Weekly Challenge - Week 20 (5/14/13)

 

Thaw foods in advance in the refrigerator.

 

 

This takes just a little planning but is very doable, especially if you have prepared your meal plan for the week.  Do not thaw foods in your microwave.  Instead take out the meat or other frozen ingredient from the freezer one to three days in advance and let it thaw (on a plate or in a dish) in the refrigerator.

When we remodeled our kitchen, I got rid of our microwave.  Microwaves heat the water molecules inside foods, so the heating occurs at the molecular level from the inside out.  This causes superheating of the molecules.  This 'superheating' method of defrosting and heating of foods destroys much of the nutritional content of the food.  I buy top quality foods/ingredients and I want to retain this nutritional value for my meals when cooking them.

I know many people feel that the claims that microwaves destroy the nutritional value of food are bogus, but you should investigate this yourself if you do not believe me.  Many studies have been done concerning the superheating of water molecules in food in microwave ovens.  Studies show that water heated in the microwave is heated beyond its typical boiling point (thus superheated). This method of heating  causes eruptions of steam and hot pockets, damaging your food at a molecular level when these explosions occur. 

 

Before I took my microwave out of my kitchen, I used it to store my clean yogurt jars or as a bread box.  Using your microwave as a storage container is a much healthier practice!  I reheat my foods on the stove top or in my smaller oven (I was blessed with double ovens when moving to our house in the country).  If you rely on your microwave to reheat foods, and don't want to heat your large oven, then buy a toaster oven to use instead.