Reworking frozen greens right into a facet or important dish that the youngsters truly need to eat generally is a problem, however these 11 concepts are right here to assist. Be taught the very best methods to prepare dinner frozen greens for the very best taste, texture, and outcomes!
Are frozen veggies as nutritious as recent?
Let’s deal with this widespread query proper off the highest! Sure, they’re. They’re frozen on the peak of ripeness, so frozen veggies are literally usually extra nutritious than recent. Plus, there normally isn’t something added to them so that you don’t want to fret about salt or different components.
Cook dinner Frozen Greens
Serving frozen greens doesn’t have to imply soggy, mushy veggies—and there are some strategies you may depend on to make cooking them fast and straightforward. These strategies are those we use recurrently and ones you may attempt to combine issues up if you happen to’re caught in a frozen veggie rut.
1. Roast Frozen Greens
You may roast frozen greens together with broccoli, inexperienced beans, peppers, and cauliflower as you’d recent greens. The strategy is similar to roasting recent, although you could want just a few further minutes to make sure you get the entire liquid out.
This Roasted Broccoli is tender, slightly nutty, and slightly candy. Serve this as a easy facet to go together with dinner. Or make forward and heat all through the week to go together with lunches.
2. Steam or Saute
You may steam or saute any frozen greens and sometimes there are directions for every type on the bundle. To keep away from mushy veggies with both methodology, strive to not overcook them and take away from the warmth as quickly as they’re warmed via and tender. We love Steamed Broccoli.
This fast Steamed Cauliflower is straightforward and scrumptious—and an ideal vegetable facet dish to share with the youngsters. Use as a lot cauliflower as you could feed your loved ones. Retailer any raw florets in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3 days.
3. Mix into Soup
Including broccoli, cauliflower, and peas to blended soups like Broccoli Cheddar Soup is a straightforward approach to make use of frozen veggies. It’s also possible to add corn to chili and mushrooms to Hen Noodle Soup or Wild Rice Soup.
With plant-based protein, veggies, and cheese, this soup is an excellent strategy to serve up wholesome consolation meals to the entire household. (Tailored from FamilyFun journal.)
4. Stir into Pasta
You may add peas to Pesto Pasta, broccoli to Sausage Pasta, cauliflower to Marinara Sauce, and mushrooms to alfredo or marinara sauce; You may mix butternut squash or candy potato into marinara sauce, too.
This shiny inexperienced pesto is tacky and gentle, making it an ideal sauce for a fast dinner of pasta and peas!
5. Stir into Grains
Attempt making Tacky Rice with Corn or stirring chopped frozen spinach into rice. (My one 12 months outdated cherished rice with spinach and cheese!)
This Tacky Rice recipe has 4 choices so as to add in veggies and has been a staple of my household’s weight-reduction plan for just a few years now. It is SO straightforward and versatile—and shops splendidly within the fridge. And it is downright delish!
6. Cook dinner in a Simmer Sauce
Simmering frozen cauliflower, candy potato, or peas in an Indian Simmer Sauce like tikka masala, or including just a few cups of cauliflower florets to Butter Hen or tomato sauce is an effective way so as to add extra veggies to a meal.
Overlook takeout—ship this standard Indian dish to your desk as an alternative. Shredded hen thighs are coated in a wealthy, buttery sauce with hints of tomatoes, ginger, and garam masala—a messy however very flavorful finger meals. Tailored from The Multi-Cooker Child Meals Cookbook.
7. Add to Eggs
Virtually any frozen veggie pairs nicely with eggs, so strive including them to an omelet, Egg Muffins, or a frittata. I favor to thaw the greens in heat water, pat them dry, then chop them up earlier than including them to egg recipes to verify they aren’t too moist.
These mini Spinach Egg Muffins combine up in minutes and are one in all our go-to straightforward meals. They’re filled with iron and protein, and you may make them forward and stash them within the fridge till you want them for the youngsters.
8. Use in Savory Pancakes
Including frozen corn, combined veggies, chopped broccoli, or cauliflower to Savory Pancakes (with or with out cheese) is a yummy and sudden meal concept. We like these with salsa or ketchup, although you may select one other dipping sauce if you happen to favor.
We like these dipped in bitter cream guacamole, salsa, or Cucumber Sauce.
9. Add to Smoothies
Frozen cauliflower and avocado may be added on to smoothies. They each add vitamins and creaminess with out including any veggie taste.
With easy substances, six taste variations, and one straightforward methodology, this Strawberry Smoothie recipe is a nutritious breakfast or snack.
10. Serve with a Dip
Plan frozen veggies style higher served with a dipping sauce like Peanut Sauce, pizza sauce, salsa, BBQ, ranch, ketchup, or tahini. I like utilizing frozen cauliflower in my straightforward Cheese Sauce after which serving it with extra steamed frozen veggies.
Good for dipping and dunking veggies, this recipe makes sufficient for 2-3 servings, so you may retailer any leftovers within the fridge in an hermetic container. Reheat it for 15-30 seconds within the microwave to serve. It’s also possible to toss any leftovers with pasta for a fast and wholesome mac and cheese.
11. Mix into Mac and Cheese
Frozen cauliflower works nicely in Cauliflower Mac and Cheese and frozen butternut squash works nicely in Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese.
With a easy cheese sauce—no standing and stirring over the range right here!—a strong dose of veggies, and a brilliant creamy remaining end result, this Cauliflower Mac and Cheese is a quick lunch or dinner possibility for toddlers. (And the remainder of the household, too!)
Greatest Suggestions for Cooking Frozen Greens
- Keep away from cooking them too lengthy. Cease cooking as quickly as they’re warmed via and tender.
- Season to style with salt and butter or oil when cooking them on their very own.
- Serve with dipping sauces so as to add taste.
- Sprinkle shredded or grated cheese on plain cooked frozen veggies.
- Simmer in tomato sauce or one other simmer sauce.
- Mix into mac and cheese.
- Mix frozen cauliflower or avocado into smoothies.
- Add to eggs, omelets, egg muffins, and extra.
If I missed your favourite strategy to serve up frozen veggies, please remark beneath so as to add it to the checklist!
This submit was first revealed March 2020.
