Microwave Cooking 🙌

According to this Vogue article the microwave is smoking hot right now. In the Waitrose Trends Report 2023 - 32% of respondents said the microwave was the one kitchen gadget they couldn’t live without.

What are the advantages of using a microwave?

Budget friendly - an economical way to create easy midweek family dinners. It’s the most cost effective cooking method. Microwaves can help you to reduce your carbon footprint and save money on utility bills.
Time-saving - you don’t need to preheat the oven or keep one eye on a pot bubbling away on the stove. It can also rapidly speed up food defrosting times. The microwave also quickly heats up leftovers.
Preserving nutrients - due to the shorter cooking times and reduced exposure to high temperatures, microwave cooking helps to retain more of the nutrients in your food. You can rest easy knowing that you are serving up a nutrient packed meal for your family, for example when you microwave vegetables.
Safer for kids - no open flame such as with gas top cooking.

Microwave Recipe Ideas and Cooking Tips ‍

The microwave is not just for re-heating ready meals. There are a wide array of foods you can cook in the microwave to create delicious family midweek dinners. We’ve curated some of our favourite microwave recipe ideas and cooking tips for you.

Did you know you can make a tasty risotto in the microwave? No more standing over the stove stirring endlessly! Check out Dean Edwards’ Microwave Pesto & Pea Risotto.
It’s perfect for steaming vegetables to lock in their nutrients. Always use a microwaveable bowl and add a tablespoon of water to the veggies.
Jacket potatoes, or kick starting the cooking of baby potatoes before finishing roasting them in the oven.
Cooking green vegetables - e.g. broccoli, asparagus, spinach, kale. Add the vegetable to a microwaveable bowl with a dash of water, lemon juice, salt and pepper and any spices you like. Cook on high until just cooked. This is an ideal cooking method to retain the flavour and texture of green vegetables.
Scrambled eggs - the trick is to stop and stir in regular bursts and finish the cooking just before you think it is done.

‍Some of our favourite microwave cooking hacks we wish we knew earlier!

Pop a whole bulb of garlic in the microwave and heat for 20 seconds. It warms up the skin making it easier to peel!
Pop a lemon or lime in the microwave and heat for 15 seconds, as it warms up it will make it easier to squeeze and juice.
Of course, the microwave mug cake has been around for a while now, great for making a small portion of a tasty dessert and a fun one to get the whole family involved.
Heat pasta sauces in the microwave for a quick and easy midweek meal.
If you’re making a chicken stew on the stove, to speed up the process, cook the chicken in the microwave then shred and stir into the stew.
Make mash: peel and dice potatoes, cook until tender, then stir through butter and milk - game changing!

Top Tips for microwave cooking

Always use a microwave safe bowl/container
Always use a cover to avoid splashing and extra clean up
Always stir halfway through

Keep your eyes peeled for more microwaveable recipes coming soon! If you are looking for recipe inspo for easy midweek meals the whole family will love, checkout Plate Up today to start turning your favourite recipes into grocery shops in just a few clicks - you don't even need to leave the house, it's that simple!

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