Marinate or acidify, dry or freeze? Signe Meirāne, author of cookbooks, blogger and healthy food supporter Līga Andžāne and assistant professor at the Latvia University of Agriculture, told how to keep the summer grown in summer for the autumn and winter months, and what to do if grandmothers’ recipes are not suitable due to health or belief. food technologist Solvita Campus.
IN SHORT:
- It is best to freeze the berries, but you can also cook the jam with less sugar using pectin.
- After blending, both berries and vegetables should be frozen immediately to prevent vitamin C loss.
Quick jam recipes from frozen berries:
Freezing is now considered to be the best way to preserve berries, as the loss of vitamin C is thus much lower than when the berries are cooked and sugared. Quick jams can be made from frozen berries in winter – in addition, this can be done by simply thawing the berries, it is not necessary to heat them. In this way, much less sugar needs to be added to the berries than is needed to make jams.
The author of cookbooks Meirāne chooses to preserve the benefits of the garden for the winter, using various methods – both canning and freezing. She has also found a way to cook jam with less sugar – organic stores have pectin, which helps the jam last longer, thus allowing less sugar to be used.
Blogger Andžāne, on the other hand, prefers freezing, because it not only reduces the amount of sugar in the diet, but also saves time in the kitchen, without having to cook time-consuming jams.
Vegetables can also be stored for the winter by freezing instead of canning. For example, tomatoes can be bleached, blended and frozen for use in a variety of sauces and soups.
Food technologist Campus, however, stressed that after blending, the benefits of the garden must be frozen immediately, because it releases enzymes that are more entrapped in cellular structures, and this contributes to the rapid loss of vitamin C. “If this mass is immediately frozen, the processes are slowed down and the loss of vitamin C is not so fast,” said Campus.
It should be recalled that the Ministry of Health new healthy dietary recommendations adults are advised to eat vegetables, fruits and berries every day, especially local and seasonal. The recommended amount is at least five servings or 500 grams of fruits and vegetables per day. At least half of them should be used fresh. It is also recommended to limit salt and sugar in the diet, as well as products containing them.
Quick jams from frozen berries
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Berry and here seed jam
(1 cup or 300g)
Required:
- 3-4 soft dried dates, pitted, pressed,
- 80 ml of water,
- 250 g of frozen berries (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, blackcurrants),
- 2 tbsp. here the seeds.
Preparation:
Put the squeezed dates in a small pan, add water and bring to a boil. Add the rest of the ingredients, mix, bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and set aside for 15 minutes to thicken the jam, leaving the sides of the pan lids and stirring occasionally to make the mass more homogeneous. (If the jam wants to be completely homogeneous, especially if large berries such as strawberries or blackberries are used, blend with a hand blender). Can be stored in a closed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Blueberry quick jam
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Required:
- 150 g of fresh or frozen blueberries,
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- 2 tsp. maple syrup,
- 1 tsp. Maltese cardamom,
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract.
Preparation:
Pour the berries and all the ingredients into a saucepan or small pan, heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Can be served with pancakes with unsweetened yogurt, almond crumbs, mint leaves.
Apple and berry jam
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Required:
- 2 apples, peeled, core removed, cut into small pieces,
- ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon,
- 100 g of frozen raspberries or other berries (any),
- 2 tbsp. maple syrup.
Preparation:
Put apples and cinnamon in a saucepan or small pan with a small amount of water (without exaggeration – just a lot so that the apples do not burn!) And on medium heat, stirring occasionally so as not to burn, allow to boil for about 20-25 minutes or until the apples become soft.
Stir in the frozen berries and maple syrup, cook for another 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally and squeezing the largest berries (such as strawberries) with a fork. When the jam has reached the desired consistency, remove from the heat. As the mass cools, the jam will continue to thicken.
Can be used with breakfast porridge, granola, chia pudding, baking banana bread, on toasted bread slices with nut butter or pancakes. Can be stored in a closed container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.
Summer berry jam
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Required:
- 400 g of frozen summer berries,
- 3 tbsp. maple syrup or liquid honey
- 2 tbsp. here the seeds.
Preparation:
Put the berries and maple syrup in a saucepan or small pan, heat over medium heat and cook for 5-10 minutes until the berries are soft. Remove from the hob and squeeze the berries with a fork (or mashed potatoes), add the seeds here, put back on the stove and cook on low heat for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and cool.
If you want spicier, you can add a little ginger or grated lemon peel.
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