Ziplock Steamer Bags

I wish I could say I loved vegetables.  But I can't.  I don't mind most vegetables, and usually try to eat some with at least 1-2 meals a day, but eating vegetables is rarely something that I get really excited about.  Fruit, on the other hand, is another story.  I am completely content to have fruit with every meal of the day.  Anyway, I always have good intentions when I go to the store and buy vegetables (or when I get vegetables in my bountiful basket) and usually end up getting more than I can eat before it goes bad, thus I always end up throwing away food.  That's why I've been trying to prepare vegetables different ways.  I've found that just preparing them a little differently than I typically do makes eating the vegetables more exciting.  For example:

• grilling vegetables
• trying them in a new recipe
• roasting them (Have you tried roasted broccoli?  Just toss with olive oil, top with a little shredded Parmesan cheese and bake in foil lined baking dish for 15-20 minutes at 425!)

Steaming vegetables is another healthy way to eat them, but I never seem to think of this and when I do it doesn't really sound that appealing to me.  Enter Ziplock Steamer Bags.  I love them.  I think they are one of the most wonderful inventions.  You can put almost anything in these bags, plop them in the microwave, and you get perfectly steamed food.  Not too soggy or overcooked.  The food is always steamed just right.  You can even sprinkle any seasonings directly into the bag before steaming.  No need to add any water - these bags are magic.  I've discovered that steaming spinach is one of my favorites.  I always seem to buy those giant plastic containers of spinach with the best of intentions of eating spinach salads, only for the spinach to get slimy before I even open the container... Using these nifty steamer bags, I can just put a couple handfuls of that spinach in the bag, put it in the microwave for 1 1/2 minutes, and then just add a little lemon juice and eat. Very tasty if you ask me.  I know that steamed spinach doesn't sound like the most delicious thing, but don't knock it if you haven't tried it in one of these bags.  I swear, they make everything steamed taste good :-)

I'm almost out of these bags.  It seems like I bought them a long time ago.  I'm hoping my Albertsons carries them, because I will need to get more soon!