These are not, repeat, not, the microwave recipes we made. But you can make ones just as photogenic, we know it!
By: Hillary
Not everyone is a chef, and that’s nothing to be ashamed of. Maybe you don’t have the necessary equipment, maybe you don’t know how to use the necessary equipment. Hey, maybe you do know, you’re just hungry and/or lazy. All are perfectly acceptable. We here at SmartGirlVeg salute you and your right to great food, no matter your situation. If you’ve got a microwave (that most accessible and easy-to-use of kitchen appliances) and a dream, this one’s for you.
Lately it seems like the internet has been clogged with single-serving recipes that can be cooked in coffee cups, mostly cakes of some type. One suspects that this may have something to do with how adorable the finished product looks in photos on Tumblr, Instagram, and Pinterest, but that doesn’t mean some of them aren’t worth making for the purpose of, you know, consumption.
It’s a wild world of recipes out there, but don’t despair, dear readers. For your sake, I dragged a semi-suspecting friend into my kitchen to take a few of these recipes for a spin.
ATTEMPT 1: Quiche in a Mug
So this one actually requires a little bit of chopping. Nothing crazy, just leeks and tomatoes. The rest is just dump-in-the-cup easy.
Verdict: Highly recommended. And fluffy.
ATTEMPT 2: Macaroni and Cheese in a Mug
I am not going to link the recipes we attempted here because the folks who posted them should be ashamed of themselves. Ashamed. Both led us to believe that it was possible to cook dry pasta in a mug of water. They were wrong.
We tried using cooked pasta one time, just for kicks. The result was limp noodles swimming in a broth of cloudy cheese-water and chunks of stringy, unappetizing cheddar. My accomplice and I still ended up eating a few bites apiece, but I think that says something rather unflattering about the extent of our love for mac and cheese. Don’t be like us. You’re better than that.
Verdict: Don’t even bother. If you need your noodle fix that bad, go for ramen or something that is ACTUALLY DESIGNED FOR THIS COOKING METHOD. YEAH I’M STILL A LITTLE BITTER OK.
ATTEMPT 3: Coffee-Chocolate Cake
Fair warning: this one felt a lot like actual baking. You need baking stuff for it – baking powder, vanilla extract, etc.
Also, while I’m here, I should probably link the tried-and-true brownie-in-a-mug recipe that’s been floating around the internet forever. Quick, satisfying and, coincidentally, vegan.
Verdict: Needs a tweak or two, but could potentially be rewarding.
WELL, that’s all we’ve got for the moment, folks. What are some of your favorite microwave recipes?
Hillary Pasternak is an aspiring cult figure in addition to being a SmartGirlVeg intern. Her interests include pop culture, cheap wine, and YOU. Find her on Long Island sometimes, in Montreal others.