Steamers

I have been asked to discuss the merits of steamers. I have a steamer and use it most days. I like the versatility of a steamer. No more food being boiled dry was my main focus to begin with (how many have done that when we multitask and answer the phone or help with the kid's homework!).
So why steam? Steaming our vegetables helps to retain more of the nutrients. Vegetables need to be cooked for a very short time to try and retain most of the vitamins and minerals. Juicing is great for retaining the nutrients, but during the cold winter months juicing does not really warm us up in the evening.
If I was to recommend a steamer I would recommend that you physically go into  a shop and see what there is available. There are so many on the market and is all depends on your finances etc. What I would recommend is that you see the steamer out of the box. Does it stack easily? Some are so flimsy that it is hard to get the layers to sit properly. I once had a preset timer on ours so that we could put everything in the steamer in the morning, had it sitting under the exhaust fan (also put on a timer) and then we would have them steaming before we arrived home.
Rice can be made in a steamer so make sure to buy one that allows for this. Again it was the best way to cook rice with no rice sticking to the bottom of the pan!
Any casseroles made up the night before could be put into the rice container also, this is a fantastic alternative to the microwave for reheating your meals.