Ziplock Zip'n Steam Steamer Bags

As a busy person who is trying to watch what I eat and make healthy choices, I am always looking for ways to cook healthy food quickly and easily. A new product from Ziplock, the Zip'n Steam steamer bags, is a wonderful solution. These bags allow you to microwave vegetables or meat without adding fat or boiling all the nutrients out-and it takes just a couple of minutes to make a quick snack or side dish.

Ziplock Zip'n Steam bags are made of a special grade of plastic that allows you to microwave them for several minutes without them melting, like other plastic bags sometimes do. There are instructions on the bag for how long to cook several common foods, although when we used it for green beans, we found the recommended four minutes to be a bit too long. You may need to experiment to find the right times for your own microwave.

There is no need to add fats or even water to the bag for the cooking process, because the natural moisture in the food creates enough steam to cook it. However, you can add salt, pepper, and any other seasoning you like-simply shake it into the bag on top of the food, seal the bag and shake it to coat the food with the seasoning.

A lot of steam builds up inside the steamer bag, so be careful when you take it out of the microwave. The instructions on the bag say to let it stand for one minute before opening, but we do not do this because we do not want the food to keep cooking. As long as you are careful, you should not burn yourself. The edges of the bag are long enough that you can hold your fingers away from the opening-just be sure you point the bag away from your face when you open it.

For a quick and healthy lunch, put about a cup of fresh green beans in a Ziplock Zip'n Steam bag with a dash of salt and pepper. Seal the bag and shake to disperse the seasoning, then microwave for three and a half minutes. Eat with some low-fat cottage cheese or a serving of water pack tuna and a piece of fruit.

I highly recommend the Ziplock Zip'n Steam steamer bags for anyone looking to cook healthy food quickly and easily.