To retain the color and flavor of the julienned veggies, blanch the vegetable strips for 2 minutes. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add julienned vegetables. Water should return to a boil in approximately one minute. Boil for 2 minutes. Fill a large bowl with ice and water. Use a strainer to remove the vegetables from the boiling water and immediately submerge the strips into the bowl filled with ice and water. This will stop the cooking process. Now you can freeze the vegetables for storage or prepare them in your recipe. Blanching is a quick-cooking process that so worth the extra minutes and pan. To make the transfer of the vegetables to the ice bath easier I use this long-handled strainer.