Tag: freezing vegetables

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Not Until You Eat Your Veggies!

Those beets we keep sending in the boxes…do they just sit in the corner of the veggie drawer for weeks until they are limp and wilted, good for nothing except the compost heap, all because nobody will eat them if you fix them? Customers will tell us, “Um, beets? NO one in our household will eat them besides me!” Now, growing up I didn’t like things like beets, kale, or other green things either. For me, the only thing to do with beets was paint my plate, lips and face with them, until my mom caught sight of it and then I still had to eat them, which I did with great reluctance. (As a child, I discovered that if you plug your nose when eating foods you can’t stand, you can’t taste them as well so they’re easier to swallow!) My sister, however, loved beets and sometimes she was nice enough to eat mine for me. Today, I eat beets, along with many other veggies, probably largely due to my mother’s persistence in getting me to eat my veggies.

Good food should be something one enjoys! Often, certain veggies are an acquired taste and it takes time before we are to the point of enjoying them. If your family has recently made the switch to healthy eating, the transition of changing your diet to one that includes home-cooked meals with more fresh vegetables can be a bit of a challenge.
A balanced diet is important when it comes to your personal health but it can be doubly important in children. What your child is eating now is laying the foundation for later in life, and your behavior and attitude about food is making an impression on them every time you sit down at the dinner table.
For a three-year-old, a plate of veggies may not seem very exciting. Changing perception can go a long way in getting your children to eat healthy and balanced meals. A plate of veggies that is colorful and topped with a homemade cheese sauce can be very fun. Incorporating the flavors s/he is familiar with and enjoys may be the difference between food introduction failure and success, and first impressions are very important when it comes to introducing new foods.

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again! This rings true in the food world. Remember, taste buds do change over time. Also, by trying different ways of serving up the veggies, they may finish the entire serving the second or third time, despite having a declared hatred for it! The secret is to either make the vegetables tasty or go completely unnoticed. Serving up veggies on their own may not be that appetizing, but as soon as you throw a good dressing into the mix or pile them into a tasty casserole, you can enjoy watching as they are happily devoured!

Consider grating or chopping veggies to make them go unnoticed. Broth-based soups are a nutritional wonder and when puréed many things that have difficult textures are easier to swallow.
In summary, when it comes to changing your family’s eating habits, Moms, you are the ones who make it happen. You are changing your families’ futures for the better, and doing an awesome job!

Cheers!
Marty, for the Klesick Family Farm

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The Perfect Way to Freeze Fresh Vegetables

The Perfect Way to Freeze Fresh Vegetables:

Preserve Their “Straight From the Garden” Taste

By Kassidy Emmerson

There are basically two ways you can store fresh vegetables for an extended period of time: can or freeze them. You can virtually can any type of vegetable, fruit, or meat. You can freeze all meats and most fruits. When it comes to freezing vegetables, however, you’ll need to choose the best candidates. For example, potatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, and celery tend to turn soft and mushy when they are frozen, then thawed out. But onions, peppers, and tomatoes can be successfully frozen if you’re going to use them in a soup, stew, or casserole. Other vegetables such as green beans, lima beans, peas, corn, et cetera, tend to maintain their original shape. They can be frozen, then cooked and served, and still look and taste as fresh as they originally were.

Before you begin freezing your fresh produce, make sure you pick items that are in good condition. Avoid using bruised, soft, wormy, or overly-ripe produce. For the best flavors, choose vegetables that have just reached ripeness. This is the time when the flavor is at its peak.

Then, start the process by washing each produce item thoroughly by using clean, cool tap water. Next, you’ll need to prepare the vegetables. That means, you’ll need to remove peas from their pod, remove strings and the ends from green beans, cut the tops and bottoms off of red beets, and so on. You’ll also need to cut certain vegetables up into bite-sized pieces.

The next step is called “blanching”. Blanching helps to keep the natural flavor intact while the item is in a frozen state. There are two ways to blanch vegetables. You can use the first method which is called, “The Boiling Water Method.” To do this, you’ll need to boil a large pot of water on your stove top. Then pour washed, prepared vegetables into the boiling water. When the water begins to boil again, you’ll start timing.

The second method of blanching vegetables is called, “The Steam Method.” This procedure uses a steamer that conveniently fits onto the top of a pot. The vegetables you want to blanch are then placed inside the steamer as soon as the water in the pot begins to boil. The steamer is then covered with its lid, and the timing is started.

The amount of time that vegetables are blanched vary. That is, different vegetables require different amounts of time. Check the Internet or with your local county extension office to find out the exact times.

Once the fresh vegetables have been boiled or steamed, you’ll need to chill them at once in order to halt the cooking process. The most effective way to do this is to carefully place the hot vegetables into a kettle full of cold tap water. Allow the produce to cool down until they are completely cool inside and out. You can easily check the inside temperature of a piece by gently biting into it. Be careful not to burn your tongue or mouth! The item could still be hot on the inside!

After the vegetables are completely cooled, take them out of the cold water and place them in a colander to drain.

The final step in this process is to place the prepared produce into freezer bags or into plastic freezer containers. Pack the produce into each bag or container firmly, and fill each one up. If you’re using freezer bags, you’ll need to carefully squeeze the air out before you seal them shut. Secure the bags and place lids on the containers. Finally, mark each container by listing its contents and the date it was frozen. Then, place your vegetables in the freezer until you’re ready to use them.

I have used this method for freezing fresh vegetables from my garden, produce that was bought from a roadside stand, and items that were given to me, for several years now without fail. Every vegetable I have frozen has come out of the freezer tasting just like it was freshly picked!

Takeaways

  • Veggies such as potatoes, lettuce, and cucumbers don’t freeze real well.
  • All produce must be blanched first before it’s packaged and frozen.
  • The best vegetables are just ripe and have no bruises or damaged spots.