Frozen vegetables retain their nutrients
You can get just about any fresh vegetable any time of the year, but quality can be an issue. During the winter months, fresh produce sometimes doesn’t look too inviting.
Where do you turn? Look to the frozen-food aisle, where you’ll find vegetables that can be just as nutritious as the fresh variety.
Think about it. Most of those frozen vegetables were picked at their peak moment of ripeness and frozen quickly. It’s like buying frozen salmon and other fish. Chances are that the fish was frozen soon after it was caught.
Because vegetables are frozen soon after they’re picked, they retain their nutrients. It’s when the vegetables are cooked in water that nutrients can get left behind in the water and lost. The exception is when vegetables are cooked in dishes like soups and stews. Nutrients leach into the liquid they’re cooked in, and all of that liquid is consumed.
Erin Dolinski, a registered dietitian at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich., says frozen and canned vegetables often get a bad rap.
“With frozen vegetables, these are convenient, low in cost and an easy way to get your recommended vegetable servings in per day,” Dolinski says. “They are picked fresh at peak of ripeness and frozen within 24 hours to maintain nutrition content.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s State Indicator Report on Fruits and Vegetables, only one in 10 U.S. adults eats the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables. The recommended amount of vegetables is two or three cups daily, Dolinksi says.
There’s nothing wrong with fresh vegetables, Dolinski says, but you need to consider how long they’ve been at the grocery store and how long you plan to store them in your refrigerator.
“Processes that exposed foods to heat, light or oxygen cause the greatest nutrient loss,” Dolinski says.
Here are three others reasons why frozen vegetables are a good choice:
They’re not packed with added sodium like some canned vegetables.
They’re convenient. Frozen vegetables are already prepped and ready to use. Many are diced, quartered, chopped or sliced.
They’re often a better value than fresh.
Today’s recipe helped me make use of some frozen greens beans I had tucked away in the freezer.
This recipe is one of those sheet-pan dishes in which everything is made on the same pan in the oven. What’s a bit different about this one is that the potatoes need to cook longer than the other two main ingredients.
Making an entire dinner on a sheet pan in the oven is game changer, especially if you’re swamped for time. What’s important is having everything prepped and ready. Don’t let the lengthy ingredients list scare you away. Once you have everything on hand, the recipe comes together quickly.
The mix of Dijon, olive oil and seasoning coating does double duty here. You coat the potatoes first in the mixture and then dump them on the pan and place it in the oven. Later, in the same bowl, you can add the frozen green beans to coat them.
SHEET PAN SPICY SHRIMP WITH GREEN BEANS AND POTATOES
Serves: 2-3 / Prep time: 20 minutes / Total time: 45 minutes
1 pound colossal shrimp (13 count per pound), peeled, leaving tail intact 2 tablespoons kosher salt 2 tablespoons sugar SEASONING:
1 large clove garlic, peeled, crushed 1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 teaspoons regular or smoked paprika
2 tablespoons canola or olive oil VEGETABLES:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 large clove garlic, pressed or finely minced
A few pinches of salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon Morton Nature’s Seasons Seasoning Blend or favorite all-purpose seasoning
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 pound small red potatoes, quartered
1/2 pound frozen whole green beans and waxed (yellow) beans
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spray a sided sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Place shrimp in a large bowl and add enough water to cover shrimp by at least 1 inch. Sprinkle with the salt and sugar and swish it around in the water so it dissolves. Set aside, while you prepare the other ingredients.
Mix together the seasoning. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. It should have a mild spiciness to it, but not overpowering.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, Dijon, garlic, salt, pepper, seasoning blend and oregano. The mixture should look emulsified, not separated or grainy. Add the quartered potatoes and toss to coat. Place the coated potatoes on one side of the sheet pan and place in the oven for about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, drain and rinse the shrimp. Pat the shrimp dry and sprinkle with the seasoning mixture. Place the frozen beans in the same bowl that held the potatoes and toss to coat with any remaining Dijon mixture.
After 20 minutes, place the shrimp on the side of the sheet pan opposite the potatoes and place the frozen beans in the center. Roast another 8 minutes or until shrimp and vegetables are cooked through. Remove from oven and serve.