Work smarter, not harder.
Much to many people’s surprise, various foods can be cooked solely using a microwave.
And is it safe? According to a Harvard study, the answer is yes.
Regardless of how they’re cooked, some nutrients in food will break down once exposed to heat. The good news for microwave lovers — they do a better job of preserving some of the nutrients a food has since cooking times are generally shorter.
To take things a step further, a person can steam their food in the microwave using a small amount of water to preserve more vitamins and minerals than almost any other cooking method, as explained in the study. Talk about a win.
With all that being said, here are some foods you can easily cook in a microwave for your next meal.
Asparagus
British chef Silvana Franco explained to the Telegraph a foolproof way of cooking the seasonal vegetable. “Add a couple of tablespoons of water to a container, trim the asparagus and lay in the dish.”
“Sprinkle with salt and microwave on high for two minutes. If it’s not yet tender, return to the microwave for another 30 seconds to one minute.”
Bacon
This might sound like an obvious one, but oftentimes, microwave-cooked bacon turns out limp and a little soggy. To really crisp this breakfast food staple, Franco suggests using a microwave bacon cooker with a vented lid that allows the “steam to escape and prevents greasy splatters, while the slatted base drains the fat and ensures maximum crispness.”
If you don’t have a specialty cooker, she told the outlet that a plate and a vented microwave cover will suffice.
Fish
Surprisingly, fish can be thoroughly cooked while rotating in a microwave. The poach-steam method is key here, according to the chef, “which delivers firm and juicy flakes in just a few minutes.”
Using a microwave dish, fill it halfway with room temperature water. Add a generous amount of salt and any other preferred seasonings, she instructed.
“Cover and microwave on high for three to four minutes, depending on thickness. Leave to rest for two minutes before serving,” Franco explained.
Scrambled eggs
Microwaved scrambled eggs can pair nicely with your crispy bacon. According to Reddit, microwave scrambled raw eggs for 30 seconds, add in cheese and any desired spices, give them another stir and repeat the process.
After about two minutes, the eggs should be cooked through. This process is key because if you just put the eggs in the microwave for two minutes straight, they turn to “rubber,” according to another Reddit user.
Meatloaf
After combining ground beef with tomato sauce, one egg, oats, onion, garlic, salt and pepper — place it in a loaf pan and hit start on your microwave for six minutes, as explained in this recipe.
Once the timer is up, you can add an optional sauce and continue microwaving the loaf for another 5-7 minutes.
And voila — microwave-cooked meatloaf.
Read the full article here
