Real Life Microwave Hacks
It’s not just for reheating leftover pizza- the microwave has some pretty nifty hacks that you can use to make your life easier. Here is a list of the best hacks we found.
Peeling Garlic Got Easier
Peeling garlic is daunting, however, you can put the garlic in the microwave and heat it up for 15 seconds. The heat will release the moisture from the garlic clove which gets trapped between the skins and loosens it. Once you take it out, the skin just slide off.
Get More Juice from Your Citrus Fruits
If you need help getting the most juice out of a lemon, lime or other citrus fruit throw it into the microwave for about 10-20 seconds so that the pulp inside becomes soft and you can juice it with ease.
Tear-free Onion Chopping
Save your eyes from the horrible stinging sensation you get when chopping onions. Ever wondered why that happens? Well, when an onion is cut with a knife, its cells release volatile sulfur compounds that cause tearing. The trick is to trim off the ends with a knife and heat the onion for about 30 seconds before chopping away.
Bring Stale Bread Back to Life
When your bread or bagels stale simply wrap in a moist paper towel (not soaking) and pop in the microwave for 20-second increments. The moisture from the towel will soak into the bread to make it taste fresh again.
Preserve Fresh Herbs
If you want to preserve herbs well, wrap them in a paper towel and heat them in the microwave for about 30 seconds allowing them to dry out. This may make them last longer in the refrigerator. To completely dry the herbs continue to microwave in 15-30 second increments until the herbs.
Soak Lentils or Beans Overnight
All you need to do is place your uncooked beans or lentils in a bowl filled with water, add a pinch of baking soda and microwave them for about 10 minutes. Allow them to rest for 30-40 minutes, after which they are ready to be cooked.
Make Frothy Milk for Your Coffee
The next time you’re craving a fancy frothy café au lait just make it yourself. A microwave and a mason jar are all you need. Fill the mason jar with as much skim or 2% milk as you’d normally use in your coffee, cover and shake it vigorously to get the frothing process started, then pop it uncovered in the microwave for 30 seconds. Then voila! Silky, frothy warm milk.
A DIY Heating Pad for those Cold Nights
Make your heating pad at home in two minutes! Pour rice into a sock then tie a knot at the top of the sock. Put it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. Reheat as needed.
Steam Clean the Microwave
We’re sure with these hacks your microwave will be working overtime. So while you’re at it, steam clean it with some lemon water. Place a bowl of water with freshly squeezed lemon juice into the microwave and set the timer for 5 minutes or until the water boils, let it sit in the microwave for 3 minutes so the steam can loosen any food stains. Remove the bowl then wipe your microwave clean.