beans for red, adding chopped tomatoes, jalapenos, nopales (pickled cactus), or even diced mango. Perfect for picnics or as a taco night staple. Adapted from Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill Cookbook Ingredients
1 lime, juiced 2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed 1/2 cup frozen corn (not thawed) 1 tablespoon chili powder, minced (or more to taste) 1 garlic clove, minced 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped 1/2 cup frozen diced onion (not thawed) 1/2 cup frozen diced red, green, and yellow peppers salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions What’s your favorite use for frozen veggies? Share your ideas in the comments below!
