Page 6 - ROOT - May-June-2024

kitchen hacks:

FREEZING

When it comes to food quality, sometimes
time is not on our side. For people tired of
throwing away spoiled produce, freezing is
a great option. The texture of the thawed
versions will differ from when fresh, but
the tastes and nutritional values will stay
the same.
Thawed products are quick additions to
various hot and cold dishes, including
smoothies, soups, stews, cakes, pies, and dips.
To make prep easier when you thaw fruits,
vegetables, and herbs, freeze them in the
form you will use later. Depending on
the item, you should core, peel, chop,
pit, shuck, or stem your produce. Most
vegetables will have better texture, flavor,
and color if blanched before freezing.
Vegetables with high water content, like
cabbage and mushrooms, don’t freeze well.
Leafy greens do well if they are frozen flat.
You can save expiring avocados by freezing
the mashed contents of the fruit. Bananas
are excellent frozen whole but can be
sliced and placed on a baking sheet lined
with parchment paper before being put in
the freezer. After five hours, transfer them
to a bag or container.
Herbs hold up well to freezing. Put minced
herbs in an ice tray and cover with olive
oil or water. After they freeze, pop them
out of the tray and into freezer-safe bags
or containers.
You can safely eat fruits and vegetables
after being frozen for years. However, after
eight to ten months, the quality degrades.
Freezing is a fast and simple way to preserve
produce at its peak of freshness and enjoy
it anytime.
Source:
https://extension.umaine.edu/food-
health/2022/08/04/how-to-freeze-fruits-
and-vegetables/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/
voraciously/wp/2020/03/22/how-to-freeze-
fresh-vegetables-while-preserving-their-best-
qualities/