How long does it take to boil the following vegetables?

[sammd]

(I'm trying to stop microwave cooking frozen veg and boil fresh. Thanks for any answers.)

Carrots, broccoli, brussel sprouts and spinach

(any other common ones to eat with meat that i can't think of right now would also be appreciated!).

[rabbits]

Get a steamer, much better, less washing up. Most take about 5-6 mins. All goodness in veg, not boiled away in water

[trotsky]

get a three tier steamer , cook them quick and tastier than youll believe

[trotsky]

you beat me to it rabbit ,, best veg ive had for a long time in the steamer

[astronaut]

Hi sammd, any vegetable grown in the ground, put in cold water and bring to the boil. These usually take about 15 minutes from start of boil.Vegetables grown above the ground have the saucepan already boiling and then put in. Of course boiling will decrease nutrient value so keep to minimum, maybe 8 minutes.Steaming is simpler and retains the nutrients, carrots taste better, broccoli retains its colour, brussel sprouts will still make you fart, and spinach always reduces to nothing anyway. Experimenting can be rewarding and you'll probably end up freezing batches of all sorts of home-prepared veg so nothing goes to waste anyway.

[Narolines]

Another vote here for the steamer - you can get a decent one very cheaply these days. I do tend to boil spuds though -- small ones, whole, in their skins.

[woofgang]

If you want to continue using the microwave, you can get a steamer for it, also disposable steamer bags which work very well. The drawback is that they are single use so a bit dear

[sammd]

Thanks. Does anyone know where i can find a good but cheap steamer? Are they all made out of that wicker/basket style material?

[woofgang]

I got a stainless steel one that sits on a pan for a fiver in tescos. You can stack them if you want to do a load of stuff

[sammd]

Thanks!

[brachiopod]

With spinach - don't boil it.

Wash it (if required) and shake off as much water as possible - even roughtly pat dry with kitchen towel.

Start to heat up a dry, empty saucepan, and drop the spinach into it. It will start to wilt and cook in its own water and should take no more than two minutes - this will give you a side vegetable of wilted leaves. You can add a knob of butter and seasoning at this point if you like.

For the more usual way of preparing - just cook in the sasme way but for a little longer, then turn out and finely chop the spinach.

[Consie]

Great advice so far, but I think you'll find you will need to steam the veg for longer than 5-6 minutes unless you like them REALLY crunchy. (I love the idea that rabbits like his/hers like this!) In fact, they usually take a few minutes longer than if boiled, and no, they are not overcooked but still have a bite. Potatoes steam just as easily with or without skins but are best boiled if you want to mash them.

[Narolines]

Argos are doing an electric 3-bowl steamer for �9.77; don't think you'll find anything much cheaper than that......

[Narolines]

To be accurate, I should perhaps have said you won't find anything comparable cheaper than that. You can get single-bowl jobbies that sit over a pan of boiling water cheaper, but for under 10 quid you get 3 steamer containers AND it's a whole lot cheaper to run.

[sammd]

Thanks for all the info! I'll get steaming! :)