You won’t believe this, but one of the reasons why people stop eating healthy is because of the seasonal salad.
When their favorite veggies or fruits are done for the season, they quit. Picking up the substitutes is not an option. That looks to me as an excuse.
We already know that many veggies are seasonal. This means that certain foods are available during a specific season.
Example: It is rare to find watermelon during winter. And even if you find it, this fruit is really expensive.
If your favorite food is really popular during summer, you will find it really hard to eat it during winter.
But there are lots of other vegetables and fruits you can eat.
Now, if you are all about your favorite food, I might have something that will teach you how to keep these foods fresh for the winter.
Here we go:
Freezing
Freezing the food is probably the best thing you can do to the food. It will stay as much as you like.
The best freezing method is really simple and has a few steps.
- Step 1: Wash the produce
- Step 2: Place it on a baking sheet put them in the freezer and leave them for 2 hours
- Step 3: Remove the baking sheet and place the produce in individual freezer bags
Make sure you will remove as much air as possible before freezing them again. Place them in the freezer and store them for months.
Dehydrating
The water level in these foods usually makes them bad. You can prevent that by dehydrating them.
If you want to dehydrate your produce, there are a couple of things you need to do.
- Step 1: Wash the produce
- Step 2: Chop the produce into small bites and place them on a baking sheet
- Set your oven to the lowest temperature available (150 degrees Fahrenheit)
The whole procedure could take between 6 and 8 hours. Check them periodically. When they seem dehydrated, store them in an airtight container.
Pickling
This is a nice option for peppers, peaches, cucumbers, tomatoes, and beets. The process requires from you to soak the produce in salt and acid. This is extremely popular in Europe.
To pickle a product you need to do a few simple steps:
- Step 1: Fill a ¼ mason jar with the vegetable
- Step 2: Add 3 tbsp. of distilled white vinegar and ¾ tbs. of sea salt
- Fill the rest of the jar with water and close the lid
- Store this in your fridge for up to 1 month
Canning or Jarring
Canning maybe seems like a huge process, but it’s not. You don’t need a special equipment to can products. You only need a few simple things everyone has.
You need mason jars with lids and a large kitchen pot.
Here are the steps:
- Step 1: Fill up your jars with water and place them in the large kitchen pot
- Step 2: Place the lids in the pot as well
- Step 3: Fill the pot with water and bring it to a boil
- Step 4: Remove from heat and let it cool slightly
- Step 5: Fill the jars with your produce and attach the lids
- Step 6: Wipe down the sides and place the jars in the boiling water
The boiling water will seal the jars that will help you preserve the product.
Fermentation
This is a method of producing healthy gut bacteria. Fermentation represents breaking down the sugars in your food. This result is achieved with bacteria, yeast, and other microorganisms.
The preserved food you will get is full with beneficial probiotics.
There you have it. You won’t believe how well the food will be after you decide to consume it.
You will feel the difference in the taste, but the benefits will still be here.
Share this with your friends. They would love to see this.
Source: The Science of Eating