When I’m in a rush to get dinner on the table (which is often), I turn to my freezer for help. I like to keep it well stocked with a few essential ingredients that will allow me to get a quick and effortless dinner on the table fast. Plus filling my freezer with healthy options makes it less enticing to run and get takeout. Here are a few of my favorite foods to have on hand and some of the recipes that use them:
1. Whole-Wheat Pizza Dough: With all the topping combos out there, I think it’s impossible to get tired of pizza—and with the dough at the ready, it’s a quick meal to pull together. Just take the pizza dough out of your freezer and let it thaw in your fridge 24 hours before you want to use it.
2. Fish Fillets: I’m a huge fan of frozen fish, especially when you can buy fillets in individually vacuum-sealed packages—that helps keep it from getting freezer burn. I like to stock up on wild Alaskan salmon and farmed U.S. tilapia. If you buy a big bag of fillets, just pull out what you need the night before you’re going to cook it and put it in the refrigerator. A 5-ounce fillet takes 8 to 10 hours to thaw in the fridge.
3. Fruits and Vegetables: There are many advantages to having bags of frozen fruit and vegetables on hand. For starters, many of them come already chopped, so that cuts down on prep time. And depending on the season, they can actually be better for you. Frozen fruits and vegetables are picked at their prime, meaning more flavor and more nutrients than their out-of-season counterparts. And most don’t have added sodium like canned vegetables do. If you thaw frozen fruit and vegetables, drain off any water that has collected in the bag or thaw them in a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl. Depending on the recipe, you may not have to thaw them at all. You can find almost any vegetable and fruit frozen, but I especially like to keep peas, spinach and a vegetable medley or two on hand. For fruit, I like blueberries and strawberries.
4. Whole-Grain Bread: Bread spoils easily, especially if it’s kept on the counter in plastic. For a while I avoided buying big loaves of bread because of this, until I discovered that bread (or bread products like wraps and hamburger buns) freeze beautifully. They don’t take much time at all to thaw. If fact, slices of bread go from freezer to toaster without a problem. Or just pull out what you need and let it thaw on the counter or in your fridge. It should only need an hour or two (depending on the temperature) to be ready to use.
5. Chicken Tenders: Why chicken tenders? They’re much smaller than conventional chicken breasts so they thaw out quickly. Plus, since they’re so small, they’re easy to cut up and add to a soup or stir-fry without having to commit to thawing and cooking a whole breast. Buy tenders at the store and repackage them in quart-size ziplock bags for convenience. Just transfer them to your fridge to defrost the night before you’re ready to use them.
6. Nuts: Nuts are full of good fats (especially walnuts, which have omega-3s), so I try to have them around as much as possible. They are great for baking, topping a salad or just plain snacking. And as it turns out, storing nuts in the freezer is actually better than storing them in your pantry: it prevents the oils from going rancid. They don’t take long to thaw—just 10 minutes or so on the counter and you’re ready to go.
7. Shredded Cheese: Even though I use cheese a lot in cooking, I used to inevitably end up with loose ends of forgotten blocks getting moldy in my fridge. Now I shred what I don’t use and freeze it. This works best with solid cheeses like Cheddar or Monterey Jack. When I need just a little bit (to top a salad, for example), it’s there. It thaws almost instantly and the texture and flavor remain unchanged.
Green Pizza
Makes: 6 servings
Active Time:
Total Time:
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound prepared pizza dough, preferably whole-wheat
- 2 cups chopped broccoli florets
- 1/4 cup water
- 5 ounces arugula ,any tough stems removed, chopped (about 6 cups)
- Pinch of salt
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup prepared pesto
- 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
PREPARATION
- Position oven rack in the lowest position; preheat to 450°F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to about the size of the baking sheet. Transfer to the baking sheet. Bake until puffed and lightly crisped on the bottom, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook broccoli and water in a large skillet over medium heat, covered, until the broccoli is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in arugula and cook, stirring, until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.
- Spread pesto evenly over the crust, top with the broccoli mixture and sprinkle with cheese. Bake until crispy and golden and the cheese is melted, 8 to 10 minutes.
NUTRITION
Per serving: 323 calories; 13 g fat ( 4 g sat , 7 g mono ); 19 mg cholesterol; 33 g carbohydrates; 15 gprotein; 3 g fiber; 511 mg sodium; 241 mg potassium.Salmon with Pepita-Lime Butter
Makes: 4 servingsActive Time:Total Time:INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons unsalted pepitas (see Tip)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lime zest
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 pound salmon fillet, skinned (see Tip) and cut into 4 portions
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
PREPARATION
- Toast pepitas (see Tip). Place in a small bowl with butter, lime zest, lime juice and chili powder.
- Generously coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and place over medium heat. Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper, add to the pan and cook until browned and just cooked through in the center, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Remove the pan from the heat. Transfer the salmon to a plate. Add the butter-lime mixture to the hot pan; stir until the butter is melted. Serve the salmon topped with the sauce.
TIPS & NOTES
- Tips: Pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds) can be found in the bulk-foods section of natural-foods stores or Mexican groceries.
- Place a salmon fillet on a clean cutting board, skin side down. Starting at the tail end, slip the blade of a long, sharp knife between the fish flesh and the skin, holding the skin down firmly with your other hand. Gently push the blade along at a 30° angle, separating the fillet from the skin without cutting through either.
- Place pepitas in a small dry skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.
NUTRITION
Per serving: 259 calories; 17 g fat ( 5 g sat , 5 g mono ); 74 mg cholesterol; 2 g carbohydrates; 24 g protein;0 g fiber; 360 mg sodium; 458 mg potassium.Tortellini Primavera
Makes: 5 servings, about 1 1/4 cups eachActive Time:Total Time:INGREDIENTS
- 1 14-ounce can vegetable broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 cup shredded fontina cheese or 3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon, dill or chives or 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups chopped vegetables, such as broccoli, carrots and snap peas, or 16-ounce bag frozen mixed vegetables
- 1 16-ounce package frozen cheese tortellini
PREPARATION
- Put a large pot of water on to boil.
- Meanwhile, whisk broth and flour in a small bowl. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until just beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the broth mixture to the pan, bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in cheese, tarragon (or dill or chives) and salt.
- Add vegetables and tortellini to the boiling water; return the water to a simmer and cook until the vegetables and tortellini are tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain; add to the pan with the sauce and stir to coat.
NUTRITION
Per serving: 424 calories; 15 g fat ( 8 g sat , 4 g mono ); 68 mg cholesterol; 55 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 14 g protein; 5 g fiber; 566 mg sodium; 321 mg potassium.Hot Chile Grilled Cheese
Makes: 4 servingsActive Time:Total Time:INGREDIENTS
- 4 poblano peppers (see Note)
- 1 14-ounce can pinto beans, preferably low-sodium
- 3 tablespoons prepared salsa
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons low-fat plain yogurt
- 3 scallions, sliced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 8 slices sourdough bread
PREPARATION
- Place peppers in a microwave-safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap and microwave on High until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Let stand, covered, until cool enough to handle.
- Meanwhile, combine beans, salsa and salt in a medium bowl. Mash the beans with a fork until they begin to form a paste (some can remain whole). Combine cheese, yogurt, scallions and cilantro in a small bowl.
- When the peppers are cool enough to handle, slice each one in half lengthwise and remove the stem and seeds.
- Heat a panini maker to high. (No panini maker? See Stovetop Variation, below.)
- Spread 1/3 cup of the bean mixture on each of 4 slices of bread. Top with a heaping tablespoon of the cheese mixture. Place 2 pepper halves over the cheese. Cover with the remaining slices of bread.
- Grill the sandwiches in the panini maker until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Cut in half and serve immediately.
TIPS & NOTES
- Note: Dark green poblano peppers, smaller than a bell pepper but larger than a jalapeño, can be fiery or relatively mild; there’s no way to tell until you taste them. Find them near other fresh peppers at most large supermarkets.
- Stovetop Variation: Place four 15-ounce cans and a medium skillet (not nonstick) by the stove. Heat 1 teaspoon canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place 2 sandwiches in the pan. Place the medium skillet on top of the sandwiches, then weight it down with the cans. Cook the sandwiches until golden on one side, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, flip the sandwiches, replace the top skillet and cans, and cook until the second side is golden, 1 to 3 minutes more. Repeat with another 1 teaspoon oil and the remaining 2 sandwiches.
NUTRITION
Per serving: 415 calories; 6 g fat ( 3 g sat , 1 g mono ); 13 mg cholesterol; 70 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 19 g protein; 9 g fiber; 761 mg sodium; 307 mg potassium.Parmesan-Crusted Chicken Tenders
Makes: 4 servingsActive Time:Total Time:INGREDIENTS
- Canola or olive oil cooking spray
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup coarse dry breadcrumbs, preferably whole-wheat (see Note)
- 1 pound chicken tenders
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup marinara sauce, heated
PREPARATION
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Place a large wire rack on a baking sheet and coat with cooking spray.
- Place flour in a shallow dish. Lightly beat eggs in another shallow dish. Combine Parmesan and breadcrumbs in a third shallow dish. Toss tenders with Italian seasoning, garlic powder and salt in a medium bowl. Coat each tender in flour, shaking off any excess. Dip in egg and let any excess drip off. Then roll in the breadcrumb mixture. Place the tenders on the prepared rack. Generously coat the top of each tender with cooking spray.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Turn each tender over and coat with cooking spray. Continue baking until the outside is crisp and the tenders are cooked through, about 10 minutes more. Serve the tenders with marinara sauce for dipping.
TIPS & NOTES
- Note: We like Ian’s brand of coarse dry whole-wheat “Panko breadcrumbs.” Find them in the natural-foods section of large supermarkets. To make your own breadcrumbs, trim crusts from firm sandwich bread. Tear the bread into pieces and process in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. (To make fine dry breadcrumbs, process until very fine.) Spread on a baking sheet and bake at 250°F until dry, about 10 to 15 minutes. One slice of bread makes about 1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs.
NUTRITION
Per serving: 293 calories; 8 g fat ( 3 g sat , 2 g mono ); 140 mg cholesterol; 22 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 31 g protein; 3 g fiber; 603 mg sodium; 465 mg potassium.
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