The short cooking time in a minimal amount of liquid ensures that fruits and vegetables retain all their natural goodness.

Capitalising on this, Myra Street has compiled an excellent cookbook `Microwave Cooking for Vegetarians', which not only gives all the basic instructions for using a microwave oven, but a wealth of delicious vegetarian dishes especially adapted for this form of cooking.

The book -- which is available at the Bermuda Library -- conveniently divides the recipes into seasonal favourites, and gives British, European and American measurements for all ingredients.

Here is a sampling (with American measurements): *** LETTUCE SOUP 2 tbsp. butter 1 onion, peeled 1 potato, peeled 21 cups vegetable stock (broth) 2 lettuces 1 tsp. fresh chervil or chives salt and pepper 1 cup single cream (half-and-half) 1 spring onion (scallion) MELT butter in a large casserole on full power for 1 minute. Slice onion and potato finely. Stir onion and potato into butter and cook on full power for 5 minutes; allow to stand for 2 minutes. Add vegetable stock and cook a further 5 minutes. Remove from microwave and stir in lettuce, chervil or chives and seasoning. Cook on full power for a further 10 minutes. Allow to stand until slightly cool. Put mixture through a coarse sieve, food mill or blender.

Reheat as required. To serve: Add swirls of single (half-and-half) cream before serving and garnish with finely chopped spring onion (scallions). Serve hot or cold. Serves 4.

*** PARSNIP AND APPLE SOUP 2 tbsp. butter 1 onion, diced 4 cups parsnips, diced 1 lb. cooking apples 1 tsp. mixed herbs 1 qt. vegetable stock 1 cup. single (half-and-half) cream 1 tbsp. chopped parsley MELT butter in a browning dish for 2 minutes. Add onion to melted butter and cook on full power for 2 minutes. Add parsnips to onion and cook on full power for 3 minutes. Add sliced apple and herbs and cook for a further 2 minutes.

Pour on stock and cook, covered, for 10 minutes on full power. Allow to stand for a few minutes.

Put soup in a blender or liquidiser, add cream. Reheat for 5 minutes.

To serve: Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with whole wheat bread.

*** SALAD PROVENCALE 4 cups whole green beans 4 spring onions (scallions) 1 tsp. thyme 1 green pepper, deseeded 1 red pepper, deseeded 4 tomatoes, skinned 4 hard-boiled eggs 1 cup olive oil 1 tsp. French mustard 3 tbsp. wine vinegar 1 garlic clove 20 black olives 1 lettuce TRIM beans, arrange in a dish with 2 tbsp. water, cover and cook on full power for 10 minutes.

Chop all but two of the spring onions (scallions) finely. Add chopped spring onions (scallions) with thyme to beans after 5 minutes of cooking. Mix well and cook another 5 minutes. Drain and allow to cool.

Slice peppers into strips and arrange in a shallow dish. Cover with 3 tbsp.

water and cook for 5 minutes on full power. Drain and allow to cool.

Cut each tomato into eight wedges and each egg into six wedges lengthwise.

To make the dressing: Mix oil, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper in a screw-top jar and shake well.

Take a large salad bowl and rub it with a cut clove of garlic. Line with lettuce leaves. Put beans mixed with half the dressing in bottom of the bowl.

Arrange peppers, tomatoes and eggs on top with black olives. Chop reserved spring onions (scallions) and sprinkle them over the dish. Add rest of the dressing just before serving. Serve with slices of wholemeal or French bread.

Serves 4.

*** VEGETABLE LOAF 1 lb. broccoli spears 2 carrots, grated 3 celery stalks, tops discarded 2 tbsp. butter 2 tbsp. flour 3 eggs salt and pepper 1 tsp. paprika 1 tsp. mustard powder 1 cup cottage cheese 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese 2 tomatoes, skinned 2 spring onions (scallions), washed and trimmed ARRANGE broccoli spears in a ring on a shallow dish with heads to the centre of the dish. Sprinkle with 2-3 tbsp. water, cover and cook for 8 minutes at full power. Remove dish, arrange grated carrot in heaps and the celery in 1 in. pieces between the stalks. Cover and cook 5 minutes at full power, drain.

Melt butter for 1 minute in a bowl at full power, then stir in flour.

Gradually beat in eggs and season well with salt, pepper, paprika and mustard.

Beat in cottage cheese and then grated cheese.

Mix cheese mixture with broccoli, celery and carrot. Cook on full power for 3 minutes, stir well.

Butter a glass loaf pan or a rectangular china terrine dish. Cover bottom of the dish with sliced tomatoes and chopped spring onions (scallions), then arrange half cooked mixture in the dish. Pour on remaining mixture, cover and cook on full for 3 minutes. Turn power to half, or defrost, cook for a further 6. Allow to stand for 3 minutes.

Test to make sure the mixture is cooked. Unmould dish on to a heated plate and test the bottom with a fork.

Cut into slices and serve with Tomato Sauce and new potatoes. Serves 6.

*** STUFFED ARTICHOKES 4 globe artichokes 2 lemons, rind and juice 1 cup soft bread crumbs 1 cup mushrooms salt and freshly ground pepper 1 spring onion (scallion) 1 cup cream 4 slices Gruyere cheese 2 tbsp. butter To prepare artichokes: Cut off stalks and remove two rows of outer leaves with a sharp knife or scissors. Shaped artichokes should then stand on a plate evenly. Cut across top of each artichoke about 1 inch from the top giving a flat top.

Put prepared artichokes in a covered casserole dish with water and half the lemon juice. Cook on full power 20 minutes. Remove and drain upside down on a wire rack.

Push down with three fingers into the middle section of the leaves and pull these out, leaving the choke visible. Remove it with a teaspoon, making sure you do not scrape away the heart.

Mix bread crumbs in a bowl with finely grated lemon rind. Chop mushrooms and tip into bread crumbs, season well with salt and pepper. Add chopped spring onion (scallion) and mix in the cream.

Stuff artichoke hearts with mixture and lay a slice of cheese on top of the stuffing.

Lay artichokes on a flat plate, cover with cling film and cook on full power 5 minutes. Allow to stand for 2 minutes.

Melt butter and mix it with the remaining lemon juice.

To serve: Pour a little butter and lemon juice over each artichoke. Serves 4.

*** SPICY STUFFED ZUCCHINI 6 zucchini, washed salt 1 tbsp. lemon juice 1 cup long grain rice, washed 1 onion, peeled and diced 1 red (bell) pepper, deseeded and diced 1 cup vegetable oil 1 garlic clove, crushed 2 tomatoes, skinned 1 tsp. curry powder 1 cup mushrooms, washed pepper 2 cup sour cream 1 tsp. paprika 1 tbsp. chopped parsley or coriander CUT zucchini lengthwise and arrange in a flat dish with 1 cup salted water.

Cover and microwave on full power 4 minutes. Drain and sprinkle with lemon juice.

Place washed rice in a casserole with 11 cups water mixed with 1 tsp. salt.

Cook on full power 8 minutes. Allow to stand 3 minutes or until rice has absorbed the water. If it hasn't, cook for a further 2 minutes.

Mix onion and peppers with three-quarters of the oil and crushed garlic.

Cook on full power 4 minutes before stirring in chopped tomatoes, curry powder and chopped mushrooms.

Scoop out inside of zucchini with a small knife. Chop flesh and add to vegetable mixture. Cook on full power 4 minutes, stir well season with salt and pepper.

Mix rice with vegetable mixture and half the sour cream. Taste for seasoning.

Brush zucchini with oil inside and out spoon stuffing into shells. Arrange in a flat, oiled dish, cook on full power 5 minutes, then on half power 5 minutes. Cook in two batches if zucchini are large.

To serve: Sprinkle each halved courgette (zucchini) with the remaining cream, a little paprika and chopped parsley or coriander. This dish can be served hot or cold. Serves 4-6.

*** SPINACH AND MUSHROOM MOULD 2 lbs. fresh spinach, chopped, OR 1 lb. frozen chopped spinach 2 tbsp. butter 2 cups mushrooms, washed 1 tsp. grated nutmeg salt and pepper 11 cups Bechamel Sauce (recipe follows) 1 lb. mozzarella cheese COOK chopped spinach in microwave oven for 5 minutes, covered, on full power.

If using frozen spinach, defrost it.

Melt butter and add sliced mushrooms. Stir and cook for another 1 minute on full power.

In a buttered, rectangular dish or microwave ring mold (tube pan) arrange one layer of the drained spinach, season well, and drizzle a spoonful of the Bechamel Sauce over surface. Arrange layer of sliced mushrooms and then a layer of sliced Mozzarella cheese. Continue layering until all ingredients are used, reserving half the Bechamel Sauce.

Cook on full power for 5 minutes then allow to stand for 2 minutes. finish cooking at full power for a further 5 minutes.

Unmould using a ring mold (tube pan). Reheat sauce in microwave for 2 minutes on full power and whisk to ensure that it is smooth.

To serve: Pour heated sauce over Spinach and Mushroom Mould. Serves 4.

Bechamel (White) Sauce 21 cups milk 1 onion, peeled 1 bay leaf 1 bouquet garni 1 slice of carrot 3 tbsp. butter 1 cup all-purpose flour salt and pepper PUT milk in an ovenproof glass measuring jug with onion, bay leaf, bouquet garni and carrot. Cook on full power 3 minutes. Allow to stand, covered, for 10 minutes.

Heat butter in a bowl for 2 minutes, remove from oven and stir in flour.

Gradually add strained milk and whisk mixture until smooth. Season well.

Reheat in oven at full power for 2 minutes, then remove and whisk. Return to oven at full power and cook for a further 2 minutes, then whisk again. Cook for another minute, allow to stand for 2 minutes, whisk and leave to stand. To serve: Use for vegetable dishes with or without first adding herbs and cheese.

Serves 4.

*** QUICK LUNCH PIZZAS 4 thick slices whole wheat bread 1 tbsp. vegetable oil 2 large tomatoes, sliced 8 slices yellow cheese 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1 tsp. chopped basil 16 pitted olives 1 tbsp. capers TOAST one side of the bread under the grill. Brush untoasted side lightly with oil and arrange one layer of tomatoes on top. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper and basil. Place sliced cheese on top, covering centre but allowing some space for it to melt to the edge of the bread. Cover with remaining slices of tomato. Decorate with olives and capers and brush with oil. Arrange on a plate and microwave at full power for 3 minutes. Check to see if cheese has melted and spread. If not, return for a further 1 minute. Cooking time will depend on type and thickness of cheese used. Serves 4.

HOME BAKED BEANS Normally, home baked beans take about 6 hours to cook in a regular oven. The microwave solves this problem, and although still not quick to make, it requires very little attention. Serves 4.

21 cups haricot (navy) beans 2 tbsp. vegetable oil 2 onions, diced 1 eggplant, diced 2 x 14 oz. can of tomatoes OR 2 lb. tomatoes, skinned 2 garlic cloves, peeled 1 cup tomato paste 2 tbsp. vinegar 1 tsp. soy sauce 21 cups vegetable stock (broth) 2 tbsp. molasses salt and freshly ground pepper 1 tsp. mustard 1 tsp. thyme 1 tbsp. chopped parsley SOAK beans overnight in cold water to cover. Drain. Put beans in a saucepan of cold water to cover and bring to the boil on stove top for 10 minutes.

Heat oil in microwave oven in a browning dish for 2 minutes. Add onions and cook on full power for a further 2 minutes. Put half the onions in a suitable microwave casserole and cover with a layer of beans.

Mix eggplant and chopped tomatoes with all remaining ingredients. Arrange half the mixture onto the beans and onions, add the remaining beans and cover with the other half of the mixture.

Place casserole in microwave oven and cook at full power for 15 minutes. Allow to rest for 5 minutes.

Cook on half power for a further 30 minutes, test the beans, and stir the mixture. If beans are still firm, cook on full power for a further 10 minutes.

To serve: These beans can be served on toast as a snack or cold with salad or as part of a starter. Serves 4.

*** ORIENTAL RICE 1 cup long grain rice salt 1 cup small mushrooms 2 dessert apples 1 tbsp. wine vinegar 1 large onion, finely chopped (minced) 1 tbsp. vegetable oil 1 cup sultanas 1 cup cashew nuts 1 cup salted peanuts 20 black olives (pitted) 1 tbsp. curry powder WASH rice until water runs clear. Put it into a very large container with 33 cups water and salt. Microwave, uncovered, on full power 15 minutes. Rinse and leave to drain thoroughly.

Slice mushrooms, chop apples leaving skins on. Put chopped apple in a bowl with vinegar.

Put oil in a large bowl and heat for 2 minutes on full power. Add onion, stir and cover with a plate or pierced cling film (plastic wrap) and microwave on full power for 3 minutes.

Combine all ingredients, season to taste and cook on full power for 4 minutes stirring after 2 minutes. Serve with a green salad. Serves 4.