Why should the juiciest fruits only be a summer fling? Make the most of summer’s bounty and savour your fruit in these three creative ways. Now you can eat summer fruit all year long. 

Freezing 

Want to eat delicious mango and watermelon in the colder seasons without paying an arm and a leg for fruit that has been imported? Make the freezer your best friend in summer to savour the juicy in-season fruit for the rest of the year. Not only is freezing a budget-friendly way of preserving your fruit for later, but it will also lock up the healthy nutrients in those fruits (perfect for smoothies).  

Wash, peel and cut up the fruit as desired and place on a baking sheet. Make sure the fruits are not touching each other before placing your sheet in the freezer. Then, once frozen, place your fruit into freezer-friendly containers or Ziplock bags and store them in the freezer.  

@nutreats Yes there’s a right way to freeze your fruit for smoothies #kitchentips #cookinghacks #thatshot #tiktoksa ♬ original sound – nutreats | Recipes + Books

Drying 

Did you know that drying fruit was one of the earliest (and easiest) practices to preserve food? Dried fruit has a long shelf life, and these healthy bites make for a delicious snack (plus it’s a great add-on to any charcuterie board). But what exactly is it? Drying refers to dehydrating food by removing moisture that bacteria and moulds need to grow. You can either use air-drying or use an appliance like an oven or an electric dehydrator.  

Making jam 

A delicious fruit jam on a slice (or two) of warm, fresh bread? Yes, please! One of the best ways to preserve summer’s bounty is to make a jam or compote. Choose ripe fruit, add sugar and a splash of lemon juice and cook them down until they reach a thick, spreadable consistency. It’s that easy! Remember to sterilise the jars or use a hot-water-bath process to keep those jars safe. 

@mihle_duda Replying to @Bella&lt3 here’s the full #apricotjamrecipe I hope the steps are easy to follow. Please tag me when you have made yours #recipe #cooktok #diytok #apricot #summer ♬ Best Part – Instrumental – Smooth Jazz All Stars

The post 3 ways to savour juicy summer fruit for the rest of the year  appeared first on MyKitchen.

Don’t let those leftovers go to waste when you can turn them into something even better! Here are three ways that you can give those delicious leftovers new life. Not only will it reduce food wastage, but you can save time and (most importantly) your grocery budget.  

Breathe new life into your meals

Your extra portions are full of potential! Whether you’ve cooked way too much food or if that was your plan from the get-go, you can always breathe new life into any leftover portions. It might even taste better than your OG meal. Here are some suggestions for the following leftover ingredients:

Rice

Fried rice

Asian rice salad with shredded roast chicken

Immune-boosting lemony chicken and brown rice broth

Watermelon poke bowl

Meat

Spicy chicken with pea patties

Chicken mayo sandwich with pickled red onion

Vietnamese chicken pancakes

Pork spring rolls with red-wine reduction

Vegetables

Roast vegetable and ginger snap cups

Crispy Asian dumplings

Freeze for a busy day

Instead of storing your leftovers in the fridge, go straight for the freezer. Whenever you cook and have extra portions left, freeze them in small containers and mark them clearly. Those containers are a lifesaver when life gets too busy one day and you can just defrost a meal or use those small portions to re-create a quick new meal. That way you can cook once and still reap the benefits weeks later.

Clear your fridge once a week

Does your fridge look like a rainbow of containers filled with leftovers by the end of the week? Inspect all the contents, check what’s still good to eat, then serve your family a buffet-style meal with the week’s leftovers. Mix and match your food to create a main dish. Or create fun new dishes like wraps, sandwiches and salads by adding some extra ready-to-eat ingredients. It’s a no-fuss way of feeding your family without the hassle of cooking (again).

The post 3 ways to make the most of your leftovers appeared first on MyKitchen.

In the fight against food waste, an ice cube tray can become your most-used kitchen gadget. It’s an ideal way to store small amounts of leftover ingredients from cooking big meals. You’ll be surprised at our list of freezer safe foods, perfect to unmould and pop into your meal to add depth of flavour:  

– Brown butter (add to soups, stews and sauces) 

– Tomato paste (add to marinades, beef mince or chicken while cooking) 

– Yoghurt with fruit (add to smoothies or custards) 

– Red wine (add to the pan to deglaze while cooking) 

– Bacon fat (add to meat dishes or defrost and drizzle meat with it before cooking) 

– Pesto (add to sauces, pastas or defrost to brush pastries once out the oven)  

Remember to label your trays with the ingredient name and date of freezing. You don’t want a bacon fat lemonade!

Words by: Chad January
Photographs: Zhann Solomons, Fresh Living Magazine, Getty, Shutterstock 

The post Freezer-safe leftovers to use in your next meal appeared first on MyKitchen.

Become a fruit freezing pro with these tips below and enjoy summer fruits all year round. 

From bananas and tropical fruit to berries and more, prep your fruit for the freezer so you can enjoy summer’s bounty all year round. 

Freezing 101 

1. Wash, dry & slice 

Wash and dry fruit thoroughly before cutting it up. Remove any stems, cores and bits you would not want to eat. Cut up the large fruit, but keep the berries whole. 

2. Pre-freeze 

Pre-freezing prevents the fruit from sticking together – that way you don’t end up with a solid chunk. This makes it easier to defrost or blitz, plus keeps the fruit’s pretty shape for bakes. Line a tray (that fits into your freezer) with baking paper and spread fruit in a single layer. Freeze for 2-3 hours (or until completely frozen).  

3. Bag ’em up 

Transfer your prefrozen fruit into resealable bags or freezer safe containers. If using bags, get out as much air as you can to avoid freezer burn. 

4. Label and store 

Label your fruit (using a food-safe marker) with the date and type of fruit before storing in the freezer for up to 6-9 months. When ready to use, simply thaw your fruit in the fridge overnight or place in a bowl of cold water. Be sure to only thaw as much as you need, you don’t want to re-freeze it! 

Strawberry pop tart 

MAKES 18 

Make it boozy by adding 2 tots (50ml) vodka or gin to the jam after leaving it to infuse. 

Ingredients 

FOR THE JAM  

1 packet (200g) frozen strawberries 
½ cup (100g) sugar 
¼ cup (60ml) boiling water 
1 sprig fresh rosemary Squeeze orange juice 
2 rolls (400g each) puff pastry, defrosted 
Flour, for dusting 
1 whisked egg, for brushing 
1 cup (250ml) icing sugar, sifted 
1/3 cup (80ml) water 
Pink food colouring 
Sprinkles, for decorating 

Method 

1. Combine all the jam ingredients in a pot. 
2. Simmer for 15 minutes, until mixture is syrupy and the berries are limp. 
3. Turn off heat and allow to infuse for 5 minutes. Remove herbs. 
4. Set aside the jam to cool down completely. 
5. Preheat oven to 200°C and line 2 baking trays with baking paper. 
6. Roll pastry to 3mm thick on a lightly floured surface. 
7. Cut the pastry into 4cm x 8cm rectangles. 
8. Place tablespoons of the jam on half the rectangles, leaving a 1.5cm border clean. 
9. Brush the borders with the whisked egg, then lay remaining pastry rectangles on top to enclose. 
10. Run fingers around edges to secure, then crimp neatly with a fork. 
11. Place on the baking trays and chill in fridge for 15 minutes. 
12. Brush pastry with egg and bake for 15-18 minutes until golden. 
13. Mix the icing sugar and water, then add a few drops of food colouring. 
14. Decorate tarts with icing and top with sprinkles.

Pro tip
Before freezing your excess strawberries, be sure to cut to the green tops and halve or quarter them. 

Mixed berry and choc chip nice-cream 

MAKES ABOUT 1L 

Get the most out of your overripe bananas. Simply peel, cut into rounds and freeze. Use them directly from frozen for this cooling dessert. 

Ingredients 

½ cup full-cream milk 
6-8 frozen bananas, chopped 
1/3 cup castor sugar 
1 tsp cocoa powder 
½ -1 cup beetroot juice (optional) 
200g frozen raspberries + extra for serving 
500g frozen strawberries 
125g blueberries (blackberries work well too) 
100g dark chocolate, chopped + extra for serving 

Method 

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender, except for the chocolate. 
2. Blitz until smooth and fold through chocolate. 
3. Transfer the mixture to a 2L container 
4. Freeze for an hour if you prefer a so -serve texture, or freeze for 3-5 hours until fi rm and scoopable. 
5. Serve topped with chocolate and raspberries.

Pro tip
If using a resealable bag to freeze fruit, close it almost all the way, leaving a small slit to insert a straw. Suck the air out through the straw, quickly remove it and seal closed. This saves space in the freezer, plus avoids excess frost on fruit.  

Spiced carrot cake with cottage cheese frosting 

SERVES 6 

Adding pineapple to the batter results in an utterly moist and flavourful cake!  

Ingredients 

3 chai tea bags 
½ cup (125ml) hot milk 
2 cups (300g) cake flour 
1 packet (100g) peanuts, chopped (or mixed nuts) + extra for decorating 
2 tsp (10ml) bicarbonate of soda 
2 tsp (10ml) ground cinnamon 
2 tsp (10ml) baking powder 
½ tsp (3ml) fine salt 
1½ cups (300g) brown sugar 
4 eggs 
1 cup (250ml) sunflower oil 
2 cups (160g) grated carrot 
2 cups (420g) frozen pineapple, thawed 

FOR THE FROSTING  

1 tub (250g) smooth cottage cheese 
½ tsp (3ml) ground cinnamon 
4 cups (520g) icing sugar 
Lemon juice, to taste 

Method 

1. Steep tea bags in hot milk for 10 minutes, then discard bags. 
2. Preheat oven to 180°C and line two 20cm round loose-bottomed cake tins with baking paper.
3. Combine dry ingredients, except sugar, in a bowl. 4. Cream together sugar and eggs in a separate bowl until pale and fluffy. 
4. Whisk in the oil, then fold the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. 
5. Stir in the carrot and pineapple until it is only just combined.
6. Spoon the batter into baking tins. 
7. Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. 
8. Cool for 5 minutes in tins, then remove and cool on a wire rack. 
9. Cut the cakes in half horizontally to create 2 layers each. 
10. Whisk co age cheese until softened and smooth. 
11. Add the cinnamon and 1 cup icing sugar then whisk until smooth. 
12. Add remaining icing sugar in two parts, mixing in each one until smooth, then add a drop of lemon juice to taste. 
13. Pipe or spoon frosting between cake layers. 
14. Top cakes with frosting and nuts or decorate with spun sugar, if you like.

Pro tip
Cut o the top and bottom of your overripe pineapples. Peel o the sides and cut the flesh into smaller chunks. This works well with pre-cut pineapples too, which won’t last as long as whole pineapples, so the freezer really comes in handy for a no-waste solution. 

Words by: Gail Damon
Photography: Fresh Living Magazine 

The post How to enjoy summer’s bounty all year round appeared first on MyKitchen.

The sunny season is here, and that means some of the most delicious fruits and vegetables are in season. But it also means food spoils quicker. Make your favourite summer ingredients last longer and reduce wastage by trying these preservation methods.

Canning

Canning is no longer only associated with something our grandmothers used to do – this method for preservation has been used for hundreds of years and is still popular today. Canning is the perfect way to preserve seasonal fresh fruit and veggies, allowing you to enjoy these ingredients for months to come. To do this at home, we recommend following the water-bath canning method as minimal equipment is needed.

Water-bath canning is quicker than pressure canning, and entails filling sterilised jars with your ingredients, sealing them with a lid and then boiling vigorously for long periods of time. This method is perfect for high-acid fruit used to make jams, chutneys and other preserves.

Freezing

Your freezer is your best friend. Freezing food is not only cost-effective, but will lock in the nutrients from the day you place the food into the freezer.

For meats, fruit and vegetables, it is one of the most versatile preservation methods to extend the shelf life of food. Remember that you are reliant on electricity to use your freezer, so make sure your freezer works effectively to avoid food from spoiling.

Top tip

To keep food fresh, wrap and seal it tightly before freezing. Label and date it, and make sure you use it within six months.

If freezing cooked food, make sure the food is completely cool before placing into the freezer. Warm food placed into the freezer will cause the surrounding frozen items to thaw and then refreeze, which can ultimately cause food spoilage.

Dehydration

Dehydration has been a successful preservation method since ancient times. But with so many appliances to speed up the process of drying your food, sun-drying is not the only way to do it anymore. Ovens, electric food dehydrators and freeze-drying methods can now be used to make delicious biltong and your favourite dried mango slices in no time!

Top Tip

If using an oven to dehydrate your food, place it at a low temperature (100°C – 120°C) on lined and greased baking trays to avoid them sticking to the tray.

Pickling

The process of pickling is simple, and the product is zesty and delicious! According to Eugenia Bone, author of Well-Preserved: Recipes and Techniques for Putting Up Small Batches of Seasonal Foods, the most important thing about vinegar is its 5% acidity, which causes changes in flavour and texture and acts as a preservative.

You can pickle almost any vegetable, and it’s a terrific way to add a punch of flavour to any dish. The process is so easy. Simply heat the vinegar, salt and sugar and add to the fruit and veggies you would like to pickle. Pour into a jar, seal with a lid and let it cool completely before storing in the fridge. Homemade pickles can last up to two months from their pickling date. Note that while the flavour will intensify the longer the jar is stored, over time, the pickled ingredient will start to lose its crunchy texture.

ALSO READ: Savoury biltong churros with chilli sauce

The post 4 Ways to store food for longer appeared first on MyKitchen.