Freezing fruits effectively
A useful technique for freezing fruits like berries, peach slices, cherries, melon slices is to first spread them out evenly on a baking tray and placing it into your freezer for a short while. After they have frozen a little, then put them into a bag, seal it and put it back in.
This technique will stop the individual fruit pieces from fusing together and make it easier to take out as much or as little as you need while still being able to keep the rest still frozen.
Fruits such as nectarines, peaches and apricots will retain their colour better if you lightly coat them with a sugar and lemon juice solution before going through the freezing process.
Whole lemons, limes and oranges can also be frozen, and when you come to defrost them, halfway through the process you can zest them more easily. If you want to freeze the freshly squeezed juice, a good idea is to fill up your ice-cube tray.
Bananas have a tendency to go brown and mushy when you freeze them but they still have their uses. They can be eaten as a banana ice cream, thrown into a blender with other fruits for a delicious smoothie or defrosted and used to make a loaf of tasty banana bread. Slicing them before freezing makes them easier to use.
Like with vegetables, it is better to cook apples and pears before freezing them. Not by blanching but by stewing or roasting them first coated with a sugar and lemon juice solution. Ensure they are cooled completely before packing them into a plastic tub and then into your freezer.
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