Wholesome Wednesdays: Frozen Vegetables

When it comes down to it, we hope to have harvests that yield many more veggies than we could possibly eat in season. It's nice to have extra produce to give to friends or sell at market, and even more important to put some of your yield by to feed you in the off seasons. There are several options for storing your produce for the next season, and they're not all created equal or all suited for every crop.

• Canning
• Deydrating
• Freezing
• Root Cellaring
• Brining
• Fermenting

These are some of the methods you can use to extend the life of your freshly picked harvest, and most are best employed as soon after picking as possible so plan ahead. One of my best resources for learning preservation methods and honing my recipes is a great little book Putting Food By, by Janet Greene, Ruth Hertberg and Beatrice Vaughan. I have the 4th edition full of some interesting 'modern convenience' minded recipes. Apparently there's a 5th edition! I might have to get my hands on that. The book has specific recipes to broad techniques and suggestions on what preservation method is best for each crop. I'll be using this book as a reference for the information below.



Not all freezers were created equal, and not all crops were created well suited for freezing. I think we're all too familiar with slimy okra and summer squash, rubbery carrots, or frost bitten crystally freezer burn. Eventually, we'll be investing in a chest freezer, large enough to accomadate large harvests of animal meat as well as vegetable crops. Chest freezers maintain their even temp more easily and need to be defrosted less often. For now, i'm stuck with a tiny side by side that makes me want to cry. Certain varieties of crops are also better at being frozen than others. Green beans make good frozen veggies, but check with the seed company or package to be sure the variety of bean you're growing is good for the freezer.

Preparing tomatoes for sun drying in my hatchback car.

How does freezing extend storage life and when is it the better option than canning? Freezing does not kill bacteria and other nasties that can cause soilage like canning does. Freeze things fast and keep them frozen: as soon as they reach temps warmer than zero the bacteria will begin to dance about and multiply again. That lack of killing temperatures is actually what makes freezing ideal for some crops. More nutrients are preserved in frozen vegetables than some canned vegetables, depending on the processing time in the canner. It is ideal to flash freeze your items to be stored first at negative 20, then suspend at zero degrees. You can store most foods for up to a year, but freezers cost money and keeping things frozen for much longer than a season or two isn't very economical.



Ready to freeze? Just like canning, freeze only the best and fittest veggies - usually young specimens. For most vegetables it is necessary to blanch them first, but i have great success with hot peppers by popping them right in the freezer after only cutting the stem end off. For the rest, wash the vegetables well and blanch by either dropping in boiling water for the amount of time specified in a good preservation guidebook (like the one i'm reading now, or a reputable online site), in steam, or in a microwave. Blanch in large kettles with plenty of room for the veggies to toss about and drop into cold water as soon as you remove them from the blanching kettle. Stop the cooking fast, package, suck out the air, label and freeze. Voila! It's important to label your frozen goods well, and employ the 'first in, first out' technique when choosing your frozen veggie packs from the freezer.  Similar methods are employed for meat: harvest your meat, clean and package in well sealed packaging, label and freeze fast.

This isn't quite what i had in mind...

My favorite frozen vegetables are peas, green beans and corn. I love to sprinkle frozen peas and corn on my salads and frozen green beans are a great last minute addition to many of the weeknight meals i like to prepare. My favorite canned vegetable so far is tomato: takes up less freezer space when canned and is easy to can, requiring only a water bath process. I like to ferment or freeze hot peppers and dehydrate apple or pear slices.



What is your favorite preservation method? What vegetable do you like best for freezing?

This post can be found at the Simple Lives Thursday blog hop.

Whole Foods 365 Frozen Veggies

Want to know one of my very favorite Summertime dinners? Salty edamame and cold beer. I love it. I could snack on edamame til i was blue in the face and it matches so well with cold beer. In fact, i believe that Chinese bars often have edamame to snack on instead of chex mix or peanuts. They've got the right idea.

I mentioned yesterday how much i love to sprinkle frozen corn and peas on my salads: frozen vegetables are about the only veggies i buy from the grocery store anymore. I try to get my fresh produce either from my garden or from the farmer's market, I almost never buy canned vegetables, but i do occasionally get frozen veggies from the store. Whole Foods was nice enough to give me some samples of their Whole Foods Market 365 Everyday Value frozen veggies, and i can vouch for their quality. The packaging has less plastic than some other brands and the produce quality is superb. I purchased some frozen peas and of course this edamame, and i think this may be some of the best edamame i've had.

Flash frozen fruits and vegetables are a game-changer for preserving fresh taste and nutrient content, especially when you can’t pick directly from the tree or vine.  365 Everyday Value frozen produce contains only the harvest, which means these goodies are the real deal, with no artificial preservatives or additives of any kind.  And with these ready-to-go bags of bounty you needn’t plan for prep time— they’re already primed for a quick and healthy weekday meal.  If you're inclined to stock up on frozen veggies, you can fill your freezer with a medley of these frozen sweet and delicious packs from Whole Foods Market’s 365 Everyday Value:

NEW 365 Everyday Value Organic Southwestern Blend

Daydream of soaking in the warmth of the Sunbelt as this crunchy new Southwestern Blend of onions and red and green peppers sizzles on your stovetop.  Serve it in a salad; stir it in a soup or stew, or liven up a fajita filling. Since all 365 Everyday Value vegetables are flash frozen soon after harvest, this colorful combo is a great source of Vitamin C. 

NEW 365 Everyday Value Organic Mediterranean Blend

This satisfying medley of zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, green beans, red peppers and onions has newly arrived to make your mouth water for a seaside siesta.  It’s a hearty blend that can strengthen a sauce, complement any casserole, or be served simply on the side. Stock up on this colorful combination bursting with nutrients and fireworks of flavor.

NEW 365 Everyday Value Leafy Greens Blend

The ultimate staple for your frozen stock, this blend is scintillating when sautéed with garlic and onions for a luscious bed of greens.  Mild-flavored collard greens mellow the more peppery mustard greens and “kick” of kale for a scrumptiously savory combination to color a variety of plates.  Vibrant with antioxidants, iron and magnesium, do go ahead and fortify your freezer. 

Fruit Loot

Lock in the sweetness of spring and summer with 365 Everyday Value Frozen Wild Blueberries, Strawberries or Dark Sweet Cherries.  With these bags of frozen fun in the freezer, sour fruit and spoilage is no longer a concern.  Dress up sundaes, make snazzy smoothies or bake pies aplenty with the berry booster of your choice.  For a delectable dessert when you can’t decide, call upon the new Frozen Berry Blend of strawberries, blueberries and blackberries to mingle in your mouth with vanilla ice cream.   

I even picked up a 6 pack of New Belgium Somersault Ale that was on sale for $6.50something. Apparently Whole Foods CAN be affordable. Haha. I'm sad I didn't try one of their specialty blends, but i'm quite pleased with the edamame i purchased.

Wholesome Wednesdays: Frozen Vegetables

When it comes down to it, we hope to have harvests that yield many more veggies than we could possibly eat in season. It's nice to have extra produce to give to friends or sell at market, and even more important to put some of your yield by to feed you in the off seasons. There are several options for storing your produce for the next season, and they're not all created equal or all suited for every crop.

• Canning
• Deydrating
• Freezing
• Root Cellaring
• Brining
• Fermenting

These are some of the methods you can use to extend the life of your freshly picked harvest, and most are best employed as soon after picking as possible so plan ahead. One of my best resources for learning preservation methods and honing my recipes is a great little book Putting Food By, by Janet Greene, Ruth Hertberg and Beatrice Vaughan. I have the 4th edition full of some interesting 'modern convenience' minded recipes. Apparently there's a 5th edition! I might have to get my hands on that. The book has specific recipes to broad techniques and suggestions on what preservation method is best for each crop. I'll be using this book as a reference for the information below.

Not all freezers were created equal, and not all crops were created well suited for freezing. I think we're all too familiar with slimy okra and summer squash, rubbery carrots, or frost bitten crystally freezer burn. Eventually, we'll be investing in a chest freezer, large enough to accomadate large harvests of animal meat as well as vegetable crops. Chest freezers maintain their even temp more easily and need to be defrosted less often. For now, i'm stuck with a tiny side by side that makes me want to cry. Certain varieties of crops are also better at being frozen than others. Green beans make good frozen veggies, but check with the seed company or package to be sure the variety of bean you're growing is good for the freezer.

Preparing tomatoes for sun drying in my hatchback car.

How does freezing extend storage life and when is it the better option than canning? Freezing does not kill bacteria and other nasties that can cause soilage like canning does. Freeze things fast and keep them frozen: as soon as they reach temps warmer than zero the bacteria will begin to dance about and multiply again. That lack of killing temperatures is actually what makes freezing ideal for some crops. More nutrients are preserved in frozen vegetables than some canned vegetables, depending on the processing time in the canner. It is ideal to flash freeze your items to be stored first at negative 20, then suspend at zero degrees. You can store most foods for up to a year, but freezers cost money and keeping things frozen for much longer than a season or two isn't very economical.

Ready to freeze? Just like canning, freeze only the best and fittest veggies - usually young specimens. For most vegetables it is necessary to blanch them first, but i have great success with hot peppers by popping them right in the freezer after only cutting the stem end off. For the rest, wash the vegetables well and blanch by either dropping in boiling water for the amount of time specified in a good preservation guidebook (like the one i'm reading now, or a reputable online site), in steam, or in a microwave. Blanch in large kettles with plenty of room for the veggies to toss about and drop into cold water as soon as you remove them from the blanching kettle. Stop the cooking fast, package, suck out the air, label and freeze. Voila! It's important to label your frozen goods well, and employ the 'first in, first out' technique when choosing your frozen veggie packs from the freezer.  Similar methods are employed for meat: harvest your meat, clean and package in well sealed packaging, label and freeze fast.

This isn't quite what i had in mind...

My favorite frozen vegetables are peas, green beans and corn. I love to sprinkle frozen peas and corn on my salads and frozen green beans are a great last minute addition to many of the weeknight meals i like to prepare. My favorite canned vegetable so far is tomato: takes up less freezer space when canned and is easy to can, requiring only a water bath process. I like to ferment or freeze hot peppers and dehydrate apple or pear slices.

What is your favorite preservation method? What vegetable do you like best for freezing?

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