The video discusses three frozen vegetable protocols that can help reduce food waste, save time, save money, and enhance the flavor of dishes. Protocol 1 focuses on freezing aromatic vegetables, such as garlic and ginger, to save time and energy during cooking. Protocol 2 involves freezing prepped vegetables, like potatoes and peas, to use as main components in dishes. Protocol 3 suggests making freezer meals in advance for quick and convenient meals on busy days. The video tests the taste and texture of fresh versus frozen vegetables in dishes such as tomato sauce and fried rice, concluding that there is minimal difference in flavor. Overall, these protocols offer practical strategies for incorporating frozen vegetables into daily cooking routines.
Key Insights:
- Implementing frozen vegetable protocols can help reduce food and vegetable waste, save time and money, and reduce decision fatigue.
- Frozen vegetables taste similar to fresh ones in certain dishes, such as fried rice.
- The Frozen Aromatic Protocol involves freezing prepared aromatic vegetables, like garlic and ginger paste, in ice cube trays for easy use in various dishes.
- The Frozen Prepped Vegetable Protocol involves cooking vegetables before freezing them, which helps maintain flavor and texture. Starchy vegetables work best for this protocol.
- Freezer meals are a convenient option for quick and easy weeknight dinners. Simply freeze prepared dishes and reheat them when needed.
- Consider the texture and flavor changes that freezing may cause, and choose the best vegetables and cooking methods for each protocol.
- Experiment with stacking the protocols to make the most of frozen vegetables in your cooking routine.
- Decide which protocols work best for your lifestyle and cooking preferences.
Transcript
One of the most annoying things about buying vegetables at the store is that they go bad before you actually get to cook with them. However, today that all changes. In this video, we’re going to cover three frozen vegetable protocols that you can implement at home. These protocols can not only help you reduce food and vegetable waste, but they can also save you time, money, and reduce decision fatigue. Not to mention, vegetables just make our food taste better. A world without garlic and onions is one that I don’t want to be in.
Now, the big question that I wanted to answer when making this video is how different do frozen vegetables taste compared to fresh ones. So, I decided to run two different experiments. For example, in protocol 2, I did a fresh versus frozen fried rice where all the components other than the leftover rice and the egg were taken straight from my freezer.
Protocol 1: The Frozen Aromatic Protocol
This protocol can be implemented in several different ways, but the basic premise is this: freeze prepared aromatic vegetables where they can be used from frozen as a supporting role in a dish. An example would be freezing mirepoix in an ice cube tray that can be broken off and then tossed in a pan with some oil for a marinara sauce.
Protocol 2: The Frozen Prepped Vegetable Protocol
This protocol involves cooking with vegetables straight from the freezer and using them as a main component in a dish. Examples include air frying frozen French fries, adding frozen peas to your pasta, roasting a pan of frozen vegetables, or making a mixed bag of frozen veggies for your fried rice.
Protocol 3: Freezer Meals
This protocol involves making meals ahead of time and freezing them to be reheated later. This is perfect for those busy weeknights when you don’t have time to cook. Just heat up the frozen meal in the microwave and you’re good to go.
For each protocol, I discuss what it is, why you should implement it, how to implement it, and common callouts. This includes information on what type of vegetables work best, what dishes each protocol is good for, how long the vegetables last, and if any changes need to be made to cooking time or method.
Overall, these frozen vegetable protocols can be a game-changer in your kitchen. They can help you reduce waste, save time, and make cooking easier. So, give them a try and see how they can benefit you and your cooking routine.
