Vegetables That Freeze

[JoyfulCook]

It's possible to freeze quite a few precooked vegetable dishes like potatoes, Cauliflower, Brussel Sprouts, Brocolli, Beans, Sweet corn just to name a few and of course root vegetables.

This gives a person a lot more choice if they can choose their own vegetables to go with certain dishes that you have prepared and of course they enjoy being able to make this choice.

Use rigid containers with an air-tight lid and keep the sealing edge free from moisture or food to ensure proper closure.
Secure wrapped packages and containers with freezer tape, and write the dish and the date on the tape with a marker.



Maple Roasted Root Vegetables
Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables
Greek Potatoes (Oven-Roasted and Delicious!)



Spicy Vegetable Couscous
Mixed Vegetable Casserole
Smashed Potatoes With Broccoli



Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
vegetable quiche
Southwest Vegetable Saute

Cooked Cauliflower, broccoli, mashed potatoes, beans etc can all be packaged in portions so that a personal choice can be made

please add your ideas and tips here, its always such a good idea to share

[Chocolatl]

I like to freeze raw bell peppers. They require no blanching; I just cut 'em up and toss them in the freezer. When I need some I just take out a handful and throw them in whatever dish I'm making, still frozen.

[iknitok]

So do I.... I buy about 10 kgs every time I see them really cheap, then I have them to use all year round. I cut them up - some small, some medium and some larger, so they go in lots of things, from stir-fries to roasted vegies to rice and noodle dishes like Singapore noodles. Also in tomato-based sauces for pastas. I always buy red ones as they are so sweet and delicious and look great.

[tasb]

What veg dont I freeze. LOL I use freezing as my preservation method for saving veggies from my garden, and from other gardens.

I blanch (as needed) and freeze, peas, snow peas, corn on the cob, corn niblets, carrots, peppers, pumpkin puree (baked instead of blanched), deep-fried zucchini sticks, baked hashbrowns.

I freeze everything on cookie sheets, then transfer to plastic containers, that are the size of shoe boxes. That way they stack easier than bags and I can grab handfuls of want I want.

[JoyfulCook]

Thanks for your replies, sorry I have not been on sooner but was traveling back to Australia.

Regards the capsicums, do you freeze them also on a tray so that you can bag them and just take out what you want, are they o.k. for stir fry or do they go very soft.

I use loads of them in so many recipes and grow my own so I would find that interesting. tasb I know how much you freeze and you work hard growing a lot of your vegetables as well don't you

[tasb]

Peppers they aren't crunchy at all once frozen, basically the same texture of any other frozen, then cooked veggie.

I do my best to grow all that I can, I do have to go out and buy some of the veggies I freeze. I probably could grow more if I tried harder.

[JoyfulCook]

Thanks tasb, I thought as much, but it will be great for casseroles stews etc
which is great, at the moment I saw the red capsicums for sale at $12 per kilo…. thats a heck of a high price!

[iknitok]

JoyfulCook wrote:
Thanks for your replies, sorry I have not been on sooner but was traveling back to Australia.

Regards the capsicums, do you freeze them also on a tray so that you can bag them and just take out what you want, are they o.k. for stir fry or do they go very soft.

I use loads of them in so many recipes and grow my own so I would find that interesting. tasb I know how much you freeze and you work hard growing a lot of your vegetables as well don't you

I only buy them when they are cheap (keep your eyes peeled!), around $3 to $5.

Then I core them, chop them into a couple of different sizes - 1/2 inch or 1 inch squares, sort of thing. As I do that, I pour a meal's worth into a large freezer bag, tie a quick knot in the top, first squeezing the excess air out. Then I chuck them into a drawer in a freezer. I usually end up with about 20 bags, which keeps me going for a while.

I don't let that stop me from buying more, though, if I see them cheap again, as I can definitely use them all up when they are expensive.

I use the larger pieces for stir-fries and the smaller ones for italian-style sauces. You may prefer to slice them - whatever you like. The only thing they are no good for is salads.

I only buy red ones, as they are so sweet and delicious.

I also buy onions when cheap, as they go together with the capsicums, and treat them the same. NO blanching, just throw them into the freezer.

[JoyfulCook]

Wow, thats a lot of work but really worth it in the end. I must try just throwing onions in just as they are thanks for the tips.

[iknitok]

JoyfulCook wrote:
Wow, thats a lot of work but really worth it in the end. I must try just throwing onions in just as they are thanks for the tips.

I'm sorry, I should have said I peel and chop them, just like the capsicums - larger for stir-fries, etc. I don't throw them into the freezer in their whole state (although that is possible, it may make them harder to use when defrosted).

Try peeling and cutting up your sweet potatoes as well. I find that they are good to go when I get home late from appointments, etc. I just put them frozen into my saved vegetable stock (that's right - I don't throw out the water I've cooked my spuds, sweet potatoes, etc.... I keep it in the fridge (or in old ice-cream containers in the freezer) and use it to cook the next lot of vegies in, or as almost instant soups - just add frozen vegies and some left-over chicken meat and maybe some small pasta shapes. Or cook some rice in the stock first, whizzing it up with a stick blender, before adding the vegies and meat - it tastes like a creamy soup, without the cream (and it's bad fat).

Happy freezing!

[iknitok]

By the way, Joyful Cook, which state do you live in? I'm currently in Victoria but about to move to Queensland in January. We lived there for eight years (DH's work) so, when DH retires next month, we'll be packing up and moving back to more sunny climes.

I learned to use my freezers when living there, as everything goes off quicker where it's warmer. I absolutely LOVE my vegies! No, I'm not vegetarian, though I could happily be, but DH likes his meat and my doctor told me I had to eat more protein, so I had to add meat back into my diet.

As it is, I don't eat enough meat, so have to take liquid iron sulphate every day. If anyone else takes the ones from the health store and finds it disgusting, try going to the pharmacy instead. You may find the doctor can prescribe it for you, so ensure you get the right one - my endocrynologist did and I'm so much healthier now! It tastes just like sugar syrup (dreadfully sweet, but not yucky). I just chuck it down my throat as quickly as possible and follow it with a lovely cup of earl grey tea.

Cheers,
Beverley.

[JoyfulCook]

Hi Beverly, I did realise that you sliced the onions etc first but it did sound as if I tossed them in one by one lol!

We so love our veggies as well, specially all sorts of salads too, We live just outside Perth where it also gets Hot one of our daughters lives now in Mackay.

[iknitok]

We lived in Scarborough for about 18 months when DH did a job somewhere on the other side... a new malt/barley factory... he's a sparkie. What a lovely place Perth is!

DH retires in a few days' time and we'll be caravanning for a couple of months. Don't think we'll make it to Perth again this trip, but when we do, I'll let you know - maybe you'd like to meet for a cuppa/drink.

Cheers,
Beverley.

[iknitok]

By the way, I never blanch anything! It sounds too much like hard work to me.
I hate packing! You'd think I'd have it down to a fine art by now, with all the moves we've made, but I usually don't unpack all the boxes, just keep adding to them.
This time I've been through all my old boxes and thrown out a lot of stuff. I give up on ever owning a dedicated library room! Given to the op shops hundreds of books, even some that were my brothers' and my father's. My kids have had to sort through their own, which they left with me of ocurse, lol, and many of theirs have also been given away.

I've even re-read some of my favourite books from when I was little, enjoying fairy stories (for instance) with a cup of tea when I needed a break. What a joy!

My freezers are almost empty, as I can't move them full, unfortunately. I would have been happy to do so, but DH wasn't impressed with the idea.