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The art of microwaving is about more than just pressing the “popcorn” button. If you’re making any of these microwave mistakes, you’re using your microwave wrong.
You don’t cook your veggies in it
Believe it or not, the plain old microwave might trump all the chef-y cooking techniques you use to cook your veggies. Vegetables retain their highest nutrient content the less they’re exposed to heat and water. That means nuking your broccoli will preserve more vitamin C and cancer-fighting glucosinolate than pretty much any other method (besides stovetop steaming); plus, it’ll leave you with fewer dirty pans to scrub later.
You never use the pause button
If you’re in a time crunch, delaying your microwave meal is probably the last thing you want to do. But pressing the pause button can actually save you a lot of time down the line when you’re not hugging the toilet for hours. It’s important to stir leftovers and ready-to-eat frozen meals halfway through the reheating process; this allows the food to cook evenly and prevents any cold spots from lingering, which are a breeding ground for bacteria that could make you sick.
You reheat hardboiled eggs
Never, ever reheat a hardboiled egg still in its shell! Doing so could cause a mini explosion, complete with a loud pop and bits of shell and smelly egg splattered all over the inside of your microwave. Peel the egg first, then gently warm it up.
You microwave plastic containers
Unless the container says “microwave safe,” don’t put it in the microwave. Many plastic storage and takeout containers contain chemicals (BPA is one) that some studies suggest may be linked to health problems like diabetes, infertility, and heart disease; they can leach into your food during the cooking process. You’re probably using these 36 household appliances all wrong, too.
You haven’t used it to dry herbs
If you don’t want to wait around for your fresh hanging herbs to dry out when the growing season ends, pop them in the microwave. Sandwich fresh herbs in a single layer between two paper towels. Then microwave in 30-second intervals until they reach your desired dryness.
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