Frozen Vegetables that Taste Better

In the winter, when you can't get locally grown, just-picked, fresh vegetables, buy frozen. Because they're processed quickly after picking, the nutritional value of frozen vegetables may be higher than fresh.

Good-Tasting Frozen Vegetables:

1. Place frozen-hard vegetables in a pot with a tight-fitting lid.
2. Add enough water to cover half the vegetables.
3. Add a tiny pinch of sugar to peas or corn that are not "summer-sweet" if you like.
4. Cover pot and bring to a boil, about 5-8 minutes.
5. Turn heat to low, let sit about 3 minutes more, then taste.
6. If not done, quickly cover pot to keep in steam and test again in a few minutes.
7. Drain cooked vegetables and place in a warm bowl or platter. (Vegetable water can be saved to use in soups or broths but not broccoli or cabbage water which I discovered once when watered the plants with it. The potted plants smelled bad.)
8. Turn heat to medium-high and add to the empty pot: 3 Tbsp olive oil OR 2 Tbsp olive oil + 1 Tbsp butter, a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice, a pinch of thyme, rosemary or basil, a tsp. salt.
9. Simmer a few seconds while stirring, then pour herbed oil over vegetables and grate some fresh pepper on top if you like.
10. You can do this in the microwave, using a microwave-safe dish with a lid. Adjust times according to the power of your microwave and the amount of vegetables you are cooking.