whats the best frozen veg?

ikkleosu

You will get MORE vitamins and minerals from frozen fruit and veg, as they are a) allowed to fully ripen on the branch/vine/in the ground, whereas fresh are picked befre they are ripe to prevent them being spoiled by the time they get to you and b) they are flash frozen at their peak, sealing all the vitamans nad minerals in, unlike fresh veg which slowly leak out as they are transported etc to shops.

I only buy fresh carrots (because I like to eat raw carrot) but everything else is frozen.

And yes, Farmfoods will have the same nutritional value as Birds Eye.

cleggie

Thanks Ikkleosu.
When adding your frozen veg to things like spag bol, and other dishes, do you have to derfrst them first, or can you just chuck them in and they defrost whilst cooking in the sauce?
I worry mainly about the organisation involved with having to defrost the veg in advance all the time- do you find this a problem?

kalcide

i just chuck mine in frozen!

doodoot

I tend to throw harder frozen veg in at the start of cooking - spuds, peas, carrots etc.

Softer veg like broccoli, spinach, cauliflower gets steamed and added at the end.

[Deleted User]

Hi,

I found if I defrost them first then use them they go rubbery.

cleggie

Doodoot, i didnt even know it was possible to freeze potoatoes!! Do you have to do anything to prep them first?

For those of you who throw the veg in froen, does it not make the sauce (for your spag bol etc) go too runny with the extra water?

SailorSam

I think it's only carrots and mushrooms i get fresh, everything else is frozen.
I find most of the time Heron is better than Farm Foods, and yes sometimes i do need to scoop water out of the Slowcooker if i've filled it too much so think it must from the veges.
Oh if you're freezing potatoes i think you blanch them and par cook them.
Or make your own wedges and freeze them.

ikkleosu

cleggie wrote: »

Doodoot, i didnt even know it was possible to freeze potoatoes!! Do you have to do anything to prep them first?

For those of you who throw the veg in froen, does it not make the sauce (for your spag bol etc) go too runny with the extra water?

I don't find that at all (eg I add frozen sweetcorn and peas to chicken fried rice and it doesn't make the rice mushy or anything) though some veg has more water than others.

If you felt you wanted to defrost the veg, I'd just chuck a bowl of them in the microwave for a minute or 2 to start off the cooking process before adding them to whatever you're cooking.

cleggie

Thanks everyone.
I reckon that i am going to give it a go with the frozen veg, i reckon i could save lots of money doing that.

Good idea about defrosting them a bit in the microwave first, thanks for that idea!

lilrahi

I chuck it all in straight from the freezer, never had a problem with excess water.

Like IKkleosu says I make veg pilau with mixed frozen veg and it has never caused my rice to overcook or go mushy.

I also freeze a lot of my own, whoopsied veg and fruit and a particularly good bargain somewhere. I wash and prep them, slice/dice/chop and then drain the excess water and freeze in a large carrier bag.

I like fresh cauliflower for my aloo gobis, everything else I will quite happily use frozen.