New Favorite Recipe, and are microwaves safe? page

[PearlTigress]

I have the great misfortune of teaching a cooking class to children which includes things such as cupcake decorating, apple tarts, and cheesy bagel pizza snacks. While researching a recipe for my Sweet Treats class I got a terrible craving for apple pie, so I did the following:

Slice up an apple and place on a plate with a touch of salted butter on each slice. Microwave for appx 2-3 minutes; until apples become slightly softened.

Yuuuuuummmmm. All better. However, it did raise the question between my mom and I: How do microwaves affect the nutrition of foods? Does it really destroy some of the nutritional benefits? Is it linked to cancer? Do most PB'ers avoid microwaves? I'm sure my apple 'recipe' could also be baked, but a quick fix for a craving is awesome. Thoughts?

[breadsauce]

The apple and butter sounds good.

There have been a few threads about the safety of microwaves and masses on line generally - google "Are microwaves safe" or something like that, and you will get all sorts of responses, from the hysterically anti microwaves to the balanced and scientific, which indicate that they alter food no more than steaming, boiling or baking, and for some veg they do less harm.

Personally, I use mine for re-heating, for cooking spinach, asparagus, globe artichoke and some other veg, but I think they are pretty poor for meat. Fish can come out ace though!

[Paleobird]

Yes, the apple "pie" idea does sound yummy.

Re microwaves, the anti-microwave bunch are of the tinfoil hat conspiracy variety, IMO. They argue that microwaving "changes the cellular structure of food". Sure it does. In the exact same way as any other method of heating it does.

I use mine a lot for veggies. I think it's actually better than boiling or steaming because you don't lose any nutrients out into the water.

[DinoHunter]

My sister did a experiment for school (about 15 years ago) that involved watering one bunch of (about 12-15) plants with regular tap water and watering another bunch with tap water that had been heated in the microwave (and let cool before using of course)
Tap water plants did what you would expect, normal growth.
All the Microwave water plants withered & died.
Interpret how you like….

[zilog]

Interpret how you like….

As someone ignorant spreading FUD?
snopes.com: Microwaved Water - See What It Does to Plants

[DinoHunter]

As someone ignorant spreading FUD?
snopes.com: Microwaved Water - See What It Does to Plants

All I can tell you is what results she had that I saw with my own eyes.

Personally I wont use one. Dont like the way they effect the taste of food for starters

[DinoHunter]

Forgot to add, the results she had were over a longer period of time then the "snopes version" The plants dident die off as fast as that, I know it was at least a couple weeks, possible a month that she did the exsperiment over.

[Paleobird]

Damn. I knew I should have just let this thread die. But since we're here............

From the mouths of babes… Pseudoscience « A Little Life Science

[DinoHunter]

Damn. I knew I should have just let this thread die. But since we're here............

From the mouths of babes… Pseudoscience « A Little Life Science

I never said it was anything more than a school experiment although she did use a tray of plants for each side so not the same as just comparing 2 plants.
Is it solid evidence that microwaves are going to melt your brain... Nope, Course Not. But it is something I would take note of.
Another thought is that this was 15 or so years ago (& I doubt the microwave she used was a new model at the time) so that may be a consideration as im sure microwaves have advanced there technology a bit since then.
Like I said. Make what you want of it. It was just a school experiment with interesting results.

Me? I refuse to use them... but then I hate the taste/texture they tend to give food compared to the way I normally cook.

[EyeOfRound]

Maybe one day when I live in a magic world where I just sit at home all day and have all the time in the world to heat things up on my stove, I'll stop using the microwave. For now, I live in the real world where I have to be at work for longer than 4 hours and microwaves are all I got to heat up my food.