My Cooking Tips for Myasthenia Gravis

I have always cooked from scratch. Growing, harvesting, and preserving my own fruits and vegetables. In years past, that also included grinding my own grains for flour. Including acorn flour - it has a natural sweet gingerbread flavor. Foraging is one of my favorite pastimes when I am able.

With myasthenia gravis, finding ways to cook from scratch has been a bit challenging. The prep work, from vegetables to meats and grains, can be overwhelming! The time and energy spent that it takes to prepare, along with the heat that comes from working in the kitchen is tough.

But, I will talk about the basic normal cooking techniques I use now that help. It involves microwaving - so remember that microwaves may vary for cooking. Just like myasthenia gravis and symptoms ... no two are alike!

Heating macaroni

For macaroni, I put water in a microwave-safe bowl with higher sides. Then put it in the microwave and heat it up for 2-3 minutes.

When the water is hot, I then add the macaroni (salt if desired), cover the bowl with microwave-safe plastic wrap. Then I place it back in the microwave for about 5 minutes. The plastic wrap does not allow the water to boil over, I hate the cleanup.

At this point, the macaroni will not usually be fully cooked, but as long as the water is boiling for at least a couple of minutes it will continue to cook. Depending on your microwave, you might need to increase the cooking time to reach the boiling point.

Then I just check macaroni until it is to the doneness that I desire and drain.
Cooking in the microwave like this Helps eliminate heat from the kitchen, therefore, making it possible to be able to do a bit more.

Spaghetti and lasagna

These 2 are a little more difficult. I usually put pre-warmed water just from the faucet or heat it up in the microwave. There again, my goal is to try and eliminate heat from the kitchen so I can and still cook from scratch.

Just like before in the heated water, simply bring it to a full rolling boil with the spaghetti or lasagna in the water (salt and oil if desired). Then I simply shut the heat off and then let it set in the water until it's cooked to my desired doneness.

The good thing about pasta is that it can be prepared slightly in advance. Giving time for the kitchen to cool off again. Along with the rest time in between the next step of meal preparation.

Cooking rice

For white rice, I also use a microwave-safe bowl with higher sides. I follow the directions on the bag of rice. I cover that bowl with microwave-safe plastic wrap and heat it for about 5 minutes. Then check on it, usually adding 2 more minutes of microwave time, sometimes more. I leave the rice in the warm microwave until the liquid has been absorbed and it's ready to eat.

The plastic wrap will seal down against the rice forcing the moisture into the rice as it sits. I have found I prefer this method for cooking rice over any other method I have ever used.

Brown rice is the same as white rice in the microwave except that it does take longer to cook. So, after the first 5 minutes of microwave time, I let it sit for about 10 minutes and then microwave it again for about 5 minutes. Microwaves vary, but this is what I have found works best for mine.