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By Megan Cohen
One green idea from Stuff Happens is to use your microwave instead of your oven, since a microwave gobbles up less power. Here are some tips to make your microwave use even more eco-friendly, plus ideas for a couple of nuke-able, environmentally smart nibbles.
Getting It Hot
To get the most heating power from the smallest amount of electricity, make sure to keep your dishes covered when you nuke. This traps the heat, helping things warm up more quickly for extra-efficient cooking. If the dish you're warming doesn't have its own lid, slide a dinner plate on top for an impromptu fix. It's also smart to cook your food in heavier glass or pottery dishes instead of thin plastic containers. Not only will a more substantial plate or bowl retain heat for quicker cooking, it'll stand up to a longer period of wear and tear, staying in your kitchen instead of ending up as trash.
Bigger Can Be Better
When shopping for a eco-friendly appliance, "the smaller the greener" is a pretty consistent rule-of-thumb. But, things aren't always quite that simple. The smartest choice is definitely to opt for the littlest microwave that'll get the job done in your household, but that doesn't always mean getting the smallest appliance on the market. The most energy-efficient size of microwave is the one you'll use the most, so don't fret about getting a large model if it'll make it easier for you to cook family-size dishes.
Keeping It Clean
Clean your new favorite kitchen appliance the green way by whipping up a simple solution of organic lemon juice and water that cuts through odors, grease, and any miscellaneous muck. When you're ready to wipe the appliance down, grab a reusable (and super-absorbent) microfiber cloth as a green alternative to a paper towel.
How About A Bite?
For a quick nibble, making your own microwave popcorn in a paper bag from bulk kernels, instead of using a pre-bagged brand, helps the planet by saving on packaging materials, and lets you enjoy your tasty crunch without exposure to diacetyl. When it comes to proper meals, you can find a microwave adaptation of almost any food you want to bring to your table, even classics like mac and cheese. An almost-foolproof starting place for the newly-launched microwave cook is a scrumptious Risotto. Once you've got the hang of the dish, you can dress up the basic recipe with a handful of seasonal, local vegetables, or stir in some chopped fresh herbs from your garden.
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