Delicious Recipes For Quick And Healthy Microwave Meals

Just how do you create healthy and balanced meals in the moments between work and bedtime?

Today’s frenetic pace means that it’s not always easy to ensure healthy, well balanced meals each day. Although convenience food does offer some variety, there’s nothing quite like a home-cooked meal for comfort and better nutritional control. As winter approaches, food that fills the stomach and warms the soul while boosting your energy or immune system is vital. But who has the time?

Mike van Lier, Director of Consumer Electronics for Samsung South Africa says, “Microwave technology has been around for decades, but it hasn’t stagnated – especially with Samsung’s drive towards innovative technology that positively impacts daily life. Samsung’s range of microwaves are the perfect foil to lengthy cooking times, allowing home chefs to enjoy more time out of the kitchen.”

There are myriad healthy meals you can whip up using your microwave oven. In fact, the Samsung HotBlast convection microwave can cook food up to 50% faster than a conventional oven. The way HotBlast works is quite simple; from 60 equally distributed air holes, hot air is blasted downwards onto the food. This hot air derives from a fan that is 1.6 times bigger than traditional convection ovens. A roast chicken will retain its juiciness and flavour, this while cooking in 47% less time than it takes using a conventional oven.

Here are two examples of healthy, filling meals you can make in minutes:

Chicken Mug Pie^[i]

There’s nothing quite like a pot pie to warm you up on a cold winter’s night.

Serves 1

Ingredients

For the Filling

• 3-4 Tbls cooked chicken
• 2 Tbls frozen vegetables (peas and carrots)
• 1½ tsp cornflour (corn starch, or replace with potato starch)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3 Tbls chicken stock
• 1Tbls full fat milk (replace with cream for extra body)

For the Biscuit topping

• 4 Tbls flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ⅛ tsp salt
• ½ Tbls butter, cubed
• 3½ Tbls milk (or buttermilk)
• 1 Tbls chopped herbs

Method

1. Add the chicken, vegetables and corn starch to a microwavable mug and mix well, then pour in the stock and milk and stir. Set aside.
2. For the biscuit topping: Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt.
3. Using a fork, rub the cubed butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Then stir the milk and herbs in to form a batter.
4. Scoop the batter on top of the chicken pie mix.
5. Microwave for 2-2.5 minutes, until the biscuit batter is firm on top.

Spicy Salmon^[ii]

Salmon is filled with omega 3, great for boosting your immune system.

Serves 1

Ingredients

• 1 single portion salmon filet
• 2 Tbls mayonnaise
• 1-2 Tbls sriracha sauce
• 2-3 fresh cut lemon slices
• 1 Tbls parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Rinse salmon filet with cold water and pat dry. Place it skin side down on a microwave-safe plate. Season with salt and pepper.
2. In a small bowl, combine the sriracha sauce and mayonnaise, then spread over the salmon, then add lemon slices and parsley.
3. Cover with microwave safe plastic and cook for 3.5 minutes.

Eating well doesn’t have to mean spending hours labouring over a hot stove and pouring over intricate recipes. All you need to do is invest in one of Samsung’s incredible microwave ovens and you’re ready to be a fast-food fundi.

^{[i] https://www.biggerbolderbaking.com/microwave-chicken-pie-mug/}

^{[ii] http://savorysweetlife.com/2011/02/how-to-microwave-salmon/}