I also live in Texas! I have a microwave steamer I bought on Amazon that I use daily for veggies/potatoes, and it takes like 3-6 minutes to cook pretty much anything. I know microwaving isn’t always the best method for cooking food, but if it makes it easier to eat more vegetables then I think it’s better than nothing https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071JZQYQY/ref=cm_sw_r_awdo_navT_a_NDJG2HMHK48V8DCANPF7