Tips to Freeze What You Grow

With plenty of gardening comes plenty of produce, but what can you do with all of it? You certainly can’t eat it all at once, and canning everything is a pain in the neck. However, your freezer might give you another option. Saving produce by freezing it is often very efficient, fast and easy to do. Most vegetables and fruits can be frozen without any loss of flavor. Plus by preparing it ahead of time you can make your meals faster and easier than ever. Here are some tips for freezing your produce:

Cut it Up

The first step to freezing your produce is preparation. You should cut the fruits and vegetables into the sizes you will use for meals. For example I peel and slice my peaches for use in pies and smoothies before I freeze them. I also shell my peas, dice my bell peppers, and shred my zucchini. By having the produce all ready to go it not only makes my meal preparation faster but makes it easier to freeze them. Keep in mind that some produce needs to be blanched before freezing to preserve the flavor and color.

Lay It Out

After the produce is prepared, it is time to freeze it. Although you can toss it all in a freezer bag and throw it in the freezer it is a lot harder to use it that way. It also takes up more room in your freezer. Instead, take a cue from the professionals and lay out your produce before freezing it. Get a large cookie sheet and line it. Then spread out the prepared produce in a single layer and freeze it. After it is frozen you can easily pour it into a container and it will be much easier to manipulate and defrost later. For liquids, like pureed produce and herbs, you have two options. You can pour it into an ice cube tray and freeze before putting the cubes in a bag. Or you can lay the bag on its side and freeze in a thin layer that is very easy to store.

Package It Well

Keep in mind that your produce will only stay fresh if you package it well. A regular sandwich bag will not do the trick. Instead make sure you use bags especially made for freezing or other methods that will keep your produce fresh. Vacuum sealing is a great way to keep produce fresh in the freezer for over a year!

Invest in a Good Freezer

Last but not least, you should invest in a good freezer to keep your produce lasting longer. The one that comes with your refrigerator is okay for short term storage, like a month or two, but for longer periods an independent freezer is much better at preserving foods. Just think about how much money you are saving on produce year round and it will make the investment of a freezer seem less overwhelming.

As you can see, freezing your produce is a great, easy way to make the most of your garden. Do not throw away rotten produce because you can’t eat it fast enough. Instead save it for up to a year or more in your freezer and have great fruits and vegetables any time of year that are tasty and homegrown.

16 Superb Health Benefits of Cucumber

Pick a handful of firm, dark green cucumbers and pop them into your shopping basket.

Congratulations! You have just bought yourself a fruit (yes, the cool cuke is fruit, not a vegetable) full of good health!

Here is a short list of the impressive health benefits that a cucumber carries:

• Keeps you hydrated. If you are too busy to drink enough water, munch on the cool cucumber, which is 96 percent water. It will cheerfully compensate!
• Fights heat, both inside and out. Eat cucumber, and your body gets relief from heartburn. Apply cucumber on your skin, and you get relief from sunburn.
• Flushes out toxins. All that water in cucumber acts as a virtual broom, sweeping waste products out of your system. With regular use, cucumber is known to dissolve kidney stones.
• Lavishes you with vitamins. A B and C, which boost immunity, give you energy, and keep you radiant. Give it more power by juicing cucumber with carrot and spinach.
• Supplies skin-friendly minerals: magnesium, potassium, silicon. That’s why cucumber-based treatments abound in spas.
• Aids in weight loss. Enjoy cucumbers in your salads and soups. My favorite snack? Crunchy cucumber sticks with creamy low-fat yogurt dip.
• Revives the eyes. Placing chilled slices of cucumber on the eyes is a clichéd beauty visual, but it really helps reduce under-eye bags and puffiness.
• Cuts cancer. Cut down your risk of several cancers by including cucumber in your diet. Several studies show its cancer-fighting potential.
• Stabilizes blood pressure. Patients of blood pressure, both high and low, often find that eating cucumber brings relief.
• Refreshes the mouth. Cucumber juice refreshes and heals diseased gums, leaving your mouth smelling good.
• Helps digestion. Chewing cucumber gives the jaws a good workout, and the fiber in it is great for digestion.
• Smooths hair and nails. Silica, the wonder mineral in cucumber makes your hair and nails stronger and shinier.
• Soothes muscle and joint pain. All those vitamins and minerals in cucumber make it a powerful enemy of muscle and joint pain.
• Keeps kidneys in shape. Cucumber lowers uric acid levels in your system, keeping the kidneys happy.
• Good for diabetics. Patients of diabetes can enjoy cucumber while also reaping its health benefits: cucumber contains a hormone needed by the cells of the pancreas for producing insulin.
• Reduces cholesterol. A compound called sterols in cucumber helps reduce bad cholesterol.

[via Care2]