What makes carrots limp

If cold water doesn't work, try making kale chips in the oven, though you'll want to check them frequently, since they're already dryer and will take less time in the oven to turn into chips. Peppers are a tricky bunch, with their ability to bounce back depending on the type of pepper and the thickness of the skin. If they've lost their crispness and you want them for salads, you can slice them up and try a 10 minute ice bath in a bowl.

You can also pickle the peppers, even in their limp state. If they've gotten too dry to return to crispness, pour boiling water over them, then allow them rehydrate for 20 minutes and rinse them in cold water before cooking. If none of the above work, puree the peppers and add them to spaghetti sauce , make hot sauce, or stuff the peppers and roast them. How to Revive Limp Vegetables. By Dakota Kim. Again, if you want to keep your carrots from getting limp, you want to keep them hydrated.

That's why Kitchn recommends storing fresh, unpeeled carrots in a shallow, uncovered container of water in the fridge. If you don't want to run the risk of splashing water in your fridge, Cook's Illustrated recommends storing raw carrots without the tops in an open plastic bag, "a setup that trapped most of their moisture but allowed some to escape.

Just be sure to keep carrots away from high-ethylene producing fruits and vegetables like apples and pears, note the folks at Sweetwater Organic Farm, because that'll speed up the ripening—and wilting—process. If you keep carrots moist and in the fridge without the greens, you should be able to enjoy crisp, fresh carrots for up to a month.

But, much like potatoes or even apples, fresh carrots can also be stored for several months at a time, to be enjoyed throughout the winter.

The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association which knows a thing or two about long, cold winters has guidelines for keeping carrots in a root cellar.

Root vegetables like carrots and radishes and leafy greens like lettuce and kale go limp because of loss of moisture. All vegetables are composed primarily of water, and after being harvested, packed, shipped, stocked and then stored in your home, they naturally lose water in their cells. It doesn't help that the cold, dry air of your refrigerator eventually sucks all the moisture out of them, either.

If you find that your vegetables have gone soft, simply soak them in a sink full of cold water. Within a couple of hours, they'll crisp up again. This is handy if you're making a salad, but if you'd intended to cook your vegetables anyway, there's no need to take that extra step.

Limp produce is perfectly suited for a number of delicious dishes, so before you toss them in the compost, consider using them in these hot meals. Soup A big simmering pot of soup is the ideal catch-all for all kinds of vegetables: chard, spinach, carrots, peas, beans, celery, turnips, cauliflower, zucchini.

You can make a classic minestrone, or puree a single vegetable into a creamy soup. Savory pie Whether you make a hand pie, pot pie, or shepherd's pie, a smorgasbord of vegetables with a flaky, buttery crust is always a winner. Try our Chicken Apricot Pot Pie. Casserole or gratin You can create just about any combination of vegetable, meat, cream and carb and come up with a satisfying one-pot meal. It's also a good way to try new grains if you're tired of the typical rice bakes: barley, farro, kamut, and wheat berries all retain their taste and texture without getting lost in a sea of other ingredients.

Omelette or frittata The ultimate breakfast-for-dinner option, an omelette or frittata stuffed with last night's leftovers or half a head, bunch, or stalk of your favorite vegetable makes for a hearty meal. Try our Asparagus, Ham, and Gruyere Frittata. Garden variety carrots get soft when they lose internal moisture or if they start to rot. As cleaned carrots slowly dry out, their cells actually get less rigid making them soft and really unappetizing.

But depending how soft they are there may be a solution. And there are definitely some things you can do to keep them fresh longer, even through the winter. I get fresh, organic carrots straight from my garden and they get all rotten looking in a week, but those ones at the store seem to last forever! This can be said about pretty much all produce.