[1] You can mix frozen berries into your oatmeal and enjoy them immediately (photo © Dole).

[2] Save money with frozen chopped beef. You can even cook frozen burgers without defrosting them (photo © Butcher Box).

[3] It’s much easier to enjoy mango frozen at the peak of sweetness than to figure out how sweet a fresh mango will be (photo © Kroger).

[4] Frozen rice is a great deal. It helps us eat more brown rice (photo © Birds Eye).

March is National Frozen Food Month (National Frozen Food Day is March 6th). Our working mom loved the convenience and cost savings of frozen vegetables. We had a huge freezer, and we kids enjoyed our nightly choice of picking the two boxes of frozen veggies we wanted for dinner.

Decades later, frozen foods still mean convenience and savings. Frozen food companies know to pick and freeze fruits and vegetables when they are just right to eat. Specialists in frozen fish and meat know just how to deliver the proteins at their tastiest.
 
 
SOME TIPS

Mom used to steam our frozen veggies, but according to Buffalo Market:

“Sauteing frozen vegetables on the stovetop guarantees the best texture and flavor. As a secondary option, you could roast them in the oven or even cook them on the grill. All three of these options are going to result in better-tasting veggies than if you boil, steam or microwave them.”

Oops.

And don’t defrost frozen vegetables first, because they can lose their crunchy texture. (As always, read package directions before cooking anything.)

> Here are more Buffalo Market tips.

In our own kitchen, we toss berries, corn, edamame, and green peas directly from the freezer into batter/dough, omelets, salads, and soups.

According to Eating Well:

“The average American throws away around $1,300 per year from wasted food. That’s more than Americans’ average annual spending on vehicle gasoline, apparel, household heating, or property taxes.”

> The history of frozen food.
 
 
TOP FROZEN FOOD RECOMMENDATIONS

Berries. Berries in season have a short shelf life. If you don’t eat them in a couple of days, they can dry up and develop mold. Berries out of season aren’t as sweet and are pricier. They’ve traveled overseas to get to your grocer’s (more food miles†).

Chopped Beef. Save money on burgers, meatloaf, pasta sauces, shepherd’s pie, and other dishes by buying frozen chopped beef. If you eat burgers regularly, you can cook them frozen; and you can also thaw them and use the chopped meat in other recipes.

Corn, Green Peas & Edamame. Our three personal favorites in the veggie department. We like them in casseroles, omelets or scrambled eggs, pasta, salads, stews, and soups.

Fish. Frozen fish fillets* or steaks thaw overnight in the fridge or in 10 minutes by using the hot water technique.

Mango. We got tired of trying to peel a mango in a way that looked presentable. Plus, we often misjudged its ideal ripeness: Peel it too soon and it’s hard and fibrous, too late and it’s mushy. But frozen mango chunks seem to be just right.

Rice. Microwaved individual packets of brown rice (and other grains) are on the table in 3 minutes, fluffy and delicious. We learned to buy frozen rice from a nutritionist who wanted us to eat more whole grains.

Spinach. Frozen spinach was perhaps the first frozen food we ever bought. It was specified for a spinach-artichoke dip we made for a party—and it remains the best form of spinach for dips and spreads. We also use it in casseroles and stratas, manicotti and stuffed shells (mixed with ricotta), omelets and quiches, pizzas, smoothies, and more. Just let it thaw and squeeze out all the water.

Other Vegetables. In addition to the veggies we’ve already mentioned, we happened across Southern Living’s favorite vegetables to buy frozen include broccoli, butternut squash, carrots, cauliflower, lima beans, okra, and peas.

However, there is some good news: “Farm-level eco-certification is increasing in Vietnam. Look for pangasius that’s been certified by Aquaculture Stewardship Council (‘ASC’), Best Aquaculture Practices (‘BAP’), or Naturland.”
 
†Food miles, or the distance between the place where food is grown to your plate, has a high carbon footprint. The carbon cost is actually around 19% of all food-related transportation emissions. Here’s more about it.

March 7th is National Crown Roast Of Pork Day. If you love pork roasts, consider a crown roast of pork for a special occasion.

What is a crown roast of pork?

Cut from the rib portion of the loin, a crown roast—whether lamb, pork, or veal—is one of the most impressive special-occasion entrées.

The “crown” is made from two rib racks that are bent into a circle and then tied together with kitchen twine. A butcher can do this and present you with a handsome circle of ribs, ready to cook (photo #4).

A pork rib roast is a smaller, simpler version of a pork crown roast, just one of the rib racks.

A delicious crown roast recipe follows.

This classic recipe is a crowd-pleaser. It’s from Betty Claycomb of Alverton, Pennsylvania, for Taste Of Home.

Says Betty: “It looks so elegant that everyone thinks I spent a lot of time on this roast. But it’s actually so easy!

“The biggest challenge is to remember to order the crown roast from the butcher ahead of time.”

> Check out the other cuts of pork.
 
 
RECIPE: CROWN ROAST OF PORK WITH MUSHROOM DRESSING

Ingredients

 
For The Mushroom Dressing

 
Preparation

You can see a video of the preparation here.

1. PREHEAT the oven to 350°F. Place the roast, rib ends up, in a shallow roasting pan and sprinkle with seasoned salt. Cover the rib ends with foil. Bake, uncovered, for 1-1/4 hours. Meanwhile…

2. MELT the butter over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and celery; sauté until tender. Stir in the bread cubes, salt, and pepper. Spoon the dressing around the roast. Brush the sides of the roast with the preserves.

3. BAKE until a thermometer inserted into the meat between ribs reads 145°F, 45-60 minutes. Remove the foil and let the meat stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

If you don’t want to slice the roast at the table, bring the platter to the table to present it to family and guests, before returning to the kitchen to slice.
 
 
________________
 
*The difference between dressing and stuffing: While they have the same ingredients, dressing is cooked in a pan, outside of the meat (or in a separate pan altogether), while stuffing is dressing that is stuffed and cooked inside a bird.

[1] A crown roast of pork with mushroom dressing. The recipe is below (photo © Taste Of Home).

[2] Each person gets a luscious slice of meaty rib (photo © Harry & David).

[3] While the dressing looks impressive in the center of the roast, it’s messy when the ribs are sliced (photo © Mackenzie Ltd).

[4] An uncooked crown roast, which consists of two rib racks tied together (photo © Robinson’s Prime Reserve).

It’s only here for the month of March, so gather ye bottles while ye may (photo © Diageo).

Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, there’s a limited edition flavor from Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur. Baileys Vanilla Mint Shake Irish Cream Liqueur is Baileys’ first-ever, minty green flavor, an adult (and proudly Irish) twist on a classic treat.

Vanilla, mint, and a hint of chocolate are blended into the delectable flavor of classic Baileys. The hue is pale green, and the liqueur is just waiting for you to:

 
It’s on shelves this month (or while supplies last), for $24.99 per 750 mL bottle.

Treat yourself, and get an extra bottle for a friend.

> The history of Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur.

> For more Baileys flavors and recipes, head to Baileys.com.

 
Preparation
 
1. BLEND the Baileys and ice cream and Baileys to your preferred thickness. ​

2. PLACE the desired amount of whipped cream (a lot or a little) into a bowl, add a drizzle of chocolate sauce, and fold the sauce into the whipped cream once or twice.​

3. POUR the shake into a tall glass, then top with the thick cream. Garnish as desired.

Variations

The Nibble played around with variations including chocolate, chocolate chip, and mint ice cream flavors. We really loved this shake with mint cookie ice cream.

For either the original or Nibble version, we preferred the taste and texture of crushed OREO Mint Flavored Creme Chocolate Sandwich Cookies to the shaved chocolate.

If you have long-handled spoons, you can go overboard and put a few cubes of brownie at the bottom of the glass, then pour the shake on top. When you’ve finished sipping the shake, spoon up the brownies, drenched in the shake.
 
 

As a food publication, we receive lots of samples. Energy bars, protein bars, and snack bars are a particular group that we’ve tasted and tasted, but find it hard to write about without spending lots of time on comparative nutrition. Health isn’t the focus of the Nibble; great-tasting food is. Hence, our Top Pick Of The Week, is great-tasting Simple Bars.

They’re less than a year old (launching August 1, 2022) and are well worth your attention.

Simple Bars are better-for-you snack bars with minimalist, healthy ingredients, starting with nuts and seeds for protein and fiber.

Founder Amanda Ament created the line because she “was amazed by the fact that I could not find a single sugar-free snack bar. Not one.

“I realized I could not possibly be the only one searching, so I decided to make my bars available to others.”

She worked with a food scientist to perfect the recipe and founded The Simple Company. Check out the photos of her journey to making delicious, sugar-free snack bars.

The bars contain:

 
 
FOUR DELICIOUS FLAVORS

Flavors include:

 
Each ingredient in each flavor has its own special natural properties that work together to create a unique, flavorful experience.⁣

Each 35g bar has 160 calories, 5g to 6g protein, and 7g to 8g dietary fiber.

We find them refreshing as a snack or as dessert, with a cup of coffee.
 
 
GET YOUR SIMPLE BARS

Head to SimpleBars.com.

All flavors are delicious, so we recommend the Variety Pack.

You may wish to get some for friends and family who are steering clear of Easter confections. Simple Bars are pretty much guilt-free, and the wrapper colors (photos #2 and #4) are just right for a pastel holiday.

[1] Simple Bars in four flavors: Almond & Dragonfruit, Chocolate Sea Salt, Almond Marcha & Chia, Walnut & Golden Spicess (photo © The Nibble).

[2] Go nuts with this protein-packed, all-natural snack bar (photos #2, #3, and #4 © Simple Bars).

[3] Beyond different nuts and seeds, each flavor has something special. Here, almond and chia are enhanced with matcha tea powder.

Energy bars and protein bars have become increasingly popular in recent years as a convenient and portable snack or meal replacement option for people on the go.

First, the difference between the two:

 
The history of energy bars and protein bars dates back decades.

 
Energy bars and protein bars began to trend in the 1990s. Balance Bar, MET-Rx, and ProBar Meal Bars debuted, marketed towards athletes, bodybuilders, and fitness enthusiasts.

But the natural foods movement and the increase in gym memberships engendered a wide variety of flavors and formulations and became popular snacks for busy people who wanted a convenient snack or meal replacement option for people who are busy or active and want something more nutritious than a Snickers bar.

They were soon joined by snack bars: not necessarily energy- or protein-focused, but better-for-you snacks. Brands proliferated, including Bobo’s Oat Bars, Lara Bars, Kind Bars, and Luna Bars, among numerous others.

Today there are bars to accommodate any food plan: gluten-free, keto, nut-free, vegan, etc. And thanks to Simple Bars, you can find a sugar-free snack bar, too!
 
 
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*The Chocolate & Sea Salt flavor has dark chocolate, and other flavors have allulose, a naturally occurring sugar that naturally occurs in fruits like figs and raisins. It’s about 70% as sweet as sugar and has virtually no calories. The bars contain just enough to provide a hint of sweetness. Here’s more about it.
 
 

[4] Simply delicious.

[1] Just wash and eat for a delicious snack or dessert (photo © Gelson’s Market).

[2] Strawberry milk. The recipe is below (photo © Bluebird Chelsea | London).

[3] Strawberry Rosé Ice Pops Recipe. The recipe is above (photo © California Strawberry Council).

[4] Frozen Strawberry Margarita. The recipe is above (photo © Discover California Wine).

February 27th is National Strawberry Day. As we were deciding which of our favorite strawberry recipes to feature, we thought: Why not present all of them?

Check them out, below.

May is National Strawberry Month.

> The history of strawberries.
 
 
STRAWBERRY RECIPES

 
 
STRAWBERRY TRIVIA