Steamer basket. We don't have a microwave (can't stand 'em).

My SIL microwaves right in the serving bowl with a plate or another bowl inverted on top.

I have a steamer basket from IKEA, maybe about 5 years old? I just rinse it right after use and then throw it in the dishwasher. I've never had any problem with it or given it a second thought.

Nah. Put washed veggies in saucepan, add a little water in the bottom, put over heat, wait few minutes. Drain, put butter in the pan, recover and shake to distribute, serve.

Anonymous wrote:Veggies should be cooked with a little fat so you can absorb the fat-soluble vitamins, so steaming is not necessarily healthier.

The best method I've tried is a low flame in a thick-bottomed pot with just enough fat to toss them in, not enough to be greasy. The only water should be what's left over from washing them - shake the excess off. If they need to soften or sweat a little, scatter a tiny pinch of salt. Cover tightly, check and stir every two minutes until almost done. They should be very tasty, tender, and brightly-colored.

True, but this is assuming that people are not already eating fat with their veggies.

Right now I am eating half of an entire baked spaghetti squash with pasta sauce that has turkey sausage in in. For my eating habits, adding in oil to my veggies would, just be adding more fat. Rarely do I eat a veggie without fat, be it hummus, a salad that contains dressing, avocado, or something. Most people's plate contains a fat.

Yes, we use a steamer basket, like others I avoid the microwave. If I'm looking for a different flavor, I might saute my veggies or roast them in the oven. Roasting is actually my favorite method, but steaming is much easier when I'm in a crunch, which is most of the time since I work.

http://www.ziploc.com/Products/Pages/ZipSteamMicrowaveCookingBags.aspx

Flame away but I won't care. We both work FT and have 2 kids under age 3. It's this or no veggies in our house.

put a lid on it with some water. insta-steam.

i often do the ghetto microwave steam mentioned earlier, just when i don't feel like washing pans. you can easily do that with a glass dish in the microwave too, anti-plastic nazis.

steam baskets are a pain to clean. especially when things get stuck in the little holes or in between the different "leaves" of the basket.

i hate washing dishes. can you tell.

A real steamer that goes over a saucepan, with a lid, is totally worth it.
Short of that, the steamer basket is the easy entry-level option.
One other thing I like to do sometimes, esp. with broccoli or cauliflower, is to saute it first in a skillet with a little oil or butter, and when it's half done, throw a little water in the skillet and cover with a lid--it finishes by steaming in the skillet. (This is my home adaptation of the way they do it on the flattop at Benihana.) Comes out nice.

Veggies should be cooked with a little fat so you can absorb the fat-soluble vitamins, so steaming is not necessarily healthier.

The best method I've tried is a low flame in a thick-bottomed pot with just enough fat to toss them in, not enough to be greasy. The only water should be what's left over from washing them - shake the excess off. If they need to soften or sweat a little, scatter a tiny pinch of salt. Cover tightly, check and stir every two minutes until almost done. They should be very tasty, tender, and brightly-colored.

Anonymous wrote:You want a steamer basket. Oxo makes a very nice one that has a removable handle. Put an inch of water in the pot, put the basket in, bring to a boil, add veg, put lid on and cook.

+2

I use a silicone microwave steamer from Orka.

Anonymous wrote:You want a steamer basket. Oxo makes a very nice one that has a removable handle. Put an inch of water in the pot, put the basket in, bring to a boil, add veg, put lid on and cook.

+1.

Many cookware lines have a steamer set - if you get a large one you can only use it to make stock and boil pasta, which is really handy.

Do not use plastic in the microwave. I had a friend who cooked like that until she started getting sick. She was always sick, her hormones were off, facial hair, weight gain. She stopped using the plastics in microwave and her symptoms slowly faded.

You want a steamer basket. Oxo makes a very nice one that has a removable handle. Put an inch of water in the pot, put the basket in, bring to a boil, add veg, put lid on and cook.

I take any microwave safe tupperware, put the veggies in the container with about 1/2" of water, then I nuke for about 3-4 minutes. More for hard veggies (like carrots), less for soft ones (like broccoli). Then offset the lid from the container and pour out water. But remember to rinse with cool water (and drain again) if you want to stop the cooking. If you don't, the veggies will continue to cook and soften even after the microwave stops, just from the residual heat. I've done this for 20+ years and have never had a problem.

Any easy to clean steamer device for this newbie cook? We usually sauté veggies but I think a steamer would preserve their flavor more and maybe be healthier too.