For those days when you’re craving something that’s not on the menu at the Hub, try something new: make a dish from scratch! Purchase students in the residence halls, don’t fear: you don’t need a fancy kitchen to make great tasting food – all you need is a microwave! Put that MicroFridge to good use – it’s not just for making popcorn anymore.
In this column I plan on sharing easy recipes with you, along with ingredient lists, helpful tips, and step-by-step instructions. All of these recipes are prepared and taste-tested before they’re posted, so they’re guaranteed to be good. (I plan on testing out vegetarian and vegan dishes too!)
So have some fun with friends and try out a recipe or two. Give Micro-Cooking a try and remember: just because you have a small kitchen, doesn’t mean you’re limited in your possibilities! Happy cooking!
This Week: BAKED SWEET POTATOES
Sweet potatoes, many magazines claim, are a “super food.” About.com defines a super food as “Food that appear to offer additional health benefits beyond simple nutrition.” Sweet potatoes are a great source of beta-carotene, vitamin C, and B-complex. Sweet potatoes, it is suggested, also aid in digestion and promote water balance within the body. A baked sweet potato is a quick and filling lunch, and can be made even simpler by introducing your microwave into the equation. That’s right – no more waiting around for a regular oven to preheat – you can bake a potato right in your microwave!
(Note: Regular potatoes can be prepared this way, as well)
BAKED SWEET POTATOES
For this dish, you’ll need:
- A microwave-safe glass dish
- A fork
- A knife
Ingredients:
- 1 medium sweet potato
- Any toppings you want (butter, brown sugar, olive oil). The potatoes are just as good plain, though!
- A fork and knife
Method:
- Wash your hands before handling food!
- Scrub the sweet potato to remove any dirt. The skin has many health benefits and tastes just as good when cooked.
- Using a fork, poke small holes all around the outside of the sweet potato. This will allow steam to escape when the potato is cooking. If you skip this step or skimp on the holes, the potato can explode!
- Place the potato in the microwave-safe dish. Microwave for 5 minutes.
- Allow to sit for a few minutes, to continue cooking.
- Test the doneness of the potato by sticking it with a fork. The skin should pierce easily and the flesh should be soft. If it still feels too tough, microwave for a minute or two more.
- Transfer the potato to a plate, cut a slit in the middle, and fill with any toppings you want. Be careful, it will be hot!