What do you do with frozen veggies?

Francl27

Ok it's really a problem. I just don't like frozen veggies. At least with fresh, I can roast them or something, but frozen is just so bland... bleh!

So I just don't eat enough veggies because it's just not worth the calories to me (I know, I know) and I'm just so sick of them at this point... Fresh is often too expensive. I typically buy frozen broccoli, peas, corn (for the kids), sugar snap peas the most.

I do mashed cauliflower with frozen cauliflower, I've dumped a few bags and made soup... Sometimes I'll sprinkle some parmesan on broccoli but even then... Any other ideas? I use peas and carrots when I make shepherd's pie. Other than that, I'm pretty stumped.

kommodevaran

I don't find frozen vegetables bland? Can't be munched like raw vegs, but for dinner, they are terrific. I use 100 grams of either peas or green beans as a side with meat/fish and starch, I don't boil/stem them, just put them in the stove when I turn off the heat for the meat/fish. I also make blended pea soup or spinach soup. Edamame in risotto (with mushrooms and celery and onion). And peas in "pasta with ham and peas" and "pasta with ricotta and peas".

ilms528

Check out ketokarmas twice baked cauliflower! It's SO darn good! Just actually google that and she will pop up. She has a vlog so u might see a lot on her online but look up that twice baked cauliflower using her name too (ketokarma). Depending on your diet because she does low carb high fat so there is a lot of cheese in it. Green onions, parm, cream cheese, bacon...

Nicklebee93

Why cant you roast frozen vegetables? I do all the time and they're fine.

kommodevaran

Oh, I misread that... have to ask too then... why can't you roast frozen vegs? I roast frozen brussel sprouts, just add small bits of butter, salt and pepper, it's so delicious, it's my favorite Sunday side dish!

CorneliusPhoton

I do ok with some frozen veggies, but not others.

For frozen broccoli florets (bagged) -- I dump it right into a sautee pan with olive oil, garlic, and ginger and then splash it with tamari sauce. Not as good as if I had done it from fresh, but it's not bad. Frozen broccoli works well in casseroles.

Frozen peas or green beans are no problem at all. Just boil them a few seconds. Add salt at table.

Frozen spinach, collards, kale are great cooked into soups or kept frozen and blended into smoothies. I suppose I could try to sautee them with olive oil and garlic, but I usually buy fresh for that.

I roast frozen cauliflower florets sprinkled with ranch dressing mix and some parmesan cheese and bread crumbs.

Frozen mixed veggies (the stuff that includes corn and carrots for example) are good for nothing except when baked into pot pies. They are otherwise disgusting. (IMO)

Francl27

Don't they get all mushy from all the water? How do you do it?

Ninkyou

I steam mine.

I've never had a mushiness problem.

crzycatlady1

I usually go through a bag of frozen California blend every day -I nuke it and then add it to frozen entrées (Lean Cuisines etc), or I make a sweet n sour rice bowl with the veggies, a serving of white rice, 4-6 ounces canned chicken and then Sweet Baby Rays sweet and sour sauce. Love this combo and never get tired of it I'll do an occasional brown rice and pork stir fry, also with frozen veggies and fresh mushrooms.

Francl27

Ninkyou wrote: »

I steam mine.

I've never had a mushiness problem.

I steam mine too, I usually buy the steam in the bag kind so it's easy... just really bland (but I really don't care for veggies in the first place).

I was wondering about roasting frozen veggies though. Do you steam them first then roast them so they end up crispy and not watery mush?

Ninkyou

Francl27 wrote: »

Ninkyou wrote: »

I steam mine.

I've never had a mushiness problem.

I steam mine too, I usually buy the steam in the bag kind so it's easy... just really bland (but I really don't care for veggies in the first place).

I was wondering about roasting frozen veggies though. Do you steam them first then roast them so they end up crispy and not watery mush?

I do it with brussel sprouts. Steam in bag and then season and roast in oven for like 20 minutes. They crisp up just fine. Haven't tried it with others though. I usually just steam and then add a tablespoon of butter and some garlic salt.

jenilla1

They're good in casseroles and one-pot meals and stuff like that.

ETA: If I'm using them in pasta dishes, I just add them to the boiling pasta water about a minute or so before I take the pasta off and drain it. Easier that way.

pebble4321

I usually buy them, keep them in the freezer for months til I need an ice pack and then throw them away.
Although I do use frozen peas now and again and occasionally broad beans but overall I agree that frozen veg tend to be watery and bland compared to fresh.
Luckily I live in a mild climate where fresh veg are easily available year round so I don't need to resort to frozen.

MissMaggieMuffin

crzycatlady1 wrote: »

I usually go through a bag of frozen California blend every day -I nuke it and then add it to frozen entrées (Lean Cuisines etc), or I make a sweet n sour rice bowl with the veggies, a serving of white rice, 4-6 ounces canned chicken and then Sweet Baby Rays sweet and sour sauce. Love this combo and never get tired of it I'll do an occasional brown rice and pork stir fry, also with frozen veggies and fresh mushrooms.

California blend is my favourite - either just steamed or added to a stir fry.

rainbowbow

Francl27 wrote: »

Ninkyou wrote: »

I steam mine.

I've never had a mushiness problem.

I steam mine too, I usually buy the steam in the bag kind so it's easy... just really bland (but I really don't care for veggies in the first place).

I was wondering about roasting frozen veggies though. Do you steam them first then roast them so they end up crispy and not watery mush?

I have never had mushy veggies after roasting frozen vegetables. Never. I go straight from the freezer to the oven along with seasonings and a fat (i usually go for rapeseed since it's high in omegas).

Part of roasting means cooking at a high enough temperature (400f, 200c). When done this way i've never experienced water mushy bland vegetables. This only happens when i try to cook them on low temperatures.

ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken

I steam them and add butter or other seasonings, put them in a cheese sauce, simmer them in tomato sauce, add them to soups and such. I do a lot of fresh but also a lot of frozen. It just depends on how much time I have. For my lunch I am not going to take a lot of time to prep my food so frozen usually wins. The mushy problem comes from over cooking. Something like cauliflower or broccoli don't need to be cooked to death. Put just enough water in the pot to cover the bottom, place on med/high heat or even med/low and add vegetables. Check after 5 minutes, if they need more time just give them a minute or two more. Remove from heat and just allow them to sit with the lid on the pot because they will continue to steam.

serindipte

I usually throw mine in the microwave with a pat of butter, cover and nuke for 3-5 mins. It steams them so they're still crisp. -- I've roasted them in the oven and never had a problem with them being mushy. -- One of my favorites is to saute some garlic, onions and mushrooms, then throw in a bag of green beans, cooking them just long enough to get them hot.

Sabine_Stroehm

Lately I've been making my own "frozen meals". Today will likely be something like: diced chicken breast, broccoli and a tablespoon of pesto.
Yesterday was shrimp, green beans, and chili garlic paste...

Love frozen brussels, but I mostly roast those.

We stir fry veggies a few times a week.

CooCooPuff

I add them to my dinners. They get nuked in the Instant Pot for a few minutes on high pressure. Takes away the off taste the microwave leaves it with.

Frozen Brussels Sprouts ESPECIALLY never come out right in the microwave

Queenmunchy

I buy frozen peas and corn, and typically the frozen stir fry mix and occasionally the TJ frozen onions and peppers.
I also find them to be pretty bland, but that's because of the cooking. I don't like them steamed - fresh only - but I'm used to roasting or eating them as a huge part of a mixed dish.

Following because I didn't realize I could roast and looking forward to hearing more ideas.

rainbowbow

By the way, I roast frozen veggies, use them for soups, add them to pastas, and my absolute favorite application would be to stir fry them.

Need2Exerc1se

Francl27 wrote: »

Don't they get all mushy from all the water? How do you do it?

They will be considerably more mushy than fresh. For this reason I don't care for roasted frozen brussel sprouts. If you completely thaw them first and dry them as much as possible it helps, but they don't taste like fresh.

Except for frozen corn, broccoli, peas and beans, I mostly use frozen vegetables in recipes rather than alone.

Frozen peas and corn make great additions to salads if completely thawed.

abovethecity

I love roasting the frozen California mix - a little olive oil spray, Montreal steak seasoning, a bit of freshly grated parmesan cheese and lemon juice tastes great to me.

Oh, and I do like roasting frozen Brussels sprouts, and they do stay a bit soggy, but I don't really mind - I love them with balsamic and honey.

Annie_01

Need2Exerc1se wrote: »

Francl27 wrote: »

Don't they get all mushy from all the water? How do you do it?

They will be considerably more mushy than fresh. For this reason I don't care for roasted frozen brussel sprouts. If you completely thaw them first and dry them as much as possible it helps, but they don't taste like fresh.

Except for frozen corn, broccoli, peas and beans, I mostly use frozen vegetables in recipes rather than alone.

Frozen peas and corn make great additions to salads if completely thawed.

I agree on the frozen brussel sprouts. I tried them...they weren't hideous but they also weren't good enough for me to try again. They had soggy middles.

I tried using frozen spinach in my recipes...too much work trying to get all of the water out of them. They are okay in some things...not in others.

felixpettersson

Throw a couple hundred gram of them in a frying pan with a tablespoon of oil or so, and then mix in some sambal oelek, curry powder and half a cube of bouillon. Mix in some lentils for extra protein.

Nicklebee93

Francl27 wrote: »

Don't they get all mushy from all the water? How do you do it?

I preheat with my oven to 400F with my pan IN the oven. Dump the bag(s) onto it. Coat with olive oil, salt & pepper and cook until how i like them. I prefer softer vegetables but that's me. Decrease the time and watch.

ritzvin

I usually use in soup or rice&beans. On rare occasions where I'm not doing large batches of the previous, then will saute with seasonings.

JenHuedy

I usually steam in the microwave and season with kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. If I'm feeling really crazy I'll use garlic salt or a spice blend. Penzy's Ruth Ann's Muskego Ave Chicken & Fish seasoning has been a recent favorite. Mushiness is only a problem if I overcook.

UltimateTrashBae

Francl27 wrote: »

I steam mine too, I usually buy the steam in the bag kind so it's easy... just really bland (but I really don't care for veggies in the first place).

Then season them. I add salt, pepper, and garlic powder to my steamed veggies on the rare occasion that I eat veggies.

TeaBea

I've not seen this suggestion yet so I'll throw it out there. Thawed french style green beans (hard to find) are great in a cold vegetable salad. I don't think they hold as much water as regular frozen green beans. The texture is a little crunchy....yum.

jlemoore

n1cholee93 wrote: »

Why cant you roast frozen vegetables? I do all the time and they're fine.

@nlcholee93- Thanks for your recipe!