1 tablespoon olive oil or margarine

¼ onion, chopped

½ green bell pepper, chopped

½ pound ground beef

½ tablespoon (or to taste) chili powder

½ tablespoon brown sugar

1 cup canned chickpeas, with liquid

½ cup canned green beans, with liquid

1½ cups tomato sauce

• Place the olive oil and chopped onion in a shallow 2-quart microwave-safe casserole dish. Microwave on high heat for 1 minute. Add the chopped green pepper and microwave on high heat for 1 more minute or until the onion is tender.

• Stir in the ground beef. Microwave on high heat for 5 minutes. Stir, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the meat is thoroughly browned. Remove from the microwave and drain the fat from the ground beef.

• Stir in the chili powder and brown sugar. Microwave on high heat for 1 minute.

• Stir in the chickpeas, green beans, and tomato sauce. Microwave on high heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until the chili has thickened. Make sure the ground beef is cooked through. Enjoy hot.

Blanching Vegetables in the Microwave

The microwave makes a handy alternative to the stovetop for blanching vegetables. To blanch, place a small amount of vegetables in a microwave-safe dish and cover with water. Cook the vegetables on high heat. Depending on the quantity of vegetables used, microwave times for blanching vegetables may be higher than what is shown in Appendix A (page 254) for stovetop blanching.