You may be stuck at work, but that doesn’t mean you have to eat like a chump. Here are ways you can use that office microwave to turn out some seriously delicious chow, any time of the day. Just don’t be that guy nuking leftover fish.
(Photo Credit: mamamockingbird77/Flickr)
Breakfast:
The most important meal of the day, but many of us skip it (or just eat a bar of some kind while driving). But there are so many exciting things to be done in the microwave at work, and you’ll still be on time to your 9 a.m. meeting!
Try French Toast in a Cup, for example. You’ll need one mug to mix in and another to cook in, but mmm mmm, French toast will be the end result! If you’re gluten-free, try your favorite GF bread in this recipe.
Want a muffin? Make your own with a Blueberry Muffin in a Mug. Yep, it has some fancy ingredients like coconut oil for the topping, but you can also play around with items you might have leftover from that meeting, like refrigerated butter packets for long-since-discarded bagels, and sugar from the Carter administration that you chip out of the shaker.
Oatmeal doesn’t have to come in a packet, you know. Try making this delicious Apple Pie Oatmeal in your favorite coffee cup. It uses a real, honest-to-God apple in it, along with cholesterol-reducing rolled oats, water, and cinnamon. That’s it!
Want to go old-school, egg-style breakfast? Try adding your favorite meats or veggies to this easy Scrambled Eggs in a Mug recipe. Experiment with egg substitutes like Egg Beaters if that’s your thing. Try adding in some bacon and ham if you’re feeling crazy. It’s all up to you.
Lunch:
If you want a hot lunch, you don’t have to settle for leftovers or some kind of cuisine that’s lean. Try something new!
Microwave a potato. Yup, that’s right! Grab your favorite spud and give it a few jabs with a fork or sharp knife (for venting), then slap that sucker in the microwave for a few minutes until it’s steamed to perfection. Add your favorite toppin’s (my favorite is cheese, broccoli, and sliced-up deli ham) and you’ve got yourself a satisfying meal! Sweet potatoes are also great if you want a sweet/savory treat. Try a hot one with butter and a dash of cinnamon.
We’ve all eaten plenty of cheap ramen noodles, but that flavor packet has to go! There are tons of ramen hacks out there to show you ways to make this quick noodle dish actually taste good! From adding simple flavor-packed seasonings like miso and Thai curry paste, to adding fresh greens like spinach or snow peas, to simple squeezes from a lime wedge or lemon slice, there’s lots to do to make ramen your new office go-to.
Did somebody say pizza? You don’t need an oven or a delivery driver to get hot pizza at work. Try these Pizza Roll-Ups with tortillas and your favorite cheese, sauce, and toppings for a quick trip to Delicious Town. Be careful! That cheese is ooey-gooey.
Holy cow, you can make Risotto in the microwave! Yep, we’re talking chopping onions and garlic here, but you can do some food prep at home if you’re not into onion tears at the office. There are variations like adding butternut squash and sage, mushrooms and thyme, and even bacon, kale, and mushrooms to the mix. This is some higher-level microwave cookery we’re talking about!
Dinner:
There’s no excuse to eat leftover birthday cake for dinner if you’re working late (unless it’s your birthday, and if it is, I’m sorry you’re spending it at work). But, you can have your cake, and eat it too with these easy dinner-ish recipes you can whip up in your old trusty friend, the microwave!
Give Meatloaf in a Mug a try, with just six ingredients (including the ketchup). You’ll get a single serving of homecookin’ in under 10 minutes!
Mexican food at work doesn’t have to mean drive-thru tacos. Try making these super yummy (and not too calorie-rich) Chilaquiles the next time you get a hankering for something south of the border at the office. It may seem daunting, but with ingredients as simple as egg, milk, cheese, and chips, you’ll satisfy your craving and only consume about 180 calories per serving.
Better than that blue box with the neon powder, is this personal Mac ‘n Cheese recipe you can whip up in the microwave. Don’t substitute prepared mustard (like you add to a hot dog in Chicago) for the ground mustard. Not the same.
Snacks and Treats:
Yep, you knew 3 p.m. was coming, and now you’re starving! Try one of these hot treats to really wake you up in the afternoons.
Potato Chips in the microwave? Really? Why would we get so fancy when there’s a perfectly good vending machine down the hall? Well, you’re fancy, that’s why. Plus, when you perfect this potato chip recipe, you can move on to the Sweet Potato and Parsnip Chip recipe. Which … drooooool.
The best thing to put Nutella on? A spoon, obviously. The second best might just be this 4-Ingredient Nutella Cake you make in (you guessed it) a mug in the microwave. Just flour, baking powder, Nutella, and milk make this super yummy treat. Make sure you let it cool long enough to avoid burning your tongue! Patience is indeed a virtue. (Don’t like chocolate? You’re weird. But here’s a chocolate-free Rainbow Cake, anyway.)
If you’re keeping to gluten-free treats, or if you’re paleo, you can try this Paleo Mug Cake for a sweet treat. It uses two kinds of alternate flours (coconut and almond) but it also includes chocolate chips, so it’s a winner in my book.
Gotta have chocolate? Try the classic Brownie in a Mug. It uses unsweetened cocoa powder and vanilla extract, which might seem kind of fussy for work, but surely you can keep your baking ingredient stash in your desk for brownie emergencies. Makes more sense than that umbrella you always forget to take when it’s raining, right?
Finally, if you’re wondering how to source all these fancy things at work, you’d be surprised what you can find on today’s grocery shelves, even at places like Target or other box stores with grocery aisles.
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