Look for recipes that call for steaming. They can all be translated to a microwave. You can make decent meals that way
this post was submitted on 07 Oct 2023
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I love you for giving me such esteem that you'd offer me advice such as this. How do you steam things in a microwave?
In addition to their reply, wetting a paper towel and placing it over the dish/bowl is great for adding/retaining moisture.
Really good for heating up leftovers, pre-cooked rice, bao buns, soft tortillas, etc.
If you're looking for whole meal recipes, there is a cooking method called 'en papillote' with lots of recipes online. That method cooks ingredients all together in a sealed paper pouch in the oven. Since effectively you are just steaming in a pouch they translate well to microwave. I just used a microwave safe dish with a lid (not sealed tight) instead of paper and you'll have to play with cook times in your microwave.
Grains, rice, and beans can also do well in a microwave if you watch for boil over. Just add as much water is recommended and cook until done.
I dont know your budget but they do make trays that you can steam proteins or vegetables on and other kinds that can make rice or even pasta
Have the things you're gonna steam be wet, if porous maybe let en soak a bit, microwave it in a little puddle of water. You can go heavier by adding a cup with water in it next to the foods. As the water heats up it makes steam
If you have the cash, you could get a hot plate and a pot and skillet.
Like an induction burner. They're pretty efficient and not terribly expensive. Just got to make sure your cookware works for magnetic induction.
To add to this most thrifts stores will have a crockpot or pressure cookers on their shelves.
If you can get a small crock pot, you can make so many things!
You can fully cook potatoes (any variety) in the microwave and either eat them whole with toppings or mash them, I've never noticed a difference between this and boiling. Of course there's also dehydrated potato as well, you can heat water in the microwave and then use the hot water to reconstitute.
Canned beans are easy to reheat though canned beans are often bland, so you'd need some spices.
Oatmeal or other porridge grains. Just be careful about it boiling over as it will make a sticky mess.
Maybe invest in a rice cooker, the cheapest are probably less than 20 USD, and you could get a used one at a thrift store for $5 or less.
On the road I like nuts, dried fruit, and fermented things for snacking.
Oatmeal, peanut butter, and a cheap fruit like a banana will make you a hearty meal for pennies. Just combine the ingredients and let run for 1-2 minutes. No need for a fridge. It's got whole grains, nut protein, and a fruit.
Anything you can boil, you can also microwave. You can poach eggs in a cup and make rice in a bowl. Steamed veggies + rice + poached eggs make a good dinner or lunch. You could probably do beans as well.
Stay well away from ramen and microwave meals. If you have to go there, check the nutrition panel. Aim for the least sodium (<400mg/100g is okay, less is better) saturated fats (<5g/100g) and sugar (<25g/100g).
The other advice in this thread is solid, but I'll add that mushrooms go surprisingly well in the microwave. A microwaved field mushroom on a bun with salad and sauce makes a half decent burger.
Okay so I just came up with the idea of putting ice in the box (fridge) to make an ice-box to keep frozen food frozen for longer than normal. Like garbage bags of hotel ice machine ice stuffed in there.
haha I am great
Get a vegetable steamer
As a professional cook, cigarettes and microwave food is how I sustain myself most of the time, here's some things that count as meals (that I have had in the last 30 days)
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A cigarette + black coffee
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3 whole tomatoes, raw (I just casually started eating them like apples and honestly, not bad)
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microwave rice + microwave curry
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instant noodles
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canned soup
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literally just buttered bread
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potato, microwaved until cooked, seasoned with MSG, pepper and hot sauce
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you can have just salami as a whole meal, as a treat
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a tub of yoghurt and strawberries (stolen from work)
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just a bunch of lettuce eaten with chopsticks with a side of vinaigrette as a dipping sauce since I didn't want to toss salad
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Guinness
Honestly if it weren't for the fact that I do over 10,000 steps a day, drink 6+ litres of water and avoid carbonated beverages, I think I'd be extremely unhealthy instead of just moderately unhealthy.
Being single really affected my diet. I made an effort to cook when I had a girlfriend. I did mise en place! At home! Without being paid!
The nicest thing about tomatoes coming in out in the garden is only half of em make it to the house.
3 whole tomatoes, raw (I just casually started eating them like apples and honestly, not bad)
Do you at least sprinkle a lil salt on them?
Nah, i wasn't in the kitchen and didn't want to walk to the kitchen and back.
While you may get increased microwave radiation, you get less TG(touch grass) radiation so it balances out.
Oh you're serious. I thought this was a bit.
A trick I do with microwaves is slightly moisten a towel and place it over the rice we cooked. Rehydrate and steam fresh like new. Vegis work great in it. There are also microwave egg cookers but I'm not sure how well they work.
Oh you're serious. I thought this was a bit.
If you can afford to buy in a bit of bulk, Huel has a line called "Hot and Savory" that is reasonably cost effective and only requires hot water.
Lots of variety in flavor although the textures are somewhat slop like. They also have pastas, but I have not tried those.
George foreman grill
You can bake a lot of stuff in the microwave.
And the classic:
Get some glassware to cook in in the microwave. Any food in contact with plastic in the microwave will leech some awful chemicals you don't want. You can usually find some Pyrex at a secondhand store for cheap, and will be way easier to clean than any Tupperware or equivalent you'd otherwise be using. Source: chemical engineer.
I have a lot of experience living without any electricity, i.e. no fridge, no microwave, no hot plate.
Many grains can be soaked overnight. A hefty sack of quinoa or oats or lentils will be the most affordable, nutritious, and convenient way to eat... all are completely edible after 24 hours in water. After grains, you want to include a lot of seeds in your diet - sesame, sunflower, peanuts, and so on, are always cheap. Fruits, vegetables, as available, then add oils, and salt and seasoning.
What you should do is get a single element electric stove from WalMart for $20 and follow the above advice: warm up the overnight stuff for five minutes in the bathroom where you're less likely to set off an alarm.