Freezable Flavors for Quick Meals
The freezer can be used to store so much more than just ice cubes and frozen pizzas! All kinds of fresh and flavorful ingredients can be frozen and thawed later to create quick and healthy dinners. Join us as we at Advanced Biotech explore our favorite freezable flavors and the delicious meals that can be made with them!
Herbs
Aromatic and zesty, fresh herbs add a natural layer of flavor to everything from roasts to stews, but they are also notorious for wilting and becoming unusable very quickly. Fresh herbs like basil, rosemary, parsley, and sage can be preserved by chopping, combining with a carrier liquid like water or olive oil, and frozen into ice cube trays for a convenient and space-saving way to add a burst of flavor to most meals. When ready to use, simply pop out of the ice tray and add to marinades, soups, salad dressings, or even as a flavor element in fancy beverages like strawberry basil lemonade! This tactic also works with botanicals like garlic and ginger and make adding a fresh layer of flavor to stir fries and even instant noodles a simple, time-saving process.
Vegetables
Versatile, flavorful, and packed with natural health benefits, vegetables can be sliced and frozen, extending their shelf-life for months! Canning isn’t the only way to store tomatoes, as freezing is just as effective and saves much time and effort and are perfect for soups, sauces, and casseroles. Mushrooms also hold up well to freezing and can add a quick burst of umami to stir-fries, gravies, and sauces as well as add a meatiness to broths. Avocados are delicious and add a unique creaminess to many dishes, but can go from unripe to mushy in what seems like hours! Mash them with lemon juice and then pull them out to use in guacamole, smoothies or for other recipes.
Fruits
Fortunately, freezing doesn’t detract from the zesty aromatics of citrus! Citrus fruits like lemons, limes, oranges, and even grapefruits can be zested, juiced, or sliced and saved for later to use in baked goods, marinades, beverages like punches or cocktails, and in smoothie bags for a quick breakfast. Berries like blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries can also be successfully frozen in airtight bags or containers and used in everything from smoothies to oatmeal and can also be thawed and used to make jams or in baked goods.
Preserve flavor and nutrients of fresh ingredients by freezing and storing them to use for later! Many recipes can benefit from a quick hit of flavor using this time and money saving trick.