Remember the first day of college as a freshman: you believed the dining halls were so great because food was ALWAYS available. No more missing breakfast or waiting for dinner. But, fast forward 2 weeks: you miss your mom's homemade food. You are bored of the dining halls and all you want is something other than a pizza, a sandwich, and a salad. You cannot satisfy your craving for something different without spending money.
So, you end up looking for ways to make food with just your ordinary microwave without surrendering to the high sodium ramen and the even-worse-than-dining-hall-food microwaveable meals. Here are 6 recipes of cheap "gourmet" meals you can make with just your microwave:
Spinach and Cheese Omelet
1. Crack 2 eggs into a large mug and use a fork to beat the eggs until completely combined. Whisk in spinach, 1 tablespoon of milk, salt, and pepper.
2. Microwave for one minute. Stir the eggs and add cheese.
3. Then, microwave until the eggs are completely set.
Blueberry Pancakes
1. Combine 1/4 cup of pancake mix (like Original Bisquick™), 1/4 cup of milk, and some blueberries into a mug and microwave for 1 minute.
2. Add more blueberries and toppings of your choice and serve.
Veggie Quinoa Bowl
1. Place 1/2 cup of quinoa and 1 cup of water into a bowl. Cover it with a lid and microwave for 6 minutes.
2. Stir the quinoa, cover, and microwave for another 2 minutes.
3. Remove and let the quinoa sit covered for 5-10 minutes until all the water is absorbed.
4. Chop some broccoli and carrots, place the veggies in another bowl, cover it with a lid, and microwave for 1-3 minutes.
5. Add the veggies to the quinoa and season with salt and pepper.
Marinara Spaghetti
1. Break 1 1/2 cups of spaghetti into short segments and place them into a large mug. Add 1 1/2 cups of water and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and stir. Cover the mug and microwave for 4 minutes.
2. Remove and stir the pasta. Cover and microwave again for 3-4 minutes or until the pasta is cooked and the water is mostly absorbed.
3. To make the sauce, crush chopped tomatoes and press the juices into a bowl. Set the crushed tomatoes to the side.
4. Add chopped onions, olive oil, garlic, basil and oregano into the bowl and microwave until the juice begins to thicken, about 20 minutes. Then, add the crushed tomatoes to the sauce.
5. Add the sauce to the cooked spaghetti and serve.
Late Night Nachos
1. Scatter chips of your choice into a plate.
2. Place beans into bowl and microwave. Mix in pico de gallo and add spoonfuls of the mix to the chips.
3. Add cheese to the top and microwave the plate of chips for 1- 2 minutes.
4. Remove and add more toppings of your choice, like sour cream and guacamole.
Mac & Cheese
1. In a large mug, add 1/3 cup of macaroni or pasta of your choice and meat of your choice (optional). Add enough water to cover the pasta by at least two inches.
2. Place a paper towel on top of the mug and microwave for 4-8 minutes (or until the pasta is cooked).
3. Add 1/2 cup of heavy cream of milk, pepper jack, monetary jack, and cheddar (or cheeses of your choice) and a pinch of salt and pepper.
4. Microwave, checking and stirring every 30 seconds, until the cheese is melted.