- Wash, dry, and remove kale leaves from the stems. Place into a zip top freezer bag.
- Seal the bag, removing as much air as possible. Freeze!
- Remove frozen kale from the freezer.
- Crush the leaves.
- Measure out some for your green smoothie.
Can you freeze Kale for smoothies?
If you want to make healthy smoothies, you can freeze kale for months and use it whenever you need it. Here are some tips for doing this. First, blanch the kale leaves before freezing. Next, use a salad spinner or reusable storage bag to separate the leaves.
How do you Blanch Kale before freezing?
Therefore, if you wish to blanch your kale before freezing it, place the leaves (and stems, if you choose) into a pot of boiling water for 2.5 – 3 minutes. Then quickly transfer the leaves to ice water for an equal amount of time. Dry the leaves the best you can, then place them on a baking tray and flash freeze them.
Can you freeze raw greens for smoothies?
You can freeze your leafy greens while they’re still raw You can puree spinach, kale, or other greens with water and freeze the mixture in cubes, for easy use in a green smoothie.
How do you freeze fresh spinach greens?
Just follow these instructions: Wash your greens. In a blender, combine 3 handfuls of spinach with 1½ cups water. Blend until smooth. Pour your mixture into ice cube trays. After the cubes are frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe storage bag.
Can you put spinach and kale in freezer?
You can freeze kale (and bagged spinach), so you can keep it on hand without it getting all gross and stinky in the back of your refrigerator. It's incredibly simple to do, but if you're new to freezing vegetables make sure keep reading to understand how to make the best use of your frozen kale (or spinach).
Is it better to freeze kale raw or cooked?
Blanching kale before freezing prevents the leaves from turning bitter, helps maintain their color and extends storage life. Blanched kale can be frozen for up to 6 months. To blanch kale, bring a large pot of water to a boil and fill a large bowl with ice water.
Can you freeze fresh kale without blanching?
Kale can be frozen without blanching but should be used within 4 weeks. Blanching greens before freezing stops the naturally-occurring ripening enzymes in the leaves. This will ensure that the leaves taste fresh and will not develop a bitter taste. Blanched kale will last up to 1 year in the freezer.
Can frozen kale be used in smoothies?
Can Frozen Kale Be Used in Smoothies? Another option to make your life easier is using frozen kale. I recommend removing the stems before freezing the kale leaves, as the stems are bitter in flavor and will affect the overall taste of your smoothie. (I save the leftover kale stems for juicing, instead.)
How do you prepare kale for freezing?
Step-by-Step InstructionsWash, dry, and remove kale leaves from the stems. Place into a zip top freezer bag.Seal the bag, removing as much air as possible. Freeze!Remove frozen kale from the freezer.Crush the leaves.Measure out some for your green smoothie.
Does freezing kale destroy nutrients?
A good amount of research has been done comparing the nutrient levels in frozen versus fresh vegetables and the conclusion is that many of the minerals and vitamins are not easily destroyed by either the blanching or the freezing process. In short, your frozen leafy greens are still loaded with nutrients!
Can I freeze fresh spinach for smoothies?
Freeze Spinach: Put the spinach filled freezer bags in the freezer and store for up to 1 month. Add to Smoothies: No need to thaw, just add the frozen spinach leaves right from the freezer to your blender when making smoothies.
Is it OK to freeze fresh kale?
You can freeze kale without blanching, but plan to use it within four to six weeks. Unblanched kale may develop a bitter flavor because you haven't stopped the action of the naturally-occurring ripening enzymes in the leaves.
What can I do with too much fresh kale?
8 Ways To Use Up Your Leftover KaleKale Smoothie. In some ways, kale might seem like the last green that you'd want to add to a smoothie because its texture isn't exactly, um, smooth, and its flavor can be a little bitter. ... Kale Frittata. ... Kale Lettuce Wraps. ... Summer Kale and Green Goddess Soup.
Should I cook kale before putting it in a smoothie?
You can eat kale raw in a smoothie (no need to cook it first). The raw kale flavor is strong on its own, but the other ingredients mellow it.
How do you make kale smoothies not chunky?
0:191:41No more Leafy Chunks! How to blend a Creamy Green Smoothie - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo tip number one use spinach so a lot of recipes use kale kale is a little harder for blenders toMoreSo tip number one use spinach so a lot of recipes use kale kale is a little harder for blenders to pulverize. And get really smooth.
How do you cut kale for a smoothie?
An easy way to prep kale for smoothies, salads, and other recipes: Use a sharp knife to slice the kale off of the tough middle stem, then chop the leaves into bite-size pieces. To wash the kale, we're going to use a salad spinner. If you don't have a salad spinner, I highly recommend investing in one.
Does cooked kale freeze well?
If you're suffering from salad fatigue, or just can't eat another plate of sautéed spinach, we've got good news: Leafy greens are one of the easiest things to preserve. You can't preserve tender lettuce, but hardier greens like Swiss chard and kale lend themselves perfectly to freezing.
What is the best way to preserve kale?
Store Whole Bunches In the Fridge To avoid excess moisture, wrap the whole bunch of kale in a layer of paper towels, and store in a supermarket plastic bag or a zip-top plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper drawer. The kale should keep for 1 week.
Is frozen kale as nutritious as fresh?
If you're wondering whether frozen kale is as healthy as the fresh stuff, it totally is. It has all of the same nutrients that fresh kale has, and sometimes even more, depending on how “fresh” your fresh kale really is.
Can I freeze fresh kale?
Quick-freeze small clumps of kale individually on a cookie sheet. After they're frozen, place clumps into freezer bags in bulk. Remove as much air as possible from bags before sealing. When you freeze kale like this, you can grab a handful for a smoothie, or pour out more to create a side dish.
How to freeze kale and chard?from blenderauthority.com
The two main ways to freeze kale, chard or spinach is either. 1) Rinse and freeze. 2) Blanch and freeze.
How long does frozen spinach last?from vibranthappyhealthy.com
How long does frozen kale and spinach last? Assuming they were at top condition before freezing and as long as they’re left unopened and the container is sealed properly, frozen kale should last between 6 to 8 months, and frozen spinach should last between 10 to 12 months.
How to pack spinach in a bag?from vibranthappyhealthy.com
Once you’ve rolled the whole bag, simply seal it up. If you are using any other kind of freezable container, you’re going to want to be sure to pack the spinach and or kale tightly inside.
Why blanch spinach before freezing?from blenderauthority.com
A lot of people like to blanch spinach and other greens before freezing to help retain the color and nutrition.
How to cook pre-blanched greens?from epicurious.com
Make a frittata. With pre-squeezed, pre-blanched greens, you don’t need to go through the steps of cooking the greens (in batches) in this frittata recipe. Simply sauté them a bit to thaw and warm through before adding in your eggs. 9. Fill some dumplings.
Why do you dry spinach leaves?from vibranthappyhealthy.com
The reason for this is that any extra water that’s left on or around your leafy greens is going to freeze and increase the chance of frostbite.
How to make spinach last longer?from vibranthappyhealthy.com
Wilted, weepy, damp, or oddly-colored spots are some signs of decay on spinach and kale. By removing any troublesome leaves, you’re making the whole batch last longer.
How to Freeze Spinach?from chefsresource.com
Freezing spinach requires a little extra prep work initially. However, it is possible to freeze a large amount of spinach at the same time . Freezing spinach is actually very quick and easy once you know how.
How to keep spinach fresh?from chefsresource.com
Pat the spinach dry with paper towels or use a salad spinner to remove the excess moisture. Put your spinach in a freezer bag and place a paper towel inside the bag. This will help to absorb moisture while your spinach is in the bag.
What Are The Health Benefits of Spinach?from chefsresource.com
Spinach is often referred to as a superfood, and it is packed full of iron, calcium, and magnesium. Eating raw spinach is an excellent way for vegans to get the calcium and iron that may be missing from their diet. Here are some of the key ways that regularly adding frozen spinach to your smoothies can boost your health.
How to freeze German sausage?from chefsresource.com
You can use the ice cube indents to freeze individual portions of spinach. Simply press the spinach down into the ice cube indents and put the tray in the freezer.
How to clean spinach leaves?from chefsresource.com
First, rinse your raw spinach to remove any dirt and debris. Make sure you remove any brown and soggy-looking leaves while you are cleaning the spinach. Even one bad leaf can speed up the wilting process of the surrounding leaves.
How long does spinach last in the fridge?from juicerspot.com
Spinach is usually sold in bunches or large bags. Unfortunately, spinach starts to wilt and go bad in just a couple of days, even in the fridge. Unless you use a huge amount of spinach regularly, you are likely to have to throw some of the spinach away.
How much calcium is in spinach?from chefsresource.com
Spinach is rich in both calcium and vitamin K. There is 250 milligrams of calcium in a cup of spin ach, which helps to strengthen bones and teeth.
What is Kale?
You can add kale, a healthy dark leafy green, to salads, smoothies, Buddha bowls, and various other foods. A “SUPERFOOD” designation has also been given to it because of the number of vitamins and minerals it contains. A fantastic strategy to consume more greens and enjoy this unique vegetable is to include kale in your weekly meal preparation.
Can You Use Frozen Kale in Smoothies?
You can also use frozen kale to simplify your life. Before freezing the kale leaves, I advise cutting off the stems because they have a harsh flavor and will change how your smoothie tastes. (Instead, I reserve the leftover kale stems for juicing.) The whole leaves can be frozen for up to three months and used as needed.
How to Thaw Frozen Kale?
If you only need a few handfuls of kale, it defrosts relatively fast, but if you need to thaw a greater quantity, you can speed up the process by putting the bag in a basin of cool water.
What are the Health Benefits of Kale?
Because of its high nutritional content and low-calorie count, kale is sometimes referred to as a “superfood.” For the following reasons, I aim to consume more of it:
Can I Add Raw Kale to a Smoothie?
In the same family as broccoli and cauliflower, kale is a cruciferous vegetable that includes glucosinolates. These also include thiocyanates, a substance that has raised some concern about consuming raw kale because it may impair thyroid function.
How to Make the Best Kale Smoothie?
For an outstanding sweet and tangy balance of flavors, this smoothie’s secret ingredient is a tropical blend of fruits, including mango, banana, and orange juice. Kale won’t blend well with foods that are too mild in flavor, so I avoid doing that. (For instance, I would never add greens to my Chocolate Avocado Smoothie.)
Is Frozen Kale Safe to Eat?
Yes! If vegetables are gathered and served at the pinnacle of freshness when their vitamins are at their highest, frozen vegetables can be healthier than fresh vegetables.
How long does it take to freeze kale?from wholefully.com
Dry with towels or a salad spinner. Tear the leaves from the woody stems. Spread the kale leaves out on a large baking sheet. A few layers are fine, as long as the kale is dry. Stick in the freezer for 2-3 hours. When the kale is frozen, move it to freezer-safe containers or bags.
What is the best way to preserve kale?from wholefully.com
We highly recommend freezing kale to preserve it! Freezing locks in the nutrients, and, unlike other greens like spinach, kale is sturdy enough to retain a lot of its texture during the freezing process.
Can you freeze fresh kale without blanching?from wholefully.com
Yes! In fact, we prefer it because unblanched kale retains its texture well. However, one big advantage of blanching kale is that it takes up a lot less space in the freezer because the kale has wilted. To blanch kale: bring a large pot of water to boil, plunge in the kale for 1-2 minutes, or until bright green and beginning to wilt. Immediately plunge kale into an ice bath to stop cooking.
Should I thaw frozen kale before using it?from wholefully.com
Nope, no need! The kale will thaw very quickly in hot foods. Here are a few ideas we have for using your frozen kale:
How to store ice cube puree?from wikihow.com
When the puree is frozen through, remove it from the ice cube trays or muffin tins and transfer it to a sealable plastic freezer bag. This will free up your ice cube trays, and make the puree easier to store.
How to puree kale in a blender?from wikihow.com
Blend the kale. Cut your kale into quarters and transfer a few handfuls to the blender. Measure out 1 cup (237 ml) of water and drizzle some over the kale. Turn on the blender and pulse a few times to break up the kale. Add a few more handfuls of kale and another drizzle of water. Repeat until you’ve pureed all the kale, using up to a cup of water if necessary.
Why does my kale freezer burn?from wikihow.com
Air and moisture are the two major causes of freezer burn. If you have a vacuum sealer use that to get rid of excess air in the bag. Oherwise, you can use a straw to suck out extra air to keep your kale freezer-burn free. Read on for another quiz question.
How to Freeze Spinach?from chefsresource.com
Freezing spinach requires a little extra prep work initially. However, it is possible to freeze a large amount of spinach at the same time . Freezing spinach is actually very quick and easy once you know how.
How to keep spinach fresh?from chefsresource.com
Pat the spinach dry with paper towels or use a salad spinner to remove the excess moisture. Put your spinach in a freezer bag and place a paper towel inside the bag. This will help to absorb moisture while your spinach is in the bag.
What Are The Health Benefits of Spinach?from chefsresource.com
Spinach is often referred to as a superfood, and it is packed full of iron, calcium, and magnesium. Eating raw spinach is an excellent way for vegans to get the calcium and iron that may be missing from their diet. Here are some of the key ways that regularly adding frozen spinach to your smoothies can boost your health.
How to freeze German sausage?from chefsresource.com
You can use the ice cube indents to freeze individual portions of spinach. Simply press the spinach down into the ice cube indents and put the tray in the freezer.
How to clean spinach leaves?from chefsresource.com
First, rinse your raw spinach to remove any dirt and debris. Make sure you remove any brown and soggy-looking leaves while you are cleaning the spinach. Even one bad leaf can speed up the wilting process of the surrounding leaves.
How long does spinach last in the fridge?from chefsresource.com
Spinach is usually sold in bunches or large bags. Unfortunately, spinach starts to wilt and go bad in just a couple of days, even in the fridge. Unless you use a huge amount of spinach regularly, you are likely to have to throw some of the spinach away.
How much calcium is in spinach?from chefsresource.com
Spinach is rich in both calcium and vitamin K. There is 250 milligrams of calcium in a cup of spin ach, which helps to strengthen bones and teeth.
Does freezing kale destroy nutrients?
No, frozen vegetables are actually healthier than fresh vegetables if they are picked and prepared at the peak of freshness when their vitamins are at their peak. ( source)
How do you make kale last longer?
Be sure to wrap the kale in paper towels before storing it in the refrigerator.
About
Welcome to Elapasony, a blog for foodies! My name is Michael and I am so happy you’re here. While I work full-time in the traveling healthcare field, food is my number one passion. It is truly beautiful that you can explore unique foods every day and there is still always something new to try.
Disclaimer
Elpasony.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.
How to freeze kale smoothies?from foodlove.com
How to Freeze Kale Smoothie Bags. Rinse the kale, de-stem, and chop into bite-size pieces. Rinse and chop any other fruits or vegg ies you like for smoothies, such as banana, apples, raspberries, mango, cucumber, avocado, and celery. Add the fruits, veggies, and kale to freezer bags. Label and date.
How to freeze kale?from foodlove.com
Another great way to freeze kale is by quickly blanching it first. Blanching is a fancy word for cooking food quickly in boiling, salted water. To blanch kale, start by cutting it your desired size. Remove the woody stems, then roughly chop the kale int o bite-sizez pieces that are easy to eat.
How to remove kale from the stem?from foodlove.com
Wash the kale leaves thoroughly. Remove the stem with a knife or by sliding your thumb and forefinger up the stem to detach the leaves. Chop the leaves into small pieces. Place the greens in a colander to drain off any excess water. If necessary, pat dry with paper towels or a dishtowel.
What to do with frozen kale?from foodlove.com
Here are some of my favorite ways to use the frozen vegetable: Stir raw kale into chili, tomato sauce, or minestrone soup. Add puréed kale into vegetable soups, baby food, or oats. Blanched kale adds color, nutrition, and flavor to curries, stir-fries, and eggs.
How to keep kale from clumping?from foodlove.com
To keep the fresh kale from clumping up into frozen chunks, lay the greens out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Freeze this for about an hour, until the leaves are pretty solidly frozen. Then stash everything in a zip-top bag for long-term storage. Store fresh kale in freezer-safe sealed bags for easy access.
How to make kale pops?from foodlove.com
Purée the greens until they’re mostly smooth. You can then divide the green purée between ice cube trays or popsicle molds to keep single-serving kale “pops” on hand to add color and nutrition to your meals.
How to get water out of kale?from foodlove.com
One easy way to remove excess water is by squeezing the washed leaves dry with a clean dishtowel or paper towel. Kale is pretty hardy, so don’t worry about damaging the leaves.
How long does it take to freeze kale?from wholefully.com
Dry with towels or a salad spinner. Tear the leaves from the woody stems. Spread the kale leaves out on a large baking sheet. A few layers are fine, as long as the kale is dry. Stick in the freezer for 2-3 hours. When the kale is frozen, move it to freezer-safe containers or bags.
What is the best way to preserve kale?from wholefully.com
We highly recommend freezing kale to preserve it! Freezing locks in the nutrients, and, unlike other greens like spinach, kale is sturdy enough to retain a lot of its texture during the freezing process.
Can you freeze fresh kale without blanching?from wholefully.com
Yes! In fact, we prefer it because unblanched kale retains its texture well. However, one big advantage of blanching kale is that it takes up a lot less space in the freezer because the kale has wilted. To blanch kale: bring a large pot of water to boil, plunge in the kale for 1-2 minutes, or until bright green and beginning to wilt. Immediately plunge kale into an ice bath to stop cooking.
Should I thaw frozen kale before using it?from wholefully.com
Nope, no need! The kale will thaw very quickly in hot foods. Here are a few ideas we have for using your frozen kale:
How to store ice cube puree?from wikihow.com
When the puree is frozen through, remove it from the ice cube trays or muffin tins and transfer it to a sealable plastic freezer bag. This will free up your ice cube trays, and make the puree easier to store.
How to puree kale in a blender?from wikihow.com
Blend the kale. Cut your kale into quarters and transfer a few handfuls to the blender. Measure out 1 cup (237 ml) of water and drizzle some over the kale. Turn on the blender and pulse a few times to break up the kale. Add a few more handfuls of kale and another drizzle of water. Repeat until you’ve pureed all the kale, using up to a cup of water if necessary.
Why does my kale freezer burn?from wikihow.com
Air and moisture are the two major causes of freezer burn. If you have a vacuum sealer use that to get rid of excess air in the bag. Oherwise, you can use a straw to suck out extra air to keep your kale freezer-burn free. Read on for another quiz question.
