HEALTH BEAT 10-1-1998

Meetings & Conventions: Short Cuts October 1998 Current Issue
October 1998
Apple Short Cuts:
HEALTH BEAT

Nuke it. Our grandmothers might have a hard time swallowing this, but the most nutritious way to cook vegetables is in the microwave. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign recently put asparagus to the test and found that blanching it in the microwave preserved the nutrients and quality better than boiling or steaming (the methods recommended by the USDA since the 1940s).

Blanched vegetables can be eaten right away or frozen. And, when stocking the freezer, it's better to blanch than to freeze vegetables raw.

Here's how it's done: Put vegetables and a few spoonfuls of water into a microwave-safe covered glass dish. Microwave at 600 to 700 watts (check your manual for power levels) for three to four minutes. Drain water and serve. Or, to freeze vegetables after blanching, chill in ice water for one minute and drain well. Place in a plastic bag, press out the air, seal and store in the freezer.