Fresh Bets, Freezer Favorites and Quarantine Cooking Recipe Idea #3
I don’t know about you, but I’m coming up on two weeks of being stuck at home and starting to run out of ideas for meals. And like me, you might also be running out of fresh options and starting to tap into your frozen foods. So for today’s blog post, I thought I’d share some of my favorite tips for making the most out of both your fresh and frozen finds. Last but certainly not least, I’ve included a recipe inspired by one of my favorite cookbooks, Run Fast, Eat Slow. I used both fresh, frozen and pantry staples in this recipe and it kept for at least 3-4 servings as a main dish salad or 5-6 servings as a side dish. Check it out and let me know what you think!
During the Quarantine, Forget the Fresh is Best Mentality!
Fresh - especially fresh fruits and veggies - are great! But during times like these or when your favorite produce is out of season or out of stock - frozen can be just as good if not better than fresh options. When shopping for fresh, consider asking yourself the following:
Is it in season? Seasonal produce not only tastes better but it can pack a more nutritious punch - especially if it’s also local. The closer you can consume something to when it’s been picked, the more nutrition you’ll get from it. The longer your produce sits on the shelf, the less vitamin/mineral content it will provide. There are ways to slow this process though - like freezing or storing your produce correctly. Here’s a great resource to help identify what’s in season: https://snaped.fns.usda.gov/seasonal-produce-guide.
What’s the shelf life? Nothing’s worse than planning to make something for dinner only to find that it’s already spoiled. Check out stilltasty.com to see how long to keep your favorite foods—whether frozen, fresh, or pantry staples. Another great resource? Check out the App The FoodKeeper.
How much prep is involved? Many grocery stores offer pre-cut, pre-chopped, pre-washes and blended veggie mixes. While you will have to pay a premium for these items if it means you are more apt to eat them, then I say go for it! Just remember the pre-cutting and chopping of any fresh produce will also mean that the shelf life will be lessened.
How does this fit within your weekly meal plan? One of my biggest tips for grocery shopping with a purpose is going to the store with a plan (i.e., a grocery list). Right now that may be difficult given stores may be out of what you had planned or want to make. So it’s important to be flexible and identify similar options or switch to frozen or canned items that can easily swap in for something like fresh broccoli, spinach or tomatoes. It’s also a great time to try something new and experiment with new recipes.
Embrace the Frozen Aisle’s Assets
Frozen foods have come a long way since the days of Kids Cuisine and HungryMan meals (although don’t get me wrong - as a kid who grew up in the 80s and 90s, I will always be a fan of the Kids Cuisine — especially the little dessert that came with it. Anyone else eat that first?). There are so many great options in the frozen section these days. What’s more, frozen foods can save you time, money and last virtually forever - eliminating a great deal of food waste. And the frozen department has grown providing full blown meals, to side dishes, fruits and veggies and even better-for-you desserts. When shopping for frozen items, consider the following:
Fruits and Vegetables: are typically frozen within 24 hours of picking—locking in all that good for you nutrition that is typically lost during the transportation process between the farm and the store. Look for options that are just the fruit or vegetable—nothing added. We always have a variety of frozen fruits ready to go for smoothies, oatmeal or to top pancakes or waffles. For vegetables, we love the kind you can microwave right in the bag to save a dish from the dishwasher. We always have broccoli, green beans, spinach, edamame, riced cauliflower, and green peas on hand to add to pasta dishes, stir-fries, soups, or as a quick side dish.
Grains: whenever possible, if you are purchasing grains from the frozen section, be on the lookout for whole grain options. From waffles, to brown rice, to sprouted grain bread, just be sure the ingredient list includes whole grains. We love Kodiak Cakes Power Waffles, Ezekiel Sesame Sprouted Whole Grain Bread and Birds Eye Steamfresh Selects Whole Grain Brown Rice
Meals: when you are shopping for frozen meals, make sure you are checking out the nutrition information and reading the ingredient list. Specifically look at how much sodium the meal contains, what is a portion size (especially on some of those ‘family-meals’), and how many ingredients does the food have and of those ingredients, how many can you pronounce/know what they actually are. I also always encourage looking at the frozen meal as one component of your meal - typically the half of your plate that comprises the protein and the carbohydrate. But what else are you having to make it a complete, satisfying meal? To fill the other half of your plate? Nothing is worse than heating up a frozen meal, eating it and then being hungry again an hour later. To satisfy that runner ‘h-anger,’ make sure you are adding additional fruits and vegetables — like a small side salad, bowl of veggie-based soup, carrots and hummus, apple slices, or even a container of low sugar, high protein yogurt for desert topped with blueberries (from fresh or frozen). Some of my favorite brands: EatingWell Frozen Entrees, Evol Foods, Kashi’s Plant Powered Bowls, and Amy’s Foods
What about Dessert? When I worked as a dietitian for a local grocery store I often gave grocery stores. We’d hit the frozen aisle and inevitably we’d pass the ice cream freezers and someone would ask what, if anything, was my recommendation for frozen desserts. Here’s the thing: I’m a big believer in dessert and listening to your cravings. I grew up in a family where we had ice cream in our freezer almost all the time. I enjoyed it as a sweet treat after dinner or a hard ice hockey practice. And I still do when I really want it. But I’ve come to realize that not everyone is able to have pints of Ben & Jerry’s sitting in their freezer without consuming the entire container in one sitting. And that’s Okay. There are a ton of better-for-you frozen treats on the market these days that can help keep portions in check and actually taste great. My favorite, hands down, are Yasso Bars. They are delicious, made with Greek Yogurt and come in great flavors like cookie dough, sea salt caramel and peanut butter chocolate chip. Each bar is roughly 100-150 calories and contains 5-6 grams of high quality protein. (Also the runner in me can’t help but think of one of my favorite workouts every time I enjoy one!)
Bottom line: don’t neglect the frozen section - especially now as we try to limit how often we venture our the grocery store. So far I’ve covered what to pick up in the center aisles as well as in the fresh and frozen sections. In my next and final post in this series, I’ll include tips for both the dairy department as well as the meat. I’ll bring it altogether with a master grocery list for you to have on hand. Look for that in the next week. For now, enjoy this recipe!
Quick Moroccan Lentil Salad with Cauliflower Rice
Serves 3-4 as a main dish or 5-6 as a side
Ingredients:
1, 15-oz can lentils, rinsed (if you can’t find canned, dried lentils work too - they just take a bit longer to prepare/cook)
3-4 carrots, peeled and grated or chopped fine
1/3 cup toasted nuts (we like almonds or walnuts; you could also use pumpkin seeds if you are allergic), chopped
3 cups chopped kale (we like to use the bagged pre-chopped and washed kale to save time)
1/2 cup diced dried fruit (we like apricots, golden raisins and/or tart cherries)
1 Tbsp Za’Tar spice blend (a blend of spices that includes ground sumac and sesame seeds; if you can’t find this in your grocery store (check the international aisles) you can modify by adding a 1/2-1 teaspoon of each of the following that you do have (it’s ok if you are missing some of these): thyme, coriander, cumin, sesame seeds, and sumac)
1 bag frozen riced cauliflower, cooked according to package instructions and allowed to cool
Dressing:
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 Tbsp maple syrup (you can use honey if you are out of maple syrup)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Directions:
Combine all of the salad ingredients in a large bowl.
Make the dressing by combining in a small food processor or blender.
Add desired amount of dressing to salad, stir to combine and taste. Add additional salt, pepper or dressing if necessary. Enjoy!
Nutrition Info per Main Dish: 350 calories, 21 g total fat, 32 g carbohydrate, 11 g protein