I am a low-maintenance person. I don't invest a lot of time and energy in cooking. Basically you could say I eat to survive, as opposed for the enjoyment of eating. So here is how I ensure I make my food as nutritious, flavoursome and easy to prepare as possible. Basically my system rests upon steaming.
1. Buy one of the stainless steel multi-level steamers. I have one made by 'Ideal Kitchen', Made in China, which has served me well. I have a large one, however you could save energy by getting one which matches the amount of food you need to cook (i.e. how many people you are cooking for).
2. Fill the pot with hot water - why heat up water twice (i.e. hot water cylinder & stove)
3. Use enough water that it does not burn dry
4. Cook in stages - meats and hard vegetables first (i.e. red meat, carrots, potatoes). The amount of time needed depends on how the food is prepared. If thinly sliced you can cook food for less time, and simply cook all at once.
5. Empty the ingredients on a plate. If you want to cook the ingredients, you can pour under cold water, but better to let the food simply cool.
What I do is stick to my favourite vegetables each night, but change the meat. i.e. Beef, lamb, frozen fish satchels in a plastic bag. With these satchels, I get taste variety, as I eat the vegetables using the source from the fish. i.e. Birds Eye Hoki fish in mint & mushroom sauce, if I am not mistaken. I sometimes place steamed vegetables in the hot plate with fried mince or egg, for another flavoursome option.
The benefits of this method are:
1. Reduced cleaning - I only need to wash utensils, one plate, glass lid of steamer, the steamer pot and the steamer. Simple rinse if you have just cooked. Already sterilised by hot steam. You don't have to wash the vegetables.
2. Reduced fat - Steaming removes all the animal fat
3. Kills germs - The dirt and insects which maybe in the food are killed, and they tend to fall out of the vegetables. Bacteria will be killed. Steaming offers a more even form of cooking than most forms as hot water vapour gets in everywhere.
4. Detoxifies - Any volatile chemicals like pesticides are going to be driven off
5. Safety - Mixed concerns here. Be careful not to burn yourself when lifting the lid on the steamer - those gases are hot. Its hard to set the house alight because there is no oil. Mind you I guess there is animal fat (i.e.) derived from the cooking, though its usually not much. I often burn the streamer dry, and I find it gives the food a slightly burnt taste. You will usually smell the burnt residues in the steam water before you burn the house down.
--------------------------------------------Andrew Sheldon www.sheldonthinks.com
