Ingredient Title Chef Category

Think about it, microwaved foods can help you lose weight

Barbara Kafka probably said it first; she has always been a few steps ahead of the rest of the cooks-who-write crowd. In her introduction to Microwave Gourmet Healthstyle Cookbook, which first met the printing press in 1989, she points out that microwaving does not require fat and that you can't really fry in a microwave. There go the steaks and chops and here comes the chicken and fish.

Learning to microwave is easy. All that you need to know is the wattage of your oven and how to set the timer. You can even bake a turkey, make a cake and bake bread in a microwave though its best use is for cooking vegetables and fruits, where it saves a lot of time and a lot of nutrients.

There are some cautions to keep in mind. Never, never, never put anything with metal in the microwave oven. And, research, which has been done since Barbara wrote her book, indicates that you should not use plastic wrap of any kind in the microwave, either. The research, which began with a seventh grade student in Arkansas, revealed that wrapping food in plastic before microwaving lead to carcinogens and xenoestrogen migrating into the food from the plastic. Carcinogens are linked to cancer and xenoestrogen to low sperm counts in men and breast cancer in women.

DO'S AND DON'TS

DO: Cook your food in glass, ceramic or pottery and cover with a matching lid or paper toweling.
DO: Cook corn in the microwave. Some foods don't need covering at all, corn on the cob being one of them. Just remove some of the very outer leaves and put the cobs in the microwave with the kernels still covered by silk and leaves. Nuke them and when cooked, about 4 minutes in my microwave, test a kernel or two. When the starch flavor has gone, put on a pair of oven mits and peel away the leaves and the corn silk. Both come off easily and the corn tastes like you had just taken it from the garden directly to the kitchen.
DON'T: Salt vegetables before cooking or put salt in pan with water before adding vegetables. Salting before causes darkened, dried out spots.
DO: Cook pasta in microwave by just covering with water and adding 1 teaspoon vegetable oil to keep it from sticking together.
DO: Allow 3/4 minute per egg when cooking on highest heat plus one teaspoon butter per egg. Stir from outside to the center once or twice and remove from oven when eggs are barely past the runny stage as they will set in another minute or two.
DON'T: Attempt to hard cook eggs in microwave, nor to reheat them.

CRUNCHY CAULIFLOWER PICKLE

An inexpensive pickle, which is delicious, crisp and low in calories. No sugar is used so it is good for diabetic diets, too.

1 head cauliflower (2 to 2 l/2 lbs.)
1 cup loosely packed fresh dill sprigs
2 teaspoons dill seeds
1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
2 cardamon pods, hulled and crushed
2 cups cider vinegar
2 cups water

Sterilize 4 pint jars and lids by boiling on their side in 2 inches of water for 15 minutes and leaving them in steaming water until ready to use. Meanwhile, trim and cut cauliflower into small florets to make 5 1/2 cups. Divide cauliflower and dill sprigs among drained jars after you have combined remaining ingredients in an 8 cup glass measure or something comparable. Cover and cook 5 minutes in 700 watt oven or 10 minutes in 400 to 500 watt oven. Remove from oven and pour mixture over cauliflower and dill, dividing garlic and spices evenly among jars. Arrange jars on oven carousel or on oven floor (rotate positions during cooking period) and cook uncovered for 10 minutes in 700 watt oven; 15 minutes in 400-500 watt ovens. Remove jars from oven and cover jars tightly with sterilized lids. Keep in refrigerator for crispness. Makes 4 pints of pickles.

POACHED PEARS

Pears cooked this way are very sweet without sugar. They cook evenly and are not mushy on the outside and undercooked on the inside. Apricot Sauce or Chocolate Sauce is good with them.

6 Bosc pears, peeled and well cored through the bottom
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
6 pieces lemon zest, each 2 X 1/4 inches
6 pieces orange zest, same size

Rub pears inside and out with lemon juice to prevent discoloration. Place 1 piece lemon zest and 1 piece orange zest inside each core cavity. Arrange pears in a circle around inside rim of a soufflé dish. Cover tightly and cook in 700 watt oven for 8 minutes; in 400-500 watt oven for 12 minutes. Makes 6 servings. To serve 4: Use 4 pears, 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice and 4 pieces lemon and orange zest. Cook 7 minutes at 700 watts; 11 minutes at 400-500 watts. To serve 2. Use 2 pears, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 2 pieces lemon and orange zest. Cook 4 1/2 minutes at 700 watts; 8 minutes at 400-500 watts.

A FRIEND OF MINE WHO LOST 100 POUNDS SAYS THE ONLY SURE WAY TO LOSE WEIGHT IS TO CUT YOUR PORTIONS IN HALF AND TOTALLY CUT SNACKING. SHE IS RIGHT, OF COURSE, BUT CUTTING DOWN ON FATS DOES NO HARM EITHER.

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