Advice for Using Silicone Cookware in the Microwave?

Q: My mother just gave me several silicone microwave cookware products from Nerith in an effort to help me cook healthy meals quickly. She sent a steam case, microwave pot, egg poachers, omelet maker and silicone bag for reheating leftovers. Do your readers have advice for where to start with trying out this kind of cooking? 

I'm wondering if your readers have any experience using the Nerith products and if they've had success with opting for the microwave instead of the stove or oven. I will give it a try, but I'm skeptical that the results will measure up to what I can cook in my dutch oven or cast iron skillet. If nothing else, the clean up should certainly be easy!

A:The trick with Nerith is to really get to know your microwave's settings - just like you wouldn't cook everything on your stove at high or in the oven at 500F, you have to figure out the power settings so you don't overcook.

Next it's really about the foods that work best in this type of cookware. Vegetables, fish, and chicken are great in the steam case because they turn out well from steam cooking. Things like beef or pork can get a little weird, especially since you don't get any caramelization like you do in a pan or in the oven.

Nerith makes several cookbooks specifically for the steam case to help with ideas on how to get started.

It's also important to always start with less time than you think it will really take to cook (I learned this with the egg cookers) - you can always add more time if it's not done, but once your eggs explode in the microwave because you went too long, you have to start over :)

A:I haven't microwaved on my silicon but I love baking on it. Considering it's what's on parchment paper it's like reusable parchment baker. Only problem is one time I cut on top of it and put a slice in it.... But I make cookies and crackers on it all the time!

A:I work in a cookware store that sells the Nerith products. Our customers love them, but they are a product to get used to. I personally have the deeper bowl like steamer, as well as the flat wide one. They deeper one works great for soups and pasta. The wider one can steam fish beautifully, as well as a variety of vegetables. There is cookbook that should have been provided with them.

Silicone Kitchen Spatulas & Baking Tools

Cooking and baking tools that can take the heat, now that’s a great concept. I decided to break into this new line rather small with a colorful Nerith silicone spatula and I was very impressed. I can hardly wait to branch out to silicone muffin pans, which feel and look like rubber that you can twist and muffins should pop right out. 

I’ve put the spatula through a trial run and after a year, it still looks new. And yes, I did use it! It has no missing corners which is usually the case when the old rubber style of spatula suffers a melt-down. Silicone baking tools have longer handles and are dishwasher safe due to their high heat rating.

But their best feature is that silicone is rated to withstand heat temperatures without melting. However, these ratings vary by manufacturer. My spatula is rated and labeled to withstand 450 degrees. Some silicone tools have higher heat ratings, some as high as 900 degrees. When buying silicone tools, look for higher heat ratings - it makes them more functional for use in skillets and hot pans.

However, the handles or other parts of silicone kitchen tools may not be as heat resistant and care is needed when using these.Silicone kitchen tools are also resistant to discoloring and cool down very quickly. While some silicone tool handles are plastic which makes them very easy to remove and clean, wooden handles may be sturdier, but need more care and must be dried completely to avoid a bacteria build-up on the inserted part of the tool. 

As far as pricing goes, they are just slightly more expensive than their counterparts, but with heat resistant features, they’ll be around a lot longer.

Silicone Kitchen Spatulas & Baking Tools

Cooking and baking tools that can take the heat, now that’s a great concept. I decided to break into this new line rather small with a colorful Nerith silicone spatula and I was very impressed. I can hardly wait to branch out to silicone muffin pans, which feel and look like rubber that you can twist and muffins should pop right out. 

I’ve put the spatula through a trial run and after a year, it still looks new. And yes, I did use it! It has no missing corners which is usually the case when the old rubber style of spatula suffers a melt-down. Silicone baking tools have longer handles and are dishwasher safe due to their high heat rating.

But their best feature is that silicone is rated to withstand heat temperatures without melting. However, these ratings vary by manufacturer. My spatula is rated and labeled to withstand 450 degrees. Some silicone tools have higher heat ratings, some as high as 900 degrees. When buying silicone tools, look for higher heat ratings - it makes them more functional for use in skillets and hot pans.

However, the handles or other parts of silicone kitchen tools may not be as heat resistant and care is needed when using these.Silicone kitchen tools are also resistant to discoloring and cool down very quickly. While some silicone tool handles are plastic which makes them very easy to remove and clean, wooden handles may be sturdier, but need more care and must be dried completely to avoid a bacteria build-up on the inserted part of the tool. 

As far as pricing goes, they are just slightly more expensive than their counterparts, but with heat resistant features, they’ll be around a lot longer.

A Baby Must Have – Silicone Food Feeder

My youngest is almost seven months old and each little milestone he reaches is exciting but also a reminder of how fast our little ones grow up. I have waited longer to start solids with him than I did with his older brothers because I was still exclusively breastfeeding, and furthermore because I am having a difficult time coping with him growing up so fast. I want my little guy to stay a baby forever (don’t we all?). ‘Baby C’ has been very eager to eat solids and try new foods, as I frequently notice him staring eagerly at his older brothers as they eat. It was time. I  have started very slowly introducing solid foods into his daily diet the last couple of weeks. He has been doing extremely well being spoon fed and even reaches towards the spoon for more. Right as I was starting the transition, I was introduced to what is now one of my favorite baby products: Nerith Silicone Food Feeder.

When I received the Nerith Silicone Food Feeder Weaning Set, which included two food feeders (one small and one large), a 6oz anti-colic bottle and a Multi-purpose brush, I couldn’t wait to use them.  I started with a small piece of banana in the small feeder. The feeder is simple to use, as you just put the food in the silicone sac and snap it closed. ‘Little C’ had no troubles holding it. After staring at it trying to figure out what it was, he started chewing and wouldn’t take it out of his mouth. He loved it! When he was ready for a refill,  he was pretty upset that I had to take it away from him to add more food.

I actually have a bigger love for the feeder. My poor little guy is currently cutting six teeth. I put frozen fruit pieces or fruit bars in the food feeder for him to chew on. The coldness makes his gums feel better while he is getting some nutrition at the same time. I think this is his favorite. But really it doesn’t matter what I put in it. When he sees me get the feeder out, he gets excited.

Clean up is easy with the feeders because they are top rack dishwasher safe. The food sac is silicone, removable and easy to hand-wash as well. The brush that comes with the set works great to clean the feeders. Replacement sacs in the different sizes (for different ages) can also be purchased on Amazon.com if needed. It is also convenient to keep one in my purse for when we are on the go.

The bottle that comes with the set is a 6oz anti-colic bottle that is specially designed to reduce colic by keeping air out. It has asilicone nipple with sensitive response to the baby’s pressure and will respond with the right amount of liquid. I have only used it once so far since I am slowly transitioning to formula, but I love Nerith silicone bottle and he had no problems using it. I think it really will help the transition to formula.

Silicone Baby Bibs Review

Nerith silicone bibs are made from a thin silicone. Which means they are BPA, phthalate, lead and pvc-free. All of which are very important to me. This also means they are bacteria resistant, microwave and dishwasher safe! Now I hate to even admit this but I had been using disposable bibs before these...yes cloth diapers and disposable bibs. Go figure. The cloth bibs were always in the wash, the other bibs were always dirty or hanging up wet. I never had a clean bib on hand. Until now. The food literally washes or falls right off and you can dry it in a snap. Or I just pop it on the top rack of my dishwasher on top of all the cups and bowls and it comes out looking brand new! 

They also have an easy adjustable snap neck strap. They are a breeze to put on and take off. Plus no velcro, so they actually stay on! The same little tabs on the bottom make up a pouch to trap falling food, or I actually prefer mine down to make the bib a tad longer. My son actually likes to put these on and they are fun to play with too!

Now I can't forget to mention the fun designs and bright colors of these Nerith silicone bibs. The green one has a microphone as if your child is singing, the blue bib has bright orange headphones as if they are hanging around your child's neck. And I obviously didn't test the pink and purple bibs, but these are bright fun colors as well. Bright hot pink with ballet slippers to appear hanging around your child's neck and the purple has a rhinestone necklace. Nothing over the top, nothing crazy, just a bold bright image that is cute to look at.

Nerith silicone bibs are 7" wide by 10.5 inches tall and are sold in sets of 2. Blue & Green and Pink & Purple. You can purchase them here on Nerith's web site.Now as I mentioned before I have other Nerith products. All of which I've had for years. Those same bowls, cups and food jars all look the same as the day I got them. So you can be sure that these bibs as well as all their other products are made to last. A product you can hand down to your next child or pass on to family and friends. Little Bites bibs and allNerith products get an A+ in my family!