Use the Microwave correctly

In today’s day, microwaves play an important role when it comes to preparing food.  It’s always best to do without the microwave, however, and cook over open flame, but due to the hustle and bustle of everyday, the microwave turns into a veritable relief for many people. 

When you use the microwave, take special care, and remember that overcooking vegetables makes them lose their nutritive properties.

Tips to safely use your microwave:

1. If you do not following the heating instructions included with each microwave, you may end up heating your food unevenly.  This leaves “cold zones” where illness-causing bacteria can sometimes survive.  This occurs primarily when reheating or when a food has been refrigerated for a long time.

2. Place the food that you are about to heat in a deep bowl, covered with a lid, adding a touch of water if necessary.  Cover with a lid or plastic covering; leave the covering or lid loose so as to allow the vapor to escape.  The moist heat produced will kill harmful bacteria and will guarantee uniform cooking throughout. 

Cooking bags are also very useful for cooking foods equally and without risk.  Do not allow the plastic covering to the foods while cooking in the microwave.

3. Stir or blend foods half way through cook time, so as to prevent cold zones and to cook evenly.

4. When you cook or partially defrost foods in the microwave with the intent of finishing cooking on a grill or oven, it’s important to transfer to foods immediately from the microwave to the other mode of cooking.  Never partially cook foods to store them for later use.

5. Use a thermometer for foods or a gauge to measure oven temperatures to make sure that the foods have reached an appropriate temperature; this is especially important for meats.

6. After the foods have finished cooking, let them set for a while, allowing them to fully finish cooking by their own heat.

7. If you are going to cook something for your baby, always test the temperature before giving it to him/her.

8. If you are going to heat tortillas, wrap them in a paper towel and place them in a bag.  This allows them to cook well, without letting the moisture damage them.

9. It is not advisable to cook full or stuffed birds in the microwave, as it is very likely that the insides will not reach proper temperatures to destroy harmful bacteria.

Revised by: Dra. Loredana Lunadei on 01/28/2019

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