It occurred to me, when meeting a lovely lady from Santa Barbara on our recent trip to France, that I haven’t added to the blog a simple table with suggested cooking times and temperatures for vegetables.
Vegetables are so much better cooked in the steam oven as they retain their nutrients. When I was selling appliances, people trying to chose their new kitchen just couldn’t understand why the cooking methods they had used in the past needed changing. It’s not so much about trying to change the way you cook but looking forward, as technology improves, to buy and utilise a better cooking medium. You know that green water that sits in the bottom of your saucepan when you steam your vegetables on the cooktop? That contains all the nutrients from your vegetables and most people will throw that out with the washing up! Microwaves? Well they are good to help you cook or to reheat a muffin but not great for vegetables, especially if you overcook them.
Not only are vegetables better for you from the steam oven, but they taste better too and don’t need salt!
(I do understand from all your feedback and comments that there are a whole lot of people still out there who are only using their steam ovens for cooking vegetables. While this is a great place to start, it’s time to move on 🙂 )
To get the most out of your steam oven, try to multi-cook, ie cook your quinoa or rice, vegetables, eggs and fish at the same time. It is okay if they all have different cooking times, you will soon get the hang of opening up and changing your trays around. Start with the longest cooked item eg: brown rice and say pumpkin or eggs on another level. When the pumpkin is cooked, remove and add your beans or broccoli. Let them cook for another few minutes according to the list below. Although it takes a few minutes for the steam oven to get back to temperature, it won’t affect something that cooks for a long time, like rice. It is especially easy to prepare some of the fantastic salad recipes like this – have a look at my Superfoods salad as an example of how you can easily cook healthy, delicious salads.
Zucchini slices 100°C 2-3 minutes
Asparagus 100°C 1-2 minutes
Pumpkin – cut small 100°C 5-8 minutes
Potatoes – cut small 100°C 10-15 minutes
Beetroot – small cut in half 100°C 20 minutes
Carrots, sliced 100°C 4-6 minutes
Cauliflower, florets 100°C 4-6 minutes
Corn on the cob 100°C 3-5 minutes
Beans 100°C 2-3 minutes
Bok choy 100°C 1 minute
Snow peas 100°C 1 minute
Another good thing to remember is that apart from some Asian vegetables, such as Bok choy, it is difficult to overcook vegetables in a steam oven. Sure beats those overcooked, olive green vegetables that I was given as a child!
Trudy! Thank you so much for this – invaluable!
I have a new steam oven that I embarrassed to say I haven’t used yet. But this post along with your post about getting started in a new kitchen is getting me motivated!
Your posts are fantastic and a I’m sure will be a great reference.
Thanks again.
Hi Trudy
The other thing I’ve noticed about steaming vegetables is I hardly ever need to use salt which is a huge health bonus.
One of my favourites is to lightly fry an onion or two in olive oil, add to finely shredded cabbage, thinly cut carrot, sweet corn (fresh or tinned) mushrooms, finely sliced green beans, snow peas or whatever I have……mushrooms, spring onions you get the idea. I add white pepper and mix it up on the small perforated steamer tray and cook for 2 mins at 100% steam. Nice with soy sauce if you feel you need the salt.
Tastes so fresh. Any left over can be wrapped in filo pastry and brushed with oil and baked to make vegetarian spring rolls.
That sounds right up my street although DH would want meat in his!!
We are soon to do a kitchen refit and I am seriously considering a steam oven but am in such a quandary: do I go for steam only or a combi steam? If I go combi will I need another oven (there are only 2 of us)?
I would also like a Miele warming drawer and this can be used for slow cooking. Anyone got any thoughts please?
Hi Annie
Read my posts in the ‘Appliance ‘ Category on the home page in the drop down menu. That should help. Yes, you do need another oven. Email me if you need anymore help and live in Australia.
Regards Trudy
Thanks Trudy. I have read your posts and am still undecided! As I don’t do a lot of roasting I’m thinking maybe go steam only? On reading the recipes it seems to me that a steam only would be easier to adapt my recipes to but, on the other hand, would I regret not getting the combi?!! Oh dear! Thanks for your offer but I live in the UK!
Hi Annie,
I understand. Although I use the combi mostly as a steam oven it does give you that ‘second oven’ (which I use all the time due to ease of use, accuracy in temperature and economic reasons) Buy a combi plus a pyro oven if you can afford that, otherwise buy a combi and a cheaper but matching oven for cooking larger items, Christmas etc. Skip the warming draw or alter your cabinetry to allow for power behind and a ‘false front’ in a wall tower so you can add it later if you need it! Remember to put the combi at eye level above the main oven and a large draw under for all your oven trays.
Good luck.
Regards Trudy
Hi Trudy,
Many thanks for your advice! Will let you know what we decide.
Thank you !
Would love you to publish a book 🙂
I am also guilty of not using my steam oven ! 1 year on I am trying to after finding your blog