Most people use the microwave oven in a very limited way: for heating food, defrosting food, cooking casseroles, pies, and it will be a big surprise for them that you can simply boil vegetables for salads, prepare light diet meals with virtually no fat. The following article describes several options for cooking vegetables in the microwave, greatly reducing your stay in the kitchen.
For many busy people, it is this factor that becomes crucial in choosing a cooking recipe, as well as its energy value. After all, the boom around weight loss continues to march on the planet for decades.
For vinaigrette
Vegetables in the microwave for this salad can be cooked for a maximum of half an hour. This is a powerful argument, since cooking beets on a regular stove (for an hour or more) is a real torture. Potatoes in a microwave oven on average cook no more than 10 minutes, carrots - no more than 15, and beet root crops - about twenty minutes. The only condition is to choose not too large vegetables, almost the same in size. Otherwise, you have to wait longer. What you need to cook vegetables in the microwave:
- three beets;
- four potatoes, preferably with a pinkish skin;
- two carrots;
- sleeve or baking bags: one for each type of vegetable.
If there are no bags or sleeves, you can use ordinary cling film.
Cooking
In order to cook vegetables in a microwave in a bag, the first thing to do is to thoroughly wash them under running water, removing the smallest particles of garbage that can affect the taste of the prepared product. Place each type of vegetable in a separate bag without drying from water and tie tightly. If there are no baking bags, then wrap each vegetable several times with ordinary cling film. In each nodule, you need to make several holes (just pierce with a fork) so that hot air comes out through them during the heat treatment.
If the capacity of the microwave oven is large, then you can put the vegetables in it at the same time and take out it alternately, as you cook, and if the volume of the oven does not allow this, then place it in the order of priority. Turn on maximum power and bring to readiness.
It's important to know!
Not everyone knows that the heat distribution in the microwave oven is not the same: the temperature at the edge is always lower than in the center. For this reason, when preparing vinaigrette vegetables in the microwave, you need to periodically (every two to three minutes) move them from one side to the other, additionally turning to the opposite side.
Since everyone has different microwave power, you should definitely check the degree of readiness by piercing each vegetable with a fork or knife directly through the bag. When the necessary condition is reached, simply cut the bag, remove the vegetables and cool on a plate.
Rustic potatoes
This dish is liked by all the ease of preparation and excellent taste, but not everyone can wait until it is cooked in the oven, because it is at least forty-five minutes. But baking delicious potatoes in the microwave is quick, since it takes no more than twenty minutes, sometimes less, if a certain type of potato is selected. The recipe is good in that it does not require compliance with certain proportions, and all the ingredients are laid "by eye", based on their taste preferences.
- potatoes;
- salt;
- butter;
- seasoning mixture - Provencal herbs or Italian go well with this vegetable;
- garlic.
Cut the peeled potatoes into slices and place in a baking dish. Grate the oil frozen in the refrigerator above - the more, the tastier and softer the potatoes will be. Sprinkle with a mixture of salt, spices and garlic, chopped into small pieces. You can also sprinkle with herbs.
Place the mold in the microwave, turn on the high power and stir the potatoes every five minutes so that it is evenly soaked in oil and the aroma of herbs, and after 15 minutes of cooking try. Perhaps he is ready.
Cheese Broccoli
A light dinner made from vegetables in the microwave, baked with cheese can be done in minutes. Broccoli in such cases is ideal, as it has a very low calorie content, which in combination with cheese will give a neutral effect without loading the body with excess calories. For cooking, you should take the following proportions of products:
- 350 grams of broccoli inflorescences;
- 140 grams of hard cheese;
- a pinch of salt and allspice;
- 1 tbsp. l butter for greasing dishes.
Rinse the cabbage under running water, dry between two layers of a paper towel and place in a baking dish, previously oiled. Add 2-4 tbsp. l water, cover and put in a microwave oven, turned on at full power. After five minutes, sprinkle with a mixture of salt and pepper, grated cheese and return to the microwave for another 40-50 seconds (the cheese should melt during this time). If the microwave power is insufficient, you should wait some more time.
In the same way, you can cook cauliflower or Brussels sprouts, green beans or any frozen vegetable mixture.
Garnish for tomato meat
This dish is considered to be Provencal, as it is often served with meat and fish dishes, although it is prepared in a traditional oven. But why not cook these vegetables in the microwave in this way, significantly reducing the baking time? To prepare you will need:
- 400 grams of fresh tomato;
- 1-2 tbsp. l olive oil;
- 2 cloves of garlic;
- a small handful of finely chopped basil or parsley;
- a generous pinch of black pepper;
- salt to taste.
For this dish you should choose medium-sized fleshy tomatoes. Cut each into halves and lay it down on a clean linen towel to remove a little juice. Then move them into a baking dish, stacking them tightly in the dishes.
Grind garlic, mix with herbs and pepper, add salt and oil. Sprinkle the resulting mixture with tomatoes, evenly distributing it on the surface. Send to the microwave, turn on medium mode and timer for 4-5 minutes. Serve can be not only in the form of heat, but also cold. Tomatoes are very aromatic and tasty, even just with a slice of brown bread.