The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[Lauren]

Quick question:

The quickstart guide and the website say to have very lean meet (5 and 1 plan) poached, baked or grilled. Why not steamed? Steamed would be easiest to guarantee a restaurant isn't using butter...

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

[mytime]

Lauren - steemed sounds great. How do you prepare this ? I know I have eaten it before and it is very tender and not dry which I hate with chicken. Mytime

[MamaD]

Hummmm
I wonder if we could steam it with some Old Bay seasoning or some 5 spice powder?? Both are very fragrant and delicious....I'll have to try that today.... I wonder if it would be better to slice the chicken up in strips before putting in the steamer????.....to get more flavor more places??? Going to have to try that today!

[Lauren]

Hey, MamaD and MyTime -

Thanks for your replies on the steamed chicken. I must confess I haven't done it myself, but I live in NYC, and we rarely cook here! :-) I just know that I've gotten steamed chicken and mixed veggies many times from restaurants (chinese, japanese), and was curious why that wasn't included as an option.

I did blanche (sp?) chicken once, which I think is like steaming. Where you hold it in the metal strainer and dip it into boiling water. This is a good way to cook veggies without losing their vitamins/minerals. This is probably how the restaurants steam it...

Anyway, I just wondered if the QuickStart tells you to poach, bake and grill vs steam for a reason...

Thanks!

[aphrael]

I have steamed chicken lots of times. I like it becuase it is quick and little mess to clean up. I bought a bamboo steamer at Target for like $10 and it has two trays. I put a spice rub on the chicken usually andput it on the bottom tray and on the top tray I will put my veggies. I usually let the chicken cook for about 5 min. before I add the veggies than they all get done at about the same time. I also add lemon or lime juice to the water in the pan so that the flavor is added to the steam as it cooks.

I find this is a great way to cook fish too. I put the fish on a small peice of foil add my seasoning and close up the packet and put it in the steamer. It is also a great method of reheating foods so they don't turn to rubber or dry out like a microwave.

[MamaD]

Hehe....
I don't know what they don't suggest steaming chicken.... I have never thought of steaming chicken... but now that I think of it... I think I like the idea.

You know my favorite NY food?? Are the mystery "meat sticks" that you buy from the vendors on the street. If is pretty scarry if you think about where it has been and all that...but it has always been very tasty and I never felt like it was greasy. There was the one time that we got that "rare" pork kabob.... that was a little scarry.... WEll that and pronto's pizza...but we won't mention that again!!

[Jan]

I don't think there is an important reason why the Quick Start Manual doesn't mention steaming. Probably just forgot it as an option. My only concern would be to make certain the chicken is completely cooked. Chickens carry salmonella. Salmonella generally won't kill you but may make you wish it would!!
I peronally like steamed foods.
jan

[Nancy]

Nope, there is no problem whatsoever with steaming fish and chicken - it is similar to poaching. Jan is right-on in regards to cooking chicken/pork/fish and beef long enough - in fact, meal preparation using raw fish and meat requires hand-washing, counter cleaning, etc.

Old Bay Seasoning and 5 Spice is fine, too. A little bit of lemon or lime is fine - just remember, fruit has carbs and each squeeze of lemon adds some carbs - use your noodle when preparing and seasoning your Medimeals and you'll be fine!