My sister turned me on to cooking vegetables in the microwave with a Pampered Chef Microwave Steamer (affiliate link) a couple of years ago and I've never looked back.
The beauty of the microwave (affiliate link) is that it offers a fast, foolproof way to get your vegetables just right every time. It's the quickest, easiest way I know for Weight Watchers to cook vegetables for 0 SmartPoints.
While the microwave steamer is nice, any microwave safe dish will do.
Weight Watchers Friendly Vegetables Cooked in the Microwave
I cook all kinds of vegetables this way, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, cabbage, zucchini, green beans, individually or in combinations.
Any vegetable you would parboil or steam, can be cooked in the microwave better and faster.
Broccoli is a family favorite...
Skinny on Cooking Vegetables in the Microwave
Just put the vegetable(s) in a bowl (sometimes with a tiny bit of water, but usually not) cover and zap on high.
What could be simpler?
Timing can be a bit tricky until you get the hang of your particular microwave, so start with less time and add more if necessary—you can always add, but you can't take away.
You can't go wrong if you err on the side of undercooking and cut your vegetables into 1-inch pieces. Most vegetables will be cooked to crisp-tender in somewhere between 30 seconds and 3 minutes.
Several cups of broccoli takes between 3 and 5 minutes in my microwave.
Experimenting with your microwave (affiliate link) will help determine your own optimal cook times and settings.
Remember to remove the cover carefully because the steam is hot and can burn you badly if you're not careful.
Microwave Vegetables Recipe Variations
different vegetables - asparagus, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, green beans, parsnips, potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, turnips will work, singly or in combinations.
different seasonings - I usually add my seasonings after they are cooked. Favorite low and no points options include soy sauce, lemon juice, garlic, Mrs. Dash, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, balsamic vinegar, grated Parmesan cheese, olive oil, Greek yogurt, and vinaigrette.
Here's a great video demonstrating cooking vegetables in the microwave. The only thing I would change is using a cover instead of plastic wrap...
I used the following kitchen tools to microwave my vegetables:
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Find More Weight Watchers Friendly Vegetable Recipes
Martha is the founder and main content writer for Simple-Nourished-Living.
A longtime lifetime WW at goal, she is committed to balancing her love of food and desire to stay slim while savoring life and helping others do the same.
She is the author of the Smart Start 28-Day Weight Loss Challenge.
A huge fan of the slow cooker and confessed cookbook addict, when she's not experimenting in the kitchen, you're likely to find Martha on her yoga mat.
This post contains affiliate links to products I like. When you buy something through one of my Amazon links or other (affiliate links), I receive a small commission that helps support this site. Thank you for your purchase!
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Laurie
Hello! Please do not share my email?I lost 20# in 2016 following the WW plan and never felt better. I felt like a failure because I knew what to eat and having a degree in nutrition well, needless to say I felt weird joining. BUT I quickly got over that and embraced the program and lost that 20#!! The flip of this coin is that I have gained 10# back?. I work out with a personal trainer and have learned a lot about myself....the one thing that I struggle with is the controversy of the healthy fats. My trainer reminds me to eat healthy fats EVOO and if I am going to eat my Greek yogurt to eat the full fat no sugar added. Guilt guilt...WW is all about low fat low sugar but if you look at their prepackaged items it is full of artificial sugars that replace the saturated fats. So, my question is in regards to your thoughts on the full fat yogurts and cheese(don't eat much cheese) and does WW have a plan In Place to remove all artificial sweeteners from their products and to stop preaching to consume fat free yogurts and cheeses? I appreciate your insights and happy today to find your web site!! Have a beautiful day! Laurie
Martha McKinnon
Hi Laurie,
Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your thoughtful comments! Next, I never share emails 🙂 Congratulations on your success with Weight Watchers! Losing 20 pounds is awesome. I too gained some of my weight back after my initial loss and had to lose it again. I think lots of us share this experience. It's all part of the journey to increased understanding. I have heard lots of WW Lifetime members say, including the former CEO of WW that they learned more while trying to keep the weight off than while losing it. So, you are in good company!
I DO NOT WORK FOR WEIGHT WATCHERS, I'M ONLY A MEMBER, so whatever I say here on my website is my opinion and NOT ENDORSED BY WEIGHT WATCHERS. I have no idea what direction the company will go in the future, but I am confident it will be in alignment with the current dietary wisdom of the moment. I took a very interesting nutrition class years ago, where the teacher reminded us that Nutrition is a very young area of science relative to others, so it's bound to change rapidly. I think the problem with most of us here in the US is that we are overwhelmed with too much nutrition information that is often conflicting. My go to source for nutritional information is :https://authoritynutrition.com/does-exercise-cause-weight-loss/. Everything they share is based on scientific studies and written by experts.
The other thing I've discovered is that I have to trust myself and do what's best for me. I think everyone has to do this to. It can be a mistake to always be turning to someone else for confirmation of what to do, especially with something as personal as what to eat. I have found that lasting weight loss and health is really about creating your own individual perfect recipe. I know slim and healthy folks who eat artificial sweeteners and and I know slim and healthy folks who don't. I know slim and healthy folks who eat full fat yogurt and I know slim and healthy folks who eat non fat. I think the truth is that there is NO ONE WAY. We are each unique and there are so many variables. The truth is that like, you I sometimes feel confused, and I go back and forth. When you open my fridge, sometimes you will find full fat plain Greek yogurt and sometimes you will find Non Fat. I try not to worry about it. Often it has to do with what is available at the store where I am shopping and the cost 🙂 I do avoid artificial sweeteners, mostly because I don't like the taste, I found that drinking Diet Coke made me really hungry, and Splenda gives me a headache. So, I mostly eat small amounts of real sugar and maple syrup. I also use small amounts of Truvia sometimes.
My best advice is to experiment with yourself. Keep a journal and pay attention to how you feel, how satisfied you are when you eat these various foods. Be your own researcher. I have found that by taking this approach, eating and experimenting becomes fun. I have found out so many things about myself and the food that really nourishes me this way.
Hope all this helps. Please let me know if I can be of further assistance! I wish you much success on your journey to lasting health and happiness! Warmly, Martha
My best advice is