At IQS, our top tip for effortless healthy eating is to be prepared.
As a nutritionist and recipe developer, I absolutely love being in the kitchen, but the thought of having to cook from scratch every day of the week? Even I’d be reaching for the takeaway menus. Enter… freezer stash.
Aside from the fact that I’m a bit of a waste warrior who can find a use for any stem, carrot nub and chicken bone, having a few freezer staples on hand allows me to whip up healthy meals in five minutes flat – sometimes made from ingredients that would have otherwise landed in the bin.
I’ve become a pro at using my freezer and if you take a look inside, you’ll more often find the following…
Fresh herbs.
I often seem to have an excess of fresh herbs floating around my kitchen (particularly stems), so chopped up and into labelled ziplocks they go. I add these to the pan when I’m sautéing onions or garlic, and they go particularly well in soups. One of my fave things to do is to blend up a cup of hot bone broth with a spoonful of ghee and a heap of frozen parsley. It makes for the most delicious warming beverage!
Spinach and zucchini.
You know that last handful of spinach that goes soggy in the back of your fridge? Before it gets to that stage, chuck it in the freezer. Add it to your morning smoothie and you’ve got one of your 7–9 daily serves of veg out the way. You’ll actually find frozen spinach blends much better than fresh, especially if you’re not a chew-your-smoothie kinda person. Ditto with frozen zucchini! I love adding zucchinis to thicken up smoothies, plus they’re a great lower sugar alternative to banana. I almost never drink a smoothie without it.
Ginger.
Again, I often buy knobs of ginger and struggle to get through it all before it goes nasty. I add frozen ginger to soups and smoothies, but most often, I chuck a few frozen slices into a mug and pour over boiling water – AKA instant anti-inflammatory ginger tea! This will rival any store-bought dried ginger tea bag. If I’ve got frozen mint leaves in my freezer, I add these in too.
Broccoli and cauliflower rice.
You’re probably aware of the benefits of this stuff, but I’ll use any excuse not to get the food processor out. If you’ve attempted making this before, you’ll already know of the palava involved (and the clean up afterwards). But, when I feel like sucking it up, I make a batch in bulk and freeze in individual portions. Chuck a portion into the pan with some frozen peas, a couple of eggs and a drizzle of tamari and chilli and you’ve got yourself Tuesday night fried rice!
Bone broth.
Whenever I’ve got a leftover roast chicken carcass, I make an overnight broth using my slow cooker. Trust me, it’s a much better tasting (and more sustainable option) to store-bought stock – not to mention the gut-healing benefits! I’ll stick a small frozen jar of this stuff in the fridge in the morning, then when I get home, heat it in a pan with zucchini noodles and a spoonful of miso for a quick gut-healing noodle broth!
Bread.
A freezer essential! Bread is always good to have on hand to add to meals. Make sure to slice it before you freeze then pop it straight into the toaster and spread with peanut butter.
Organic chicken liver pate.
Okay, so this one probably isn’t a staple, but it’s a great example of how to reduce waste. I didn’t get through the last batch I bought quick enough so popped it in the freezer for later use. A whole lot better than forgetting about it and finding it in a questionable state in the corner of your fridge. Now, when cravings strike, I chip out little bits and pop it on a freshly toasted piece of bread to melt – so yum! Liver is a super nutritious addition to your diet, but can sometimes be hard to incorporate.
Frozen coconut milk cubes.
I add these to every smoothie as I prefer to bulk out my smoothies with fat over sugar and this makes them super creamy and coconutty! I also often find myself using half cans of the stuff here and there so into an ice cube tray it goes.
Sugar-free brownies.
You will always find these in my freezer. We’re all human, and even I fall victim to “The Batchelor-watching” dessert cravings! So, when they strike, I stick a couple of brownies in the microwave for 30 seconds for the most delicious ooey-gooey chocolatey goodness. And yes, I promise that even post-brownie, you’ll still be under your recommended daily sugar intake!
0 comments :
Post a Comment