Although the majority of homes now have microwaves, most people do not know how to use them for healthy microwave cooking. Most people tend to use them for defrosting, and warming up food that has come out of a tin, which due to the high salt content it is not very healthy. Microwaves allow for food to be cooked efficiently and quickly, and many of the meals are really simple to do, and also healthy to eat. There is no need to use a cooker, steamer, grill, or any other cooking equipment, all that is needed to cook a complete meal full of nutrients is a microwave. Below you will find a number of easy to do meals.
Healthy Microwave Cooking
• Steamed Vegetables – When you boil vegetables, all of the nutrients are either destroyed or enter the water, so unless you are making a soup out of the stock, then all the good stuff will probably end up down the sink. By steaming vegetables in a microwave you are keeping all of the nutrients intact. Place the vegetables in a bowl with a little water in the bottom (if they are frozen you do not need water), then cover with a microwave-safe cover. Cook on full power for two minutes, then test them. If they are not cooked, do them for a further minute, and keep going until they are as you like them.
• Fish – High in protein, fish is very healthy. If you use oily fish, they are high in the essential fatty acid omega-3. Cooking fish in a microwave is easy, and it can be steamed the same as vegetables. However, one of the best ways is to put it in a microwave bag, and cook for a couple of minutes at full power.
• Baked Potato – Cooking a baked potato in an oven will take at least 45 minutes, and use up a lot of electric. The potato should be well cleaned, as you need to eat all of it including the skin, which is high in nutrients. Stick a fork or knife into the potato a few times, this prevents it from exploding. Cook for it 5 minutes on full power, and then turn it over and cook for a further 4 to 5 minutes. Once it is done, add a little butter, some tuna, and seasoning for an extra healthy and filling meal.
• Scrambled Eggs – Cooking scrambled eggs in a microwave is quick and easy. Using a large bowl, use an oil spray to make it non-stick, or use a little butter. Whisk the eggs that you want, and then cook for 1 minute. Stir, then cook for another 30 seconds. Stir again, and then cook for a final 15 to 30 seconds. The result is a quick bowl of fluffy scrambled eggs. Some people prefer to add a little milk, so use semi skimmed if this is your preference.
• Popcorn – For a quick snack, buy some plain popcorn from a supermarket. It has to be plain and unsalted, anything else will not be healthy. Cook as per the instructions, and you will have a bowl of popcorn to enjoy. You can eat as much plain popcorn as you wish, it contains quite a bit of fiber which is very good for the digestive system.
You can see from the above five examples that healthy microwave cooking is not only simple, but very quick. Not only are you doing your health some good, but you are also saving money, as microwaves are very cheap to run. For things that do need to be cooked in the oven, half cooking them in the microwave first can half the time.
