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Toast 2 Surprising Foods
We love garnishing pasta, salad and other dishes with lightly toasted nuts for crunch and added flavor, but we'd only ever used the oven or stove for the job. Toasting nuts in the microwave is quick and easy, though. Linda S. Gossett, an extension professor at the University of Idaho's Expanded Food & Nutrition Program, says to spread a tablespoon to a half-cup of nuts in a single layer on a microwave-safe dish and add a small amount of softened butter, margarine or oil (corn, olive or grapeseed work well)—about 1/2 teaspoon per 1/2 cup of nuts, and proportionally less for smaller amounts. Stir to thinly coat with the fat and microwave on high for one minute. Stir and microwave for another minute, if necessary, watching closely to avoid burning.