Frozen vegetable mixtures: cooking features, best recipes and reviews. Frozen vegetable mixtures - the best recipes

Frozen mixed vegetables is a set of vegetables that have gone through several stages of processing (see photo). As a rule, such a product has the ability to be stored for a long time - from six to eighteen months. During the freezing process, vegetable ingredients retain their beneficial properties as much as possible without losing their taste.

Depending on the components, this mixture is divided into three varieties:

• homogeneous - such a product consists of one ingredient;
• assorted – this set includes two or more types of vegetables;
• ready-made dishes - this mixture is otherwise called a semi-finished product; its components are ingredients suitable for making a specific salad, soup, etc.

We will share the most popular vegetable mixtures in the table below.

Sometimes such sets include cauliflower, potatoes, as well as parsley, lettuce, mushrooms and broccoli. Each type of mixture has a low calorie content, which is why they are often used for preparing dietary dishes.

How to make your own frozen mixed vegetables?

Thanks to the simple process, every housewife can prepare frozen vegetables with her own hands. At home, it is possible to create interesting vegetable combinations, which are very rarely found on sale today. For example, a set for borscht. This preparation is often prepared for the winter. It contains all the necessary vegetable ingredients, including white cabbage and beets.

At home, you can freeze absolutely any vegetables, but before you do this, the products should be properly prepared. First, they need to be sorted out to get rid of debris, and then rinsed well, peeled and cut into the required shape. For freezing, vegetables are usually chopped into cubes or strips. Prepared ingredients must be blanched in order to preserve their texture, taste and color as much as possible. After this, the workpiece is packaged in special containers and sent to the freezer for storage.

Advice! To prevent the vegetable set from sitting in the freezer for a long time, attach a piece of paper with the date of manufacture of the product to the container. Homemade vegetable mixture should be used within one year.

Use in cooking

In cooking, a huge number of dishes can be prepared using frozen vegetables. Such products are convenient because they do not need to be defrosted before heat treatment. Simply remove them from the packaging and place them in the desired dish. You can cook soups especially quickly with this mixture.

There are many recipes for preparing frozen vegetables themselves. They can be cooked in a double boiler, slow cooker, as well as in a regular saucepan, oven and frying pan. Vegetables are often complemented with chicken, pork and other meats, resulting in a complete lunch dish.

It's very easy to make a delicious salad from the Mexican mixture. To do this, the product must be cooked in lightly salted water, then cooled and topped with some sausage. This unusual salad can be dressed with either regular mayonnaise or mustard sauce.

Very often, sets of frozen vegetables are purchased to prepare the famous stew. In this case, both the Mexican convenience food and the country-style mixture are excellent.

Mixtures that include mushrooms can be used to make casseroles, omelettes, hot sandwiches and more.

Benefits and harms

Due to the fact that even after freezing, vegetables retain their chemical composition as much as possible, mixtures created from them are incredibly beneficial for humans. Absolutely every set contains vitamins C and B, as well as some minerals (calcium, potassium, etc.).

Each type of this product increases appetite, accelerates metabolic processes in the body and improves digestion.

The benefit of such a semi-finished product lies in the fact that in the winter season it effectively helps with vitamin deficiency and increases the protection of the immune system.

It has been scientifically proven that frozen vegetables can harm the body only if you are individually intolerant to a certain product, so when purchasing, first of all study the composition.

Frozen vegetables are a necessary product in cooking, with which you can quickly prepare many light and tasty dishes!

Greetings to all readers!

How to cook frozen vegetables? This question usually arises when for some reason there is no ready-made food, and the family has already gathered and is banging spoons. Prepare frozen vegetables according to this recipe - and in 15 minutes you will have a delicious and healthy side dish on your table, bright, like a piece of summer.

Of course, you won’t be satisfied with just one “herbal” dish; I have an excellent quick recipe for chicken with spices.

Ingredients for the frozen vegetable side dish:

- mixture of frozen vegetables 1 kg,

- dried ground oregano 1 whisper,

- dried ground basil 1 whisper,

- ground black pepper 1 whisper,

- ground red pepper on the tip of a knife,

- soy sauce 3 tablespoons.

Preparing a side dish of frozen vegetables:

It is very convenient to have several bags of frozen vegetables in the freezer. To prepare the side dish, take 1 kg of a mixture of cabbage, bell pepper, beans, potatoes - whatever you want. The more varied the composition, the tastier and more beautiful the result will be. You can buy the components separately and arrange them according to your mood, or you can buy packages in which some kind of mixture has already been selected.

This time I have all kinds of cabbage: broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, even the exotic Romanesco cabbage, green beans and green peas. No need to defrost!

Place the mixture in a dry frying pan and turn on the stove.

First, our vegetables thaw, release water and become soft. At this point, I suggest cutting large pieces: take a large piece from the frying pan with a spoon and cut it with a knife in the spoon. But this is a matter of taste, if you like large pieces, then leave it as is.

Bring the mixture to a boil, add spices: oregano, basil, black pepper, one pinch each, red pepper - a little, on the tip of a knife. Reduce the heat and leave to simmer under the lid closed for 15 minutes. During this time, look under the lid 3-4 times and stir the future side dish. If you see that all the water has evaporated, add a little (about 100 ml) so that the vegetables are juicy and do not burn.

When the cooking time is up, add mayonnaise, one tablespoon of sour cream and 3 tablespoons of soy sauce to the mixture. Mix everything, be sure to try to see if it needs to be added, and turn off the stove. The side dish is ready, enjoy!

This is my favorite simple-quick-tasty way, how to cook frozen vegetables, and how do you prepare them? I would be grateful if you share your recipes, because frozen vegetables are a real basis for creativity in the kitchen :-).

Side dish of frozen vegetables - a quick, simple and tasty recipe

How to cook frozen vegetables - a very fast way!

Simple dishes are an irreplaceable thing in our time, and frozen vegetables are a real lifesaver for many busy housewives - 15 minutes and you're done! You don’t need to spend a lot of time in the kitchen washing, peeling and chopping a large number of vegetables. One pack of frozen mixture already contains everything you need for a healthy dish. And in stores now their choice is so diverse - Hawaiian, Mexican, Canadian mixtures..., thanks to which the vegetables do not become boring, because you can prepare different ones each time.

Frozen vegetables are an excellent side dish for meat, and they can also be served with buckwheat, rice or mashed potatoes, thus creating a complex side dish. You can cook them either steamed or in a frying pan, it all depends on your preferences. I prefer to cook in a frying pan (without oil).

So let's get back to how to cook frozen vegetables quickly and deliciously. The amount of ingredients is indicated for 2 packs of frozen vegetables - 800 g - 1 kg, you can mix different mixtures. For example, today I prepared a Canadian mixture, added everything that was in the freezer to it - half a pack of green beans and half a pack of Brussels sprouts. You can use absolutely any seasonings.

Ingredients

• Frozen vegetables (I have

Canadian blend, Brussels sprouts

Instructions

1. We take absolutely any frozen vegetables, today I have it - Canadian mixture, Brussels sprouts and green beans. Without defrosting, pour them into a dry frying pan (no need to add oil) and turn on the stove.

• The vegetables will thaw initially, stir to ensure they thaw evenly. After this, water will appear in the pan.

Over high heat, bring the resulting water to a boil and add all the seasonings, stir. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer the vegetables over medium heat for 15 minutes.

Open the lid every 5 minutes and make sure that all the water does not boil away. I usually add a little more water 50-100 ml after 10 minutes, so, firstly, the vegetables will not burn, and secondly, they will turn out more juicy.

• After 15 minutes, turn off the stove, add 2 tbsp. l. sour cream or mayonnaise and 3 tbsp. l. soy sauce.

• Mix everything thoroughly. We taste it and add salt to taste - usually a couple of pinches of salt is enough for me.

• So our simple and delicious side dish of frozen vegetables is ready. Help yourself!

Povareshkino, Simple recipes with step-by-step photographs

How to cook frozen vegetables for maximum benefit

Modern stores offer a huge selection of frozen vegetables - separately by type, as well as in various mixtures. And almost every housewife has at least one package of this product in the freezer of her refrigerator. Let's figure out where and how you can use frozen vegetables.

Innovative technologies, especially in food processing, have made life much easier for modern women. After all, few of them are now engaged only in housework - the overwhelming majority of the female population is actively working. But this circumstance does not at all relieve many people from solving such a pressing question as “what to cook today?”

And frozen vegetables sometimes become indispensable helpers in solving this problem. After all, this product does not need to be cleaned, does not need additional processing, it does not even require defrosting. Prepares quickly.

And another undoubted advantage of the mixtures is that they are able to supply the necessary vitamins to our table all year round. And if at the height of summer more preference is given to fresh vegetables, then in other seasons, especially in winter and early spring, frozen vegetables are simply irreplaceable.

Indeed, during the freezing process, almost all of their beneficial properties are preserved.

The right approach to choosing

What do you need to do to buy a quality product?

• First of all, carefully examine the packaging - it should be intact and without damage. After all, if the seal of the bag is broken, air will enter the product, which will allow various bacteria to live. And this will inevitably lead to spoilage of vegetables;
• Shake the selected pack and feel it. Did you find large clumps of stuck together vegetables? This is evidence that the product was re-frozen;

• Naturally, pay attention to the expiration date of the product, as well as when it was frozen. It is better when it was carried out at the end of summer or at the beginning of autumn - such products contain maximum beneficial properties;
• Look at the composition if you choose a mixture; it is best when the products are in an even percentage, without a clear predominance of one or two products;
• If a package of product in the refrigerator compartment is covered with frost, avoid it. This is a sign that the product was previously stored at a temperature higher than required by standards;
• No swollen packs - this indicates that the process of bacterial activity is in full swing;
• Loose vegetables should not be too bright or pale in color. In the first case, this indicates the addition of dyes, and in the second, it indicates improper freezing. Vegetables should have an even, natural color, without various spots.

Features of preparing frozen vegetables

So, the mixture has been purchased, all that remains is to figure out how to prepare it and what to serve it with. It is worth remembering some nuances before you start cooking:

1. The time required to cook frozen vegetables is approximately half the time required for standard cooking of raw vegetables. Don't forget about this when storing products. In soup, for example, such ingredients should be added almost at the end of cooking;
2. You don't necessarily need to cook these vegetables; they are edible raw. But in this case they require defrosting. It is best to defrost without opening the package, placing the closed bag in a bowl. The dishes must not be made of metal, have a lid or be covered with film. Defrosting is carried out not in a warm place, but in a cool place. The best place for this is the shelf at the bottom of your refrigerator.

How to properly cook frozen vegetables

In order to boil a standard packet of vegetable mixture weighing four hundred grams, you will need to pour about one and a half liters of water into the pan.

Then the pan is placed on the fire and the water boils. During the process, add salt and the seasonings you need to the water.

After the water boils, pour the vegetables into it, stir them, wait until the water boils again, loosely cover the pan and cook the mixture for ten minutes.

After which the vegetables are placed in a colander to drain the liquid. Then the vegetables are placed in a bowl and seasoned to taste with vegetable or butter, vinegar, sour cream, or some sauce of your choice.

How to deliciously cook frozen vegetables without spending a lot of time and effort

Quick dinner recipe

Frozen vegetables are a lifesaver, especially when you need to cook something and there is very little time. Instead of using instant semi-finished products that are not always healthy, it is better to use a package of frozen mixture, which will make a tasty, healthy and easy-to-fit dish. What we need:

• 1 pack of frozen vegetable mixture;
• 1 onion;
• About 60 ml of water;
• Salt and seasonings to your taste;
• A little vegetable oil.

First of all, cut the onion into small pieces. Then add vegetable oil to the pan and place the onion in the pan.

When the onion turns golden, add the vegetables and stir well. Then add salt and spices, stir again, add water.

Simmer with the lid closed for twenty to twenty-five minutes. After which a delicious and healthy dinner is ready.

Frozen vegetables in a frying pan

This is another way to quickly cook food. The whole process does not take much time. And it doesn’t require any effort on your part - all you need to do is open the package and place the mixture in the frying pan. But this easy task has its own nuances.

So, the frying pan is placed on the fire, and the vegetables are placed in it. The frying process begins.

The heat should be high for two to three minutes; do not cover the pan with a lid, because it is necessary to get rid of the moisture that will result when the mixture defrosts during the cooking process.

When the water has completely evaporated, add vegetable oil, salt and seasonings.

Stir the mixture, cover the pan with a lid and fry until done.

Such a dish can be independent, or can act as a side dish for potatoes, cereals or fish.

Steamed vegetables in a slow cooker

As is known, steam, of all types of heat treatment, best preserves the beneficial properties of products. And all multicookers are equipped with a program for steaming dishes. All we need for cooking:

• Water - a couple of glasses for a multicooker;
• Frozen vegetables - 1 pack.

Pour water into the main bowl of the multicooker and place a bowl on top for steaming dishes. Pour vegetables into it. Close the lid of the multicooker and set the “Steam” program, setting the time to 8-12 minutes.

You can find out the exact time from the table in the instructions for your multicooker, everything is indicated in detail there. After the time has passed, transfer the prepared vegetables into a dish, salt them and season to your liking.

Also, you can cook two dishes at once by placing some kind of grain, such as rice, in the main bowl, and putting a vegetable mixture in the upper bowl as a side dish. The total cooking time will depend on the time mode selected for cooking the cereal.

You can also cook all kinds of dishes in a slow cooker with the addition of frozen vegetables.

Quick and healthy breakfast

To prepare an omelet with green beans you will need:

• Frozen green beans - one hundred grams;
• Eggs - 2-3 pieces;
• Garlic - 1 clove, or a pinch of granulated;
• A little milk;
• Salt to taste;
• Vegetable oil.

Pour the bean pods into the frying pan and wait for the liquid to evaporate. At this time, beat the eggs with milk in a container using a whisk, add garlic and salt.

When the water has completely evaporated from the pan, add vegetable oil and stir the vegetables. Then pour in the egg mixture and mix everything again. Cover the pan with a lid and cook the omelette until done.

Read how to prepare the main courses of Azerbaijani cuisine; recipes with photos will help you follow the correct sequence.

Prepare a healthy and tasty green bean salad with chicken, recipe here.

Buckwheat with vegetables

To prepare this dish you will need the following ingredients:

• Buckwheat - 1 cup;
• Water - 2 glasses;
• Frozen mixture - 1 pack;
• Vegetable oil.

Place the washed buckwheat in a pan with water and add salt. Boil the cereal until tender. Then pour oil into the frying pan and pour the vegetable mixture into it, mix and salt it.

Cook the vegetables for about ten minutes, then pour the buckwheat porridge into the frying pan. Mix everything and leave on low heat for another five minutes with the lid closed. After which you can serve the dish on the table.

How to freeze vegetables yourself

You can stock up on a storehouse of vitamins at home by freezing your own vegetables. What needs to be done for this?

1. Before the freezing process, all vegetables must be washed and dried;
2. Then all unedible parts are removed from the vegetables, and the rest is cut into pieces or chopped;
3. Pieces of beets, carrots, peppers or pumpkins should be treated with boiling water for about three minutes. Greens also require heat treatment, but they are immersed in boiling water for literally a second. Then the vegetables are immediately doused with cold water and laid out to dry;
4. For packaging and subsequent freezing of vegetables, it is better to use special sealed bags with a valve, but in the absence of such, you can use ordinary bags, but be sure to remove all the air from them before freezing. Vegetables are frozen either immediately in bags or in bulk on some surface, after which they are poured into bags;
5. For long-term storage of vegetables, freezing should take place at minus 18 or minus 20 degrees Celsius.

So you have become acquainted with various ways of preparing such a healthy product as frozen vegetables. Now you know how to fry them, boil them, steam them with rice, etc., without spending a lot of time on cooking.

And if you find the time to freeze vegetables yourself, then in winter you will always have a product on hand of which you can be sure of its quality.

How to deliciously cook frozen vegetables: recipes with photos

How to deliciously cook frozen vegetables

It's no secret that vegetables contain a lot of vitamins and minerals. However, most fresh foods can only be consumed in the warm season. This raises the question of how you can enrich your body with the necessary enzymes without relying on the season.

Selection of frozen vegetables

1. When buying a product in packaged containers, first of all pay attention to the integrity of the package. If it is not sealed, the vegetables can be considered spoiled.
2. Take a pack of vegetables and shake it. If you find large stuck together lumps, this aspect indicates repeated freezing.
3. Pay attention to the expiration date of the product, also look at the freezing date. Vegetables frozen during their selling season will contain the maximum amount of vitamins.
4. When choosing a mixture, pay due attention to the composition; it should contain an equal ratio of components. If a package with a frozen product is covered with frost, this sign indicates non-compliance with the storage temperature conditions.
5. The pack should not be swollen; this results in the development of microorganisms in the composition. When choosing frozen vegetables by weight, do not rush to purchase bright or faded specimens. The product must have a natural color.

Rules for cooking frozen vegetables

1. Consider the fact that frozen vegetables cook 2 times faster than fresh food. Therefore, when cooking soups, these ingredients are added last.
2. Frozen vegetable mixture is quite edible without special preparation. The only condition is the correct defrosting of the product.
3. If you are not going to cook right away, place the bag in a plastic container and cover with a tight lid. Place in the refrigerator.

Proper cooking of frozen vegetables

• For boiling a bag of vegetables weighing 400 g. pour 0.7 liters into a small saucepan. drinking water. Place the pan on the fire and wait until it boils. If necessary, add spices and various seasonings to your taste.
• Then pour the vegetable mixture into a heat-resistant container with boiling water. Stir the ingredients, cover with a lid, allowing excess steam to escape. Cook the mixture for about 12 minutes.
• After the time has passed, drain the vegetables in a colander and wait until all the liquid has drained. Place the vegetables in a container convenient for you, mix with any dressing. The dish is ready to eat.

Classic quick snack recipe

• drinking water - 65 ml.
• onion - 1 pc.
• salt - amount at your discretion
• sunflower oil - 40 gr.
• frozen vegetables - 450 gr.
• seasonings - to taste

1. Peel the onion and chop it into small cubes. Place the product in a thick-bottomed container, pour in the oil. Turn on the heat, fry the onion until translucent, then add the vegetables.
2. Stir the mixture, adding spices and water. Then cover loosely with the lid. Simmer the vegetables for about half an hour. After some time, taste the mixture. If the dish is ready, serve it to the table.

Healthy breakfast with vegetables

• chicken eggs - 3 pcs.
• frozen green beans - 110 gr.
• granulated garlic - 5 gr.
• table salt - to taste
• milk - 35 ml.
• corn oil - 20 ml.

1. Place the beans in a dry, hot frying pan and wait until the moisture has completely evaporated. At the same time, mix the eggs, milk and seasonings, beat the mixture until smooth.
2. After the moisture in the vegetables has evaporated, add oil to them and stir. Fry the mixture until bronzed. After this, pour in the egg mixture. Mix the ingredients and reduce the heat to low. Wait for the omelet to cook.

Roasted frozen vegetables

• package of vegetables - 1 pc.
• fine salt - to taste
• olive oil - 65 gr.
• seasonings - 10-15 gr.

1. Pour the package of frozen food into the pan. Place a heatproof container over high heat. Fry the vegetables so that all the moisture evaporates.
2. After this, add oil and spices. Stir the mixture and cover with a lid. Reduce the heat on the stove to low and simmer for about 8 minutes.
3. Once ready, use at your discretion as an independent delicacy or serve with potatoes, meat, or fish.

Mixed vegetables in a slow cooker

• frozen vegetables - 380 gr.
• water - 0.5 l.

1. Pour water into the multi-bowl and place a container on top of it for steaming food. Place frozen ingredients.
2. Close the household appliance with a lid, set the “Steam cooking” program, the approximate cooking time is about 15 minutes.
3. After this, transfer the prepared vegetables into a container, season with spices and other additives, and stir well. The dish can be consumed.

Baked vegetables with bacon

• bacon - 350 gr.
• frozen vegetables - 900 gr.
• spices - to taste
• fresh herbs - in fact

1. Cut the bacon into small pieces, place on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 6-8 minutes, simmer at 190 degrees.
2. After this, place the vegetables on top of the meat product and add spices to taste. Place back into the oven for another 5 minutes. If desired, the finished dish can be sprinkled with grated cheese.

Fried pineapple mixture

• carrots (frozen) - 100 gr.
• cauliflower (frozen) - 110 gr.
• broccoli (frozen) - 120 gr.
• pineapple in a jar - 90 gr.
• fresh lemon - ½ pc.
• potatoes - 50 gr.
• starch - 10 gr.
• fresh cilantro - 25 gr.
• olive oil - 75 gr.
• salt - actual quantity

1. Pour olive oil into a frying pan and add vegetables to it. Fry the mixture over medium heat. After this, chop the pineapple into cubes, chop the lemon and herbs. Place in a blender.
2. Then pour the resulting sauce into a small container, add starch to it, mix well. Add the mixture to fried vegetables and simmer over low heat until it becomes a paste.

Vegetables with buckwheat

• purified water - 450 ml.
• buckwheat - 230 gr.
• mixed vegetables - 390 gr.
• sunflower oil - 50 ml.

1. Pour the buckwheat into a small container, add water and rinse the cereal. Remove excess particles. After this, put the buckwheat on the stove, add salt to taste, and cook until done.
2. Then fry the vegetables in oil and add spices, stir the mixture. Add buckwheat to the total mixture. Cover the heat-resistant container with a lid, set the burner to low, and simmer for 4 minutes.

Frozen vegetable soup with stew

• onion - 1 pc.
• potatoes - 3 pcs.
• carrot - 1 pc.
• stew - 330 gr.
• crushed pepper - to taste
• tomato paste - 55 gr.
• white cabbage - 130 gr.
• mixture of vegetables - 350 gr.
• salt - to taste
• green beans (frozen) - 200 gr.
• various spices - to taste

1. Place purified water in a small saucepan and boil it. Chop the potatoes into large slices, grate the carrots, chop the cabbage and onions.
2. Add spices, potatoes and cabbage to boiling water, stir. At the same time, fry onions, beans and carrots in tomato paste in a thick-bottomed frying pan.
3. Pour the frozen vegetables into a common saucepan and cook for about 12-15 minutes. After the time has passed, add the stew to the mixture and simmer for 6 minutes.
4. After this, add the frying mixture, stir the soup, turn off the heat. Let the dish sit for half an hour.

Casserole with vegetables

• mixed vegetables (frozen) - 950 gr.
• hard cheese - 170 gr.
• milk - 140 ml.
• chicken eggs - 3 pcs.
• vegetable oil - 35 gr.
• salt - 12 gr.

1. Place frozen vegetables in boiling water and cook for about 7 minutes. After this, place the mixture in a colander and wait until the liquid has completely drained.
2. Grease a baking sheet with oil and place boiled vegetables on it. Beat eggs with milk, stir in grated cheese, add salt to taste. Pour the mixture over the vegetables.
3. Place the baking sheet in a preheated oven at 190 degrees. Wait about 12 minutes, serve the finished dish with fresh herbs.

Vegetable stew

• frozen vegetables - 450 gr.
• broccoli (frozen) - 300 gr.
• onions - 2 pcs.
• spices - to taste
• vegetable oil - 85 gr.

1. Pour vegetable oil into a thick-bottomed pan, add finely chopped onions and vegetables. Sprinkle seasoning mixture and stir.
2. Fry the mixture over the fire for 3 minutes, then reduce the stove to minimum power and cover the pan with a lid. Simmer for about 25 minutes.

Vegetables with seafood

• Mexican mixture - 650 gr.
• seafood cocktail - 400 gr.
• green salad - 90 gr.
• soy sauce - 55 ml.
• olive oil - 95 ml.
• lemon juice - 40 ml.
• French mustard - to taste
• crushed white pepper - 9 gr.
• table salt - 15 gr.

1. Pour olive oil into a thick-bottomed frying pan, place seafood in it, add seasonings to taste. Fry the food over high heat for 7 minutes, then pour lemon juice over it.
2. Then place the vegetable mixture on top of the seafood cocktail. Simmer until the liquid evaporates completely. Then pour soy sauce over the dish. Stir the mixture and fry. Wash the lettuce leaves, chop and mix with mustard. Add to the total mass. Mix well and serve.

Baked chicken fillet with vegetables

• chicken breast - 450 gr.
• drinking water - 65 ml.
• homemade sour cream - 85 gr.
• vegetable mixture - 1.2 kg.
• table salt - 12 gr.
• pepper - 6 gr.
• greens - to taste
• sesame seeds - 20 gr.
• spices - to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 195 degrees. Place the vegetable mixture on a baking sheet and distribute the water evenly. Finely chop the chicken fillet and roll in spices.
2. Add salt to the vegetables, place pieces of meat on top. Pour over sour cream mixed with sesame seeds. Then place the pan in the oven and wait 20-25 minutes.
3. After preparing the dish, place it on serving plates and garnish with fresh herbs. If you wish, you can also add various mushrooms to the sour cream sauce.

Freezing vegetables yourself

1. If you decide to freeze vegetables yourself, select the products you need. Inspect them carefully to ensure there is no damage to the fruit. After this, rinse thoroughly.
2. Dry the vegetables, removing inedible parts if necessary. Chop to your taste. If you are going to freeze carrots, bell peppers, beets or greens, you must scald them with boiling water, then place them in cold water for a few seconds.
3. Dry the vegetables, then distribute them into portioned bags made of thick polyethylene with a plastic zipper. Remove air before freezing. You can also place the vegetables on a tray and place them in the freezer. As soon as the product freezes, pack the mixture into packs.

Experiment with recipes and serve the vegetable mixture as a side dish. Season it with various additives and sauces. To keep food frozen for a long time, the temperature in the freezer should be about -20 degrees.

How to deliciously cook frozen vegetables

Modern stores offer a huge selection of frozen vegetables - separately by type, as well as in various mixtures. And almost every housewife has at least one package of this product in the freezer of her refrigerator. Let's figure out where and how you can use frozen vegetables.

Innovative technologies, especially in food processing, have made life much easier for modern women. After all, few of them are now engaged only in housework - the overwhelming majority of the female population is actively working. But this circumstance does not at all relieve many people from solving such a pressing question as “what to cook today?”

And frozen vegetables sometimes become indispensable helpers in solving this problem. After all, this product does not need to be cleaned, does not need additional processing, it does not even require defrosting. Prepares quickly.

And another undoubted advantage of the mixtures is that they are able to supply the necessary vitamins to our table all year round. And if at the height of summer more preference is given to fresh vegetables, then in other seasons, especially in winter and early spring, frozen vegetables are simply irreplaceable.

Indeed, during the freezing process, almost all of their beneficial properties are preserved.

The right approach to choosing

Many supermarkets offer frozen vegetables, both packaged and in bulk. And if the loose ones can be carefully examined and any major discrepancy can be noticed, then the packaging reliably hides the product from our eyes.

What do you need to do to buy a quality product?

Features of preparing frozen vegetables

So, the mixture has been purchased, all that remains is to figure out how to prepare it and what to serve it with. It is worth remembering some nuances before you start cooking:

1. The time required to cook frozen vegetables is approximately half the time required for standard cooking of raw vegetables. Don't forget about this when storing products. In soup, for example, such ingredients should be added almost at the end of cooking;
2. You don't necessarily need to cook these vegetables; they are edible raw. But in this case they require defrosting. It is best to defrost without opening the package, placing the closed bag in a bowl. The dishes must not be made of metal, have a lid or be covered with film. Defrosting is carried out not in a warm place, but in a cool place. The best place for this is the shelf at the bottom of your refrigerator.

How to properly cook frozen vegetables

If you are planning a side dish of boiled frozen vegetables, then you need to prepare them just before serving. Don’t be afraid to be late and delay your meal - such mixtures cook very quickly. Plus, you don't need to defrost them. You simply open the package and place it in boiling water.

In order to boil a standard packet of vegetable mixture weighing four hundred grams, you will need to pour about one and a half liters of water into the pan.

Then the pan is placed on the fire and the water boils. During the process, add salt and the seasonings you need to the water.

After the water boils, pour the vegetables into it, stir them, wait until the water boils again, loosely cover the pan and cook the mixture for ten minutes.

After which the vegetables are placed in a colander to drain the liquid. Then the vegetables are placed in a bowl and seasoned to taste with vegetable or butter, vinegar, sour cream, or some sauce of your choice.

How to deliciously cook frozen vegetables without spending a lot of time and effort

Quick dinner recipe

Frozen vegetables are a lifesaver, especially when you need to cook something and there is very little time. Instead of using instant semi-finished products that are not always healthy, it is better to use a package of frozen mixture, which will make a tasty, healthy and easy-to-fit dish. What we need:

First of all, cut the onion into small pieces. Then add vegetable oil to the pan and place the onion in the pan.

When the onion turns golden, add the vegetables and stir well. Then add salt and spices, stir again, add water.

Simmer with the lid closed for twenty to twenty-five minutes. After which a delicious and healthy dinner is ready.

Frozen vegetables in a frying pan

This is another way to quickly cook food. The whole process does not take much time. And it doesn’t require any effort on your part - all you need to do is open the package and place the mixture in the frying pan. But this easy task has its own nuances.

So, the frying pan is placed on the fire, and the vegetables are placed in it. The frying process begins.

The heat should be high for two to three minutes; do not cover the pan with a lid, because it is necessary to get rid of the moisture that will result when the mixture defrosts during the cooking process.

When the water has completely evaporated, add vegetable oil, salt and seasonings.

Stir the mixture, cover the pan with a lid and fry until done.

Such a dish can be independent, or can act as a side dish for potatoes, cereals or fish.

Steamed vegetables in a slow cooker

As is known, steam, of all types of heat treatment, best preserves the beneficial properties of products. And all multicookers are equipped with a program for steaming dishes. All we need for cooking:

• Water - a couple of glasses for a multicooker;
• Frozen vegetables - 1 pack.

Pour water into the main bowl of the multicooker and place a bowl on top for steaming dishes. Pour vegetables into it. Close the lid of the multicooker and set the “Steam” program, setting the time to 8-12 minutes.

You can find out the exact time from the table in the instructions for your multicooker, everything is indicated in detail there. After the time has passed, transfer the prepared vegetables into a dish, salt them and season to your liking.

Also, you can cook two dishes at once by placing some kind of grain, such as rice, in the main bowl, and putting a vegetable mixture in the upper bowl as a side dish. The total cooking time will depend on the time mode selected for cooking the cereal.

You can also cook all kinds of dishes in a slow cooker with the addition of frozen vegetables.

Quick and healthy breakfast

To prepare an omelet with green beans you will need:

• Frozen green beans - one hundred grams;
• Eggs - 2-3 pieces;
• Garlic - 1 clove, or a pinch of granulated;
• A little milk;
• Salt to taste;
• Vegetable oil.

Pour the bean pods into the frying pan and wait for the liquid to evaporate. At this time, beat the eggs with milk in a container using a whisk, add garlic and salt.

When the water has completely evaporated from the pan, add vegetable oil and stir the vegetables. Then pour in the egg mixture and mix everything again. Cover the pan with a lid and cook the omelette until done.

Buckwheat with vegetables

To prepare this dish you will need the following ingredients:

• Buckwheat - 1 cup;
• Water - 2 glasses;
• Frozen mixture - 1 pack;
• Vegetable oil.

Place the washed buckwheat in a pan with water and add salt. Boil the cereal until tender. Then pour oil into the frying pan and pour the vegetable mixture into it, mix and salt it.

Cook the vegetables for about ten minutes, then pour the buckwheat porridge into the frying pan. Mix everything and leave on low heat for another five minutes with the lid closed. After which you can serve the dish on the table.

How to freeze vegetables yourself

You can stock up on a storehouse of vitamins at home by freezing your own vegetables. What needs to be done for this?

So you have become acquainted with various ways of preparing such a healthy product as frozen vegetables. Now you know how to fry them, boil them, steam them with rice, etc., without spending a lot of time on cooking.

And if you find the time to freeze vegetables yourself, then in winter you will always have a product on hand of which you can be sure of its quality.

Frozen vegetable mixtures appeared on supermarket shelves not so long ago, but have already won the love of many customers. They are especially popular with people who care about their appearance and healthy eating, because such sets are a storehouse of various vitamins and minerals. Dishes and recipes made from frozen vegetable mixtures are very tasty and easy to prepare.

Before you start cooking, we suggest you familiarize yourself with the range of this product.

Varieties of frozen vegetable sets

Each manufacturer of this product can use different packaging, take vegetables from different countries, write their own recipes on the label, but the main component of the product almost always remains the same. Regardless of the season, these vegetables are always fresh, and cooking with them is a pleasure.

There are several main compositions:

• Lecho: onions, tomatoes, zucchini, carrots and paprika;
• Mexican: carrots, corn, green beans, peas, corn, celery, red beans, peppers;
• Hawaiian: corn, rice, peas and peppers;
• Chinese: bamboo shoots and soybeans, onions, peppers, celery, green beans, corn, cabbage, Chinese black mushroom;
• Country style: potatoes, onions, broccoli, peppers, beans, carrots, corn;
• Spring bouquet: 3 types of cabbage (broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts), carrots, peas, onions, bean pods;
• Mushroom soup: champignons, carrots, onions, potatoes;
• For scrambled eggs: tomatoes, onions, paprika, zucchini, celery.

You can also buy frozen vegetable mixtures for making sorrel soup and borscht, and individual vegetables (for example, green beans, tomatoes, French fries).

It is recommended to purchase sets that are no more than six months old. Cut vegetables should move freely throughout the package and not be stuck together in one lump. Which company to give preference to is up to everyone to decide for themselves. Frozen vegetable mixtures “4 seasons” are of fairly high quality. It is pleasant to cook any dishes from them.

The simplest recipes are to pour the contents of the bag into a steamer or frying pan, add meat, cereals or other vegetables if desired, and thoroughly steam everything under the lid. But this is an option for the lazy. Below we will tell you how to prepare frozen vegetable mixtures quickly and tasty.

Recipes for cooking from frozen mixtures

Since packaged vegetables have been blast frozen, they can be cooked fairly quickly. There is no need to defrost them first; they are added to soups and stews as is.

Recipes can be found on the back of the package, you can come up with them yourself, or you can find them on the Internet:

• You can prepare aromatic mushroom soup in 25 minutes. To do this, you will need a bag of the product of the same name, 3 liters of broth, salt, pepper and herbs. Pour the contents of the package into salted boiled broth. Stirring thoroughly, bring the soup to a boil and cook until tender. Before turning off the heat, pepper the dish and add finely chopped dill and parsley. Cover with a lid and let sit for 5 minutes;
• The Mexican version will make a delicious soup, light side dish, original salad or omelette with vegetables. Recipes with boiled chicken meat and vegetables from a steamer are perfect for the diet. You can cook meals together in a slow cooker. Cut the chicken breast into small pieces, add salt, and place in a cooking container with 1 liter of water. A steamer tray is installed on top - this is for Mexican freezing. Close the lid and set the “quenching” mode for 30 minutes;
• For frozen Mexican mixed vegetables, salad recipes can be very varied. After boiling the contents of the package in salted water and cooling, add diced ham or smoked sausage. Mayonnaise or mayonnaise-mustard sauce is used as a dressing. Lovers of proper nutrition can add lettuce leaves to boiled vegetables and season with lemon juice. Such recipes are very healthy and nutritious;
• You can cook soup from a frozen vegetable mixture in 30 minutes. Regardless of the season, you will need a “Spring” set, a can of stew, salt, pepper, tomato paste. Pour the chopped potatoes and the purchased set into boiling water. While everything is boiling, you can prepare the frying of onions and tomato paste. The stew is added 15 minutes after the potatoes. After another 5 minutes, add the onion and tomato. Dill and parsley will be useful for the winter and spring seasons. They are poured in after the potatoes are cooked. All that remains is to add salt to the soup and cover with a lid, let it sit for 3 minutes, after which you can eat it;
• There are many dishes that are healthy, but not everyone likes them. Using frozen vegetable mixtures you can prepare quickly, tasty and healthy. Ragu is exactly the product that everyone will like. To prepare it, you can use a Mexican preparation or take the “Rustic” set. Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan. Onions and frozen foods are added to it. After mixing thoroughly, add a little water (50 ml for 1 pack of vegetables), salt, pepper and, covering with a lid, leave to simmer. In 20 minutes the dish will be ready. If there are no potatoes in the mixture, you will have to add them. In this case, the water and cooking time will need to be adjusted;
• You can prepare many delicious dishes from frozen mixtures with mushrooms. The simplest thing is an omelette or casserole. The first is best cooked in a saucepan on top of the stove, the second in a special form in the oven. First, butter, then vegetables are poured in, their composition may depend on the season or the packaging chosen, then eggs are beaten with milk and grated cheese. Salt and pepper all this. Top with a layer of grated cheese. You need to cook on the stove until a crust forms on top, and in the oven at 180 degrees for only 10 minutes. Before serving, you can sprinkle with herbs.

These recipes are simple and don't require much time. You can also save on the mixtures themselves if you know how to prepare them during the autumn-summer season.

Freezing vegetables

To prepare frozen vegetable mixtures yourself, you will need the following products:

• different types of cabbage (cauliflower, white cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli);
• tomatoes;
• carrot;
• green peas or green beans;
• pepper;
• zucchini or eggplant.

You can add greens, but it is better to freeze them separately.

We carefully sort and wash all products. After this they need to be cut. For these purposes, you can use a shredder, a figured or regular knife or a grater. How to cut - decide for yourself. In order for vegetables to be useful throughout the season, they must be frozen correctly.

To make cooking easier later, and for the products to retain their bright color and rich taste, it is better to blanch them. Each culture is dipped separately from the others. Place the vegetables in a colander and rinse with cold water, then dry them with a towel. Some recipes, such as soup, are designed for raw rather than semi-cooked foods, so you don't need to dip the vegetables in boiling water for these dishes.

In a large container, mix all the ingredients except the tomatoes and place in plastic ziplock bags. It’s better to put in 500 g portions. All that’s left is to add the tomatoes and you can close. We squeeze the edges tightly and release excess air from the bag, then fasten the lock. The mixture is ready to put in the freezer.

Are frozen mixed vegetables healthy?

This type of product has many advantages. The main one is naturalness. Modern technologies make it possible to prepare them without losing the vitamins and minerals they contain. Such products are mainly made from domestic vegetables, and they are much healthier than imported ones.

By purchasing vegetable mixtures, you save not only money, but also time. This product is usually inexpensive and can be stored in the freezer for more than 1 year.

The recipes are printed right there, but even without them you can whip up a complete breakfast or dinner. The soup will be rich and aromatic, the salads will be low-calorie, and the stew will be satisfying. Therefore, such sets are very useful and popular. Bon appetit!