The Benefits of Frozen Veggies

It is well known that fresh vegetables are good for your health. They are full of vitamins and minerals that your body needs. While fresh vegetables are a great choice, they are not always available. This is where frozen veggies come in. Frozen vegetables offer the same benefits as fresh and are sometimes even better! We will explain how frozen vegetables are made, more of the benefits of using frozen vegetables, and how easy they are to cook with.

How vegetables are frozen

Frozen veggies offer the same nutrition, sometimes even more, as fresh veggies. That is because a vegetable that is going to be frozen is picked when it is most ripe, which is when it is also at its most nutritious. On the other hand, fresh vegetables are often picked before they are most ripe so they can ripen during transportation.

Following harvesting, vegetables will be washed, blanched, and cut before freezing and packaging. When vegetables are blanched, they are placed in boiling water for usually 3 to 5 minutes, then cooled in an ice bath. Blanching is an important part of preparing frozen vegetables because it prevents the loss of nutrients that naturally happens over time in fresh vegetables. 

How to cook with frozen vegetables

Frozen vegetables are super useful in cooking because you can skip some of the steps that are needed for fresh vegetables. Frozen vegetables don’t need to be washed or cut because they were washed and cut before freezing! Most of the time, frozen vegetables, like broccoli, corn, or edamame, can be added to your dish during cooking without being thawed. Frozen spinach, though, should be thawed and drained before adding to a dish. Keep in mind, frozen vegetables are likely to cook faster than fresh vegetables. This is because they have been cooked for a little before freezing. Try frozen veggies in this healthy and delicious recipe:

Easy Gourmet Ramen

Ramen is a comforting and tasty dish the whole family enjoys. This recipe uses several ingredients you can keep in the pantry and freezer so you are ready to make it anytime! This recipe uses a mix of frozen veggies, which is a great way to get many vitamins and minerals. You can also make this recipe with your favorite frozen veggies or try new ones! See how to make this easy and delicious recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (16 oz) bag frozen deluxe stir-fry mix (broccoli, green beans, carrots, baby corn, water chestnuts & peppers)
• 1 (8 oz) carton sliced fresh mushrooms
• 2 (32 oz) cartons unsalted chicken broth
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 Tbsp chili paste
• 3 packages ramen noodles (any flavor – seasoning discarded)
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
• 6 large hard-boiled eggs

Preparation

1. In a large stockpot, heat oil & garlic over medium-high. Add stir-fry mix & mushrooms. Sauté 5-7 minutes or until tender, stirring often.
2. Add broth, honey & chili paste. Bring to a boil. Add ramen & cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove from heat & stir in cilantro.
4. Divide into bowls & serve with a boiled egg.

Watch this video to see how to make this recipe step-by-step: