Tips for the green chef

While there are some fairly obvious ways to go green at home (like recycling, switching to more efficient light bulbs, etc.), even the greenest of us will occasionally overlook a household task that easily lends itself to saving big on the energy bill—cooking. Here are some easy tips from www.care2.com on being a more energy-efficient chef:

• Cover pans with a lid: water will boil faster and less energy will be wasted if you simply top your pot.

• Cover the coil: make sure there is no exposed coil underneath your pot or pan. If there is, you need a bigger pan.

• Use less liquid: the more liquid and fat are involved, the longer your cooking times will be.

• Cook in bulk: when cooking pasta, for instance, it’s more efficient to prepare too much and eat leftovers rather than bringing water to a boil each time.

• Cut it off quick: you can turn the stove top off well before your food is ready and let the process continue with the pan’s residual heat.