Frozen foods are full of
nutrition. During the winter months, a variety of fresh
fruits and vegetables are not as readily available and as nutrient dense as
they are in the warmer months of the year. Frozen produce is picked at its peak
ripeness, which locks in the foods high nutrient content at that time. Once the
food is picked, it is blanched and then flash frozen to lock them into their
most best tasting state. In terms of calories, frozen fruits and vegetables are
just as healthy as fresh and have no added sodium as a preservative. Living in the Midwest, I also take advantage
of the options of frozen fish. Frozen fish is a great way to get the freshness
from a same-day catch on the coast.
Frozen foods help you save money. When purchasing frozen foods, you can use exactly what you need
and keep the rest frozen. There is less waste and spoilage when using frozen
foods as part of your weekly meal planning. I recommend purchasing 1/3 of your
foods fresh and 2/3 of your foods frozen for the week to reduce foods waste
from spoilage. I always recommend using the fresh first and then fillling in with
frozen the rest of the week.
Frozen foods are easy to prepare. Since most
of us are on a time crunch, most frozen foods can be prepared in less than 15
minutes. Fruits and vegetables are peeled and cut, so you spend less time
prepping for your meal. Frozen meats are usually individually packaged and
trimmed for quick preparation. Most cook methods are simple and fast as well. I
prefer steaming, sautéing, and microwaving frozen foods for the best taste and
nutritive value.
Frozen foods provide healthy and
sensible options. As a dietitian, I am a big fan of following proper portion sizes
and frozen foods help me achieve my healthy eating goals. I take out the exact portion I need. Most all fruits and vegetables do not have
anything added to them when they are frozen, so it is just like eating fresh. I
love the variety of stir fry vegetable options to mix with my favorite lean
protein for a fast and satisfying meal and frozen fruit for my daily morning
smoothie.
Frozen foods can be exciting. Be creative with your meal planning! Try something new and add
additional vegetables to your favorite pasta dish, try a new fruit to top your
oatmeal with, or start incorporating vegetables into breakfast with the
delicious recipe below (of which I wish I could claim that I created this masterpiece but I cannot!). This will make your meal look like a larger serving and
will add even more nutrition and control calories. Be creative! Frozen does not have to be uninspired!
Southwestern Sunrise Skillet
Recipe developed by Chef Stacey
Wertzberger
Serves 4
Ingredients:
¼ c. Millet
¾ c. Water
½ c.
low-sodium vegetable juice
½ tsp. Sea Salt
¼ tsp. cumin
1/8 tsp. cayenne
8 oz. Pork Chorizo Sausage,
casing removed
1 c. Frozen roasted corn blend (corn, black beans, peppers, onions)
4 eggs
2 tbsp. butter
1 avocado, garnish
¼ c. diced cilantro, garnish
Directions:
In a small saucepan add in the
millet, and toast over medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until it turns golden
brown or becomes fragrant. Add in the
water, V8, salt, cumin, and cayenne and give it a good stir. Increase the heat to high and bring the
mixture to a boil. Decrease heat to low,
cover the pot, and simmer until the grains have absorbed most of the water,
about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. In a large skillet add in the chorizo, and
cook until browned and cooked throughout, about 10 minutes. Add in the frozen vegetables, millet and cook
for one to two minutes until all combined.
Divide onto 4 plates. Add butter to a large skillet and cook eggs
according to your liking (over easy, scrambled, over hard). Add one egg per plate over the chorizo millet
mixture and garnish with avocado and cilantro.
THIS RECIPE IS SOOOOO GOOD! YOU HAVE TO MAKE IT!
~Crazy
