1. Pesto pasta
First we have a creamy pesto pasta. All you need for this recipe is your favorite pasta, pesto, and any toppings you want – I love to add frozen peas, frozen chicken, and parmesan cheese. In a microwaveable bowl, add about half a cup of pasta and fill the bowl with water, making sure to cover all of the pasta plus about an inch. Place the bowl in the microwave and cook the pasta for the recommended cooking time, adding three to four minutes. I usually take the noodles out every two minutes and stir to make sure the noodles are cooked evenly. I often find that I don’t have to heat the pasta in the microwave all the time. So take them out regularly to check their firmness. Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and add about a tablespoon of pesto. In a separate bowl, follow the directions on the box for any frozen toppings you want to add. Add the toppings to the pasta and sprinkle with parmesan cheese or eat the pasta yourself – it’s delicious either way!
2. Spicy sweet potato
This is one of my favorite snacks during the day and it’s that simple! All you need is a sweet potato, almond butter or peanut butter, any kind of cereal and honey. Pierce the potato four to five times with a fork or knife. This allows the steam to escape while cooking. Place the sweet potato in the microwave on a microwaveable plate and cook on full power for five minutes. Take the potato out of the microwave and pierce it with a fork or knife to make sure it’s soft enough to eat. The potato is ready when it can be easily pierced up to the middle. If not, put the potato back in the microwave and cook it in one-minute increments, checking its softness every minute. When you’re done, cut the potato in half and add about a tablespoon of almond butter on both sides of the potato. Top with muesli and honey for a hearty but sweet snack.
3. Baked potato
If you prefer regular potatoes over sweet potatoes, this is the recipe for you. You need a potato, butter, and salt and pepper. Cooking a potato is the same as cooking a sweet potato. Use a fork or knife to poke holes in the potato four to five times. Put the potato in the microwave and cook on full power for five minutes. Check the firmness of the potato and continue cooking if necessary. Once the potato is ready, cut it in half and put the desired amount of butter, salt and pepper on both sides. I like to add parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes.
4. Marinara noodles with turkey meatballs
For this recipe, you’ll need your favorite type of pasta – I like to use gluten-free, chickpea-based banza pasta – marinara sauce, frozen turkey meatballs, spinach, and olive oil. In a microwaveable bowl, add about half a cup of pasta and fill the bowl with water. Make sure that the pasta is covered plus about an inch. Place the bowl in the microwave and cook the pasta for the recommended cooking time, adding three to four minutes. Take the pasta out every two minutes to check its firmness. You may not have to cook them all the time. Once the noodles are cooked, in a separate bowl, follow the directions to put the turkey meatballs in the microwave. Place the turkey meatballs in the bowl of noodles and in the same bowl that you microwaved the turkey meatballs in, add a large handful of spinach and drizzle with a teaspoon of olive oil. Put the spinach in the microwave and cook for a minute or two. Take out the spinach and stir it – it should be sautéed by now. Add the spinach to your bowl of cooked noodles and turkey meatballs. Then add a couple of large scoops of marinara sauce and stir together. If you’re a parmesan lover like me, add parmesan and enjoy!
5. Fluffy eggs
This recipe is for all the breakfast lovers out there. You will need two eggs, cooking spray or olive oil, water, and salt and pepper. Spray a microwave-safe bowl with cooking spray or coat the bowl with a light layer of olive or vegetable oil. In the same bowl, whisk two eggs and a tablespoon of water – this will make the eggs fluffier – and add salt and pepper to taste. Put the bowl in the microwave and cook on high for 45 seconds. Take out the eggs, stir, and cook for another 45 seconds. Take the eggs out of the microwave and add the toppings you want like cheddar or mozzarella cheese, avocado and hot sauce. I like pairing the eggs with microwaveable chicken sausage or bacon.
6. Asian rice with chicken and vegetables
For Asian foodies, this recipe calls for microwaveable white rice, frozen vegetables of your choice, frozen chicken, and soy sauce. I prefer jasmine rice from Tasty Bite. For this particular variety, all you need to do is tear the bag two inches to deflate it and put the microwave on high for 90 seconds. Once the rice is ready, add about half a cup of frozen vegetables in a separate bowl. I like to use a mixture of frozen broccoli, carrots, and peas. Fill the bowl with water, making sure that all the vegetables are covered. Turn the microwave on for about four minutes to allow the vegetables to cook. Drain the vegetables and add the bag of white rice. Follow the directions to cook your frozen chicken and add it to the bowl of rice and vegetables. Top with soy sauce for a delicious Asian fusion dish.
7. Mac and cheese
This take on the classic dish is creamy, tasty, and far healthier than any store-bought microwaveable mac and cheese. For this recipe, you will need elbow macaroni, water, cheddar cheese, and a dash of milk. In a microwaveable bowl, add half a cup of elbow macaroni noodles and water, making sure the noodles are covered. Stronger microwaves need a little more water. Microwave the noodles for about six minutes, removing them every few minutes to stir. Drain the pasta, making sure to leave some pasta water at the bottom of the bowl. Add a couple of large handfuls of cheddar cheese and put it back in the microwave for 45 seconds. Once done, take the pasta out, add a splash of milk and stir.
8. Oatmeal with fresh fruit
Try this oatmeal recipe for a quick and easy breakfast. All you need is oatmeal, agave syrup or honey, peanut butter, cereal and fresh fruit. Pour half a cup of oatmeal into a microwaveable bowl and fill the bowl with just enough water to saturate the oats. Put the bowl in the microwave and heat for 45 seconds to a minute – microwave longer if you want a thicker consistency. Once the oats are done, remove the bowl from the microwave and stir in a tablespoon of peanut butter. Then drizzle the oatmeal with agave or honey and top with a handful of muesli and some fresh fruit.
9. Sweet potato and vegetable burger with mashed avocado
This is one of my favorite afternoon snacks. You will need a vegetarian burger, sweet potato, avocado, and salt and pepper. The brand of vegetarian burgers I like to use is Dr. Embossers. Place the vegetable burger on a microwaveable plate in the microwave and heat on high for 45 seconds. When you’re done, take the vegetable burger out, turn it over, and put it back in the microwave for another 45 seconds to cook. Set the vegetable burger aside and cut two thick slices of sweet potato. Microwave for two to three minutes until you reach a preferred softness – continue microwave in one minute increments if the sweet potato slices have not cooked through. When you’re done, set the sweet potato slices aside and use a fork to mash one half of an avocado. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spread the mashed avocado on the sweet potato slices and place the vegetable patty on one of the slices. Put the other slice on top of the vegetable burger and enjoy!
10. Sweet and flavorful popcorn
This recipe makes for a great snack between meals. You will need microwaveable popcorn, chili powder, cinnamon, and agave syrup. Cook the popcorn in the microwave according to the directions in the package. Once the popcorn is ready, pour it into a large bowl and sprinkle about 1/4 teaspoon of chili powder and 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon on top. Then lightly drizzle with agave syrup. Stir the mixture together with a spoon and you are good to go. This recipe is best served warm and is perfect for a snack or a movie night with friends!
