Filling half your plate each meal with plants like fruits and vegetables is a great goal to aim for when it comes to tweaking your nutrition. Now that our local Holland Farmer’s Market is open again, this is even easier to do!
Another great resource for making half your plate produce-filled is FROZEN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES!
Here are some Fun Facts about Frozen Produce: (source)
- Frozen produce is as, if not MORE, nutritious as fresh. Most of the time, the fruit and veggies are frozen directly after they’re picked at the height of ripeness (when they are the most nutritious)! This means they’re actually more likely to have more nutrients than the produce sitting on the shelves in your grocery store, which are commonly picked before they’re ripened and sprayed in trucks during travel in order to make them appear ripened. Yikes!
- Peas and Beans lose more nutrients (in this case, Vitamin C) after harvesting than hearty veggies like Broccoli and Cauliflower. Root vegetables (onions, sweet potatoes, turnips, beets, etc) have the most stable nutrient density.
- Frozen produce can sometimes be the more affordable option – especially when going for organic. Valeoian Melissa Boersma’s organizes a drop spot for items from Azure Standard (they have awesome organic frozen produce options). Reach out to her to join the drop spot and stock up your freezer once a month at the best prices!
- Frozen produce comes pre-chopped. Save tons of prep time and mess!
- Frozen produce saves even more prep time since it can be cooked without having to thaw first – just throw veggies on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, drizzle some olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt or other spices and roast in the oven at 425 until browned. Yum!
- Some brands add sugar or preservatives to produce, especially frozen fruit – be sure ingredient list reads only fruits and vegetables!
Here are some of our favorite recipes using frozen fruits and veggies.
Save to your “favorites” or screenshot the one(s) you want to try.
To see new recipes nearly every week, be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook for our Monday / Mmmm posts. 🙂 Enjoy!
Maple Apple Sausage + Sweet Potato (used cubed frozen sweet potatoes for easy-peasyness).
Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower and Onion
Chocolate Zucchini Smoothies (use frozen zucchini or squash for added creaminess)
Simple + Savory Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Beets
Honey Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts (using the baby frozen brussels works great)
Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili (toss in some frozen sweet potato cubes)
Saunders Family Bakery
New Salad & Smoothie menu!
Speaking of filling our plates and bellies with more produce, we’re pumped to discover that our neighbor across the street, Saunders Family Bakery, is launching their Salad and Smoothie menu on Friday, May 24. YUM!!
They are located at 102 S. River Ave, across from Valeo gym in downtown Holland. Let’s show ’em our support!
Need even more raw Fruit & Vegetables powering your cells to reach the recommended 9-13 servings a day?
There’s a pill for that (with legit research that it works). 😉