Healthy Meals You Can Make in the Microwave!

When time is at a premium, the thought of getting out all the equipment to make yourself a healthy meal can be daunting. However, these are the kind of situations that microwaves were made for! Rather than substituting your healthy dinner for a processed microwaveable meal, you can make your own without sacrificing taste or healthiness. Here at NetCost Market, we’ve got some great homemade microwave meal ideas that taste just as good as if you cooked them on the stove but take a fraction of the time!

Microwave Shakshuka

Shakshuka is a popular Middle Eastern dish that consists of poached eggs in a sauce made of tomatoes, chilies, and garlic, with spices such as cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg. It makes a filling and healthy breakfast, and the microwaveable version is perfect if you don’t have time in the morning to make the real thing from scratch!

Recipe

Ingredients: 1 tbsp. olive oil, 1 cup passata or blended canned tomatoes, 1 clove garlic – finely chopped, 1 tbsp. red salsa or ½ strong red pepper chopped, 2 eggs, 1 tbsp. chopped cilantro, pita bread to serve.

Method:

• Use a microwaveable bowl that’s large enough to hold all the ingredients. Brush this with some of the oil. Stir in the passata, garlic, and salsa, and season with salt and pepper. In the center of the bowl, make a small dip, and then break the eggs into this hole, pricking the yolks with the tip of a sharp knife.
• Cover the bowl with cling wrap and then microwave on high for 1 minute, and then short 30-second bursts until the egg is set.
• Sprinkle with coriander and set to one side.
• Place the pita on a small microwavable serving dish and sprinkle with a little water. Microwave on high for 20 seconds.
• Serve together and enjoy!

Microwave vegetable biryani

Biryani is an aromatic baked rice dish that’s enjoyed at Indian celebrations and festivals. It’s great for large crowds or when you have friends over for dinner. But, if you’re cooking for yourself or the family, this simple microwaveable version is super quick and surprisingly similar to the real thing!

Recipe

Ingredients: 1 cup uncooked basmati rice, 2 cups mixed frozen vegetables, a handful of raisins, 1 tbsp. vegetable stock powder, 2 tbsp. Indian biryani spice paste, a handful of roasted cashew nuts.

Method:

• In a large microwaveable bowl, add the rice, then the vegetables, then the raisins.
• Pour in 2 ½ cups boiling water and then sprinkle in the stock powder and stir in the spice paste.
• Cover the bowl with cling wrap and prick a small hole in the middle with a fork.
• Cook on full power for 12 minutes.
• Remove from the microwave and stand, with the clingfilm still covering the bowl, for a further 5 minutes.
• Remove the cling wrap and fluff the rice up using a fork. Sprinkle with cashew nuts and serve!

Microwave spinach and egg omelet with English garden peas

Whether you’re looking for a healthy, high protein breakfast or a light dinner, this dish is full of protein and healthy fats yet are low in complex carbohydrates. Using the microwave means you’ll be eating like a king (or queen) in no time!

Recipe

Ingredients: 2 eggs, 2 tbsp. 2% milk, a good handful of fresh baby spinach leaves, 1 tbsp. frozen English peas, salt, pepper.

Method:

• In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk with a pinch of salt and pepper.
• Pour the mixture into a high edged microwaveable plate or a microwaveable omelet pan.
• Cook for 2 minutes on medium, until the omelet is cooked through.
• Place spinach and peas in the center of the omelet and microwave for a further 1 minute until cooked through.
• Season with a little more salt and pepper and enjoy!

If your schedule is too busy to cook, that’s not a problem! Microwaves provide the perfect solution for saving time and effort, and you certainly don’t need to sacrifice the healthiness of your meal! Try some of these great recipes to get yourself into the routine of eating well with minimal preparation. If you’re looking to start eating more healthily, head down to NetCost Market where you’ll find only the freshest ingredients for making your favorite microwave meals!