How to Cook Broccoli in the Microwave

       I had never had broccoli cooked in the microwave until this year. I would only ever have it steamed on the stove before. I first made it to go with pasta and I used Judith Benn Hurley's method which is from her book Healthy Microwave Cooking. You can check out my post about that if you'd like, http://kitchen-lesscooking.blogspot.com/2015/04/pasta-ideas.html . There I talk about possible pasta dishes and one includes broccoli!
       To start I took my bag of frozen broccoli florets and let them defrost. Then I chose the amount I wanted to cook and rinsed them. The bag I used actually had directions on it and they were pretty similar to the method I used before.

 I then put the still wet broccoli florets in my microwave safe bowl to cook. I used the cover of my bowl because it is vented but if you don't have a one you can use plastic wrap that is vented.

      Cook the broccoli in the microwave for 5 minutes and stir about halfway through the cook time. The directions for "Broccoli Basics" which is the name of the method in Hurley's book gives various toppings and seasonings for broccoli which you can see in the post I linked above. I also came across another recipe for what to put on broccoli to add more flavor. It is for Lemon Garlic Broccoli. I found this recipe on Food.com and it is by Mama's Kitchen (Hope). http://www.food.com/recipe/microwave-lemon-garlic-broccoli-132765  The ingredients for this recipe are:
-broccoli
-1/4 cup water
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-1 tablespoon lemon juice
-2 garlic cloves (minced) or a tsp of garlic powder
-salt and red pepper flakes are optional

Their directions are to "

1. Microwave broccoli and water in covered bowl on high for 6 minutes or til crisp tender.
2. While it is cooking mix the rest of the ingredients together.
3. Drain cooked broccoli.
4. Pour lemon garlic mixture over broccoli and mix to coat.
5. If using fresh garlic cover the dish and let sit for about 2 minutes to allow heat from broccoli to "cook" and remove the raw taste from the garlic.
6. If using garlic powder you are ready to serve." (Food.com)

I am a pretty picky eater, bur broccoli is one of my favorite vegetables. I was very satisfied with how the it turned out. The broccoli florets was pretty delicious and had a nice refreshing flavor. I encourage you to try this out. It is not difficult and this is a great method to use. If I hadn't known the broccoli was cooked in the microwave I never would have suspected it!