Freezing Fresh Foods the Right Way

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Frozen Fruit in BagWe’re all spending more time at home these days, so why not spend some of it learning to extend the life of your produce? Freezing food is one of the best ways to combat food waste and allows you to have plenty of food on hand for an extended period of time.

What You’ll Need

  • Veggies and fruit of choice
  • A pot of water
  • Salt
  • An ice bath (a bowl or bucket of water with ice in it)
  • Colander
  • Large sheet pan
  • Freezer bags or resealable plastic containers
  • Freezer set to 0˚ F or colder
  • Freezing Fresh Produce

    The best way to freeze fresh vegetables is to blanch them first. Blanching is a simple cooking technique that prepares the food to preserve freshness. First, you want to prepare the food as you would if you were getting ready to eat it (e.g. trim stems from green beans, cut cauliflower or broccoli into florets, peel and slice carrots and so on). Next, boil a pot of water and just before adding the vegetables, add a couple of teaspoons of salt to the water. Salt helps to maintain color and improve flavor, but it may be omitted if you wish. Add the vegetables to the pot in small batches so that the water continues to boil and cook them for a minute or two. Using a colander, immediately drain and transfer the vegetables to an ice-water bath to halt the cooking process. After draining, spread them out onto a large sheet pan to dry thoroughly (wet veggies will develop frost), spread onto a sheet pan, freeze, then transfer to freezer bags and store in your freezer. Freezing fruits is similar, but you can skip the blanching step.

    Freezing Fresh Herbs

    You can freeze fresh herbs by chopping them, mixing them with a small amount of water or olive oil and then freezing the mixture in ice cube trays. Once frozen, transfer the cubes to freezer bags for storage.

DIY Natural Spring Cleaners

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Need spring cleaning inspiration?

Many products we use to clean our homes have harsh chemicals that can be harmful to our children and pets. Revamp your spring cleaning routine with these natural, DIY cleaning products from our friends at Fresh Mommy Blog, Recipes to Nourish and Root + Revel! These homemade natural cleaners are created with ingredients from Sprouts that are natural and chemical-free. And the best part is, you may already have some of the items in your home.

Chemical-free Stainless-steel Cleaner by Fresh Mommy Blog

This DIY glass and stainless steel cleaner is streak-free with the addition of a simple surprise ingredient. It’s natural, chemical-free and easy to make with items you probably already have around the house!

Ingredients:DIY Natural Cleaners: Stainless-steel cleaner with at-home ingredients

  • Glass bottle in a 16 oz. size at least (stainless steel is also safe.)
  • Spray top
  • 1 cup of Distilled water
  • ½ cup Alcohol
  • ½ cup Sprouts White Vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp. Corn starch
  • 6 drops Pure orange essential oil (optional)
  • 6 drops Pure lemon essential oil (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Using a funnel, add ½ cup of vinegar to the glass bottle.
  2. Add ½ cup rubbing alcohol. (Optional: remove from recipe or replace with vodka.)
  3. Pour 1 tablespoon cornstarch in through the funnel.
  4. Top with 1 cup distilled water. This will also help to get the rest of the cornstarch out of the funnel.
  5. Optional: add 10–12 drops of essential oil for extra disinfecting power and scent.
  6. Assemble spray top on the bottle and shake well before each use.

Non-toxic Toilet Bowl Cleaner by Root + Revel

Looking for a safe and non-toxic way to clean your bathroom? This DIY Toilet Cleaner recipe is a natural and effective way to clean and deodorize your toilet. To make fizzy homemade toilet bombs, pods or tablets, all you need is five natural ingredients for a deep cleaning you won’t believe (no scrubbing required)!

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup Sprouts Baking Soda
  • 1/4 cup Citric acid
  • 1 Tbsp. Dr. Bronner’s Sal Suds
  • 1 tsp. Hydrogen peroxide
  • 25 drops Essential oils (I recommend peppermint)

diy toilet cleanerInstructions:

  1. In a large glass bowl, whisk baking soda and citric acid together until blended.
  2. Very slowly, add Sal Suds, hydrogen peroxide and essential oils, mixing slowly as you go to ensure you don’t activate the dry ingredients. The mixture should be dry enough that you can mold it into balls, but wet enough that it doesn’t fall apart.
  3. Fill a silicone mold with cleaning mixture, or you can form small balls (about the size of golf balls) with your hands and place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper to avoid sticking.
  4. Allow the toilet bombs to air dry about 6–8 hours or overnight.
  5. Transfer to a glass jar and store in the bathroom.
Notes: I place these in the bowl of my toilet every 5–10 flushes to keep the toilet bowl clean and smelling great!  

Refrigerator Cleaner with At-home Ingredients by Recipes to Nourish

It’s so easy to make your own DIY refrigerator cleaner with three common ingredients. This lemon-herb vinegar mixture is money-saving, chemical-free and very effective for cleaning.

Ingredients:Natural fridge cleaner

To Make the Lemon-Herb Vinegar
  • 4 cups Sprouts Organic Distilled White Vinegar
  • 5 Lemon peels – yellow rind and white pith only, not the inside flesh
  • 1 lg. sprig Fresh rosemary or thyme
  • 1 quart or ½ gallon Mason jar with lid
To Make the Refrigerator Cleaner
  • 1 cup Lemon-herb vinegar
  • 1 cup Water, very hot
  • 1 Dish sponge or cloth rag
  • 1 Spray bottle – preferably glass OR large glass bowl

Instructions:

To Make the Lemon-Herb Vinegar
  1. Add the lemon peels and rosemary or thyme to a ½ gallon (8-cup) Mason jar.
  2. Pour 4 cups of vinegar over the lemon peels and herbs, making sure they are covered and submerged.
  3. Cover with a lid and let sit on the counter, out of direct sunlight, for 1 week or up to 2 weeks.
  4. Strain the lemon-herb vinegar through a fine-mesh strainer into a quart (4-cup) Mason jar.
To Clean the Refrigerator
  1. Add the lemon-herb vinegar and hot water to a spray bottle or a large glass bowl.
  2. If using a spray bottle, spray the mixture onto all refrigerator surfaces like the walls, drawers and shelves and use a dish sponge or cloth rag to wipe down and clean the surfaces.
  3. If using a glass bowl, soak and ring out a dish sponge or cloth rag in the lemon-herb vinegar water solution and wipe down and clean all of the refrigerator surfaces.
  4. Repeat steps as needed until the inside of the refrigerator is clean.
Notes:
  • Advance preparation is required.
  • Yield: 1-quart lemon-herb vinegar
  • Storage: Can be stored in a covered glass container for up to a year.
  • Uses: Save leftover mixture for weekly refrigerator spot-treatment maintenance or for monthly deep-cleaning. Alternatively, you can add the remaining lemon-herb vinegar to a spray bottle with filtered water using a 1:1 ratio and use as an all-purpose natural cleaner for cleaning most surfaces. [Note: Vinegar is known to kill up to 80 percent of bacteria, mold and most germs.]
  • Tip: If you have some stubborn spills in your refrigerator you can sprinkle a little baking soda over the stubborn spill and do a light spray of the cleaning mixture, then put a little elbow grease into it. Baking soda is one of the best natural cleaners when you need something a bit more abrasive.

How to Clean Your Makeup Brush without Harsh Chemicals by Root + Revel

Say goodbye to toxic chemicals and expensive store-bought products. For this DIY Makeup Brush Cleaner, you only need three ingredients to create an easy and effective homemade solution.

women's hand cleaning makeup brushesIngredients:

  • 1 oz. Sprouts Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1/2 oz. Lavender castile soap
  • 6 drops Organic tea tree oil

Instructions:

  1. In a large glass bowl, combine all 3 ingredients and stir to combine.
  2. Swirl your makeup brushes in the cleaning solution until thoroughly coated.
  3. In a second glass or bowl filled with clean water, swirl the coated brush until rinsed through. (You can go back and forth between the cleaning solution and the water as many times as you need to until the brush is completely clean and all color is gone. Sometimes it helps to rinse under the faucet, as well.)
  4. When you’re done, simply pat the brush on a clean microfiber cloth and lay flat to dry. (I like to let my brushes dry overnight, but it usually takes about 6–8 hours to dry naturally.)

SHOP CLEANING ESSENTIALS

Easy Weeknight Meals with Frozen Goodies

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Easy Weeknight Meals with Frozen Goodies

Get ready to master your meals at home with delicious freezer-finds. Stock up on your favorite frozen foods and use them to create these tasty breakfast and dinner dishes. You’ll be surprised at how these recipes from our blogger friends come together so easily and taste so fresh!

Did you know?

Because they’re picked at peak ripeness and frozen shortly after harvest, frozen fruits and vegetables retain their vitamins, minerals and taste!

Six Recipes Using Frozen Ingredients

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At-home meals are a cinch with these easy, freezer-friendly recipes! Pick up these ingredients ahead of time and whip them up next time you’re in a pinch.

_BBQ-Quesadilla-@kalefornia_kraving

BBQ Chicken Quesadillas

These hearty BBQ chicken quesadillas are sweet, spicy and delicious. They’re gluten-free and made with only seven ingredients.

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One-Skillet Lemon Garlic Shrimp and Vegetables

This easy, one-skillet recipe is packed with fresh ingredients and perfect for those busy weeknights.

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Veggie Burger Pasta Bowl

Enjoy fresh, colorful veggies in this pasta bowl packed with plant-based protein!

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Taco-Waffles-@-garlicandzest

Taco Waffles

These savory waffles are made with Sprouts Organic Hash Browns, seasoned ground beef and all your favorite toppings.

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Pesto Greens Pizza

Go ahead and reach for that second slice! This pizza is topped with good-for-you greens and a savory pesto.

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Beyond Meat Burgers with Shiitake Mushrooms

Create a mouthwatering, vegetarian burger that everyone will love. It’s quick and easy!

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Winter Citrus Creations

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Winter citrus lovers, unite! If you enjoy the bright, zesty flavor of Sumo Mandarins, Cara Caras, Meyer Lemons and more–these recipes are for you! Explore the season’s most flavorful fruits, but only for a limited time. You’ll be living your zest life with these colorful citrus recipes.

https://www.sprouts.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/WP-Citrus-Salad.jpg

Salted Honey Citrus Salad

Complement any dish with this fresh and vibrant citrus salad.

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Meyer Lemon Energy Balls from Sprouts Farmers Market

Meyer Lemon Energy Bites

Brighten up your day with these zesty, nutritious Meyer lemon energy bites.

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Tilapia Fish Tacos with Orange Salsa from Sprouts Farmers Market

Fish Tacos with Cara Cara Orange Salsa

Enjoy flavorful fish tacos topped with a vibrant Cara Cara orange salsa.

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Meyer Lemon Roasted Salmon with Kale from Sprouts Farmers Market

Garlic Meyer Lemon Butter Salmon and Kale

Enjoy this quick and simple weeknight dinner featuring salmon and kale.

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Coconut lime cheesecake in a jar from Sprouts Farmers Market

Coconut Lime Cheesecake Mousse

Sweet and tangy lime cheesecake mousse is complemented with coconut for a tropical combo!

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Maple Citrus Roasted Pecans from Sprouts Farmers Market

Maple Orange Roasted Pecans

Flavorful and full of good-for-you fats, these roasted pecans are perfect for your afternoon snack or a quick dessert.

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SHOP SEASONAL CITRUS


Fresh Spring Recipes

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Spring is right around the corner, making it the perfect time to refresh your meals with the freshest fruits and vegetables from Sprouts! You’ll find the seasons best produce like artichokes, asparagus, avocados and pineapples–at prices you’ll love!

Oven-Roasted Artichokes

Oven Roasted Artichokes from Sprouts Farmers Market

Easily roast these artichokes in the oven and serve alongside a honey-orange dipping sauce.

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Spring Roll Bowl with Spicy Sunflower Butter

Spring Roll in a Bowl from Sprouts Farmers Market

Enjoy this deconstructed, spring roll in a bowl! Packed with veggies, spice and a flavorful, sunflower butter sauce.

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Pineapple Coconut Ice cream

Pineapple coconut ice cream from Sprouts Farmers Market

This vegan ice cream is the perfect treat after a day full of springtime activities.

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SHOP SPRING PRODUCE