15 delicious and healthy meals you can make in a mug

Sometimes, the only thing you want to do after a busy day is to settle into bed and not move anymore. Yet your stomach, more often than not, still keeps you awake. It’s in cases like this that easy-to-do healthy meals that can be made in a mug (or bowl) in just a few minutes really come in handy. They’ll also be useful when you urgently need to feed your child who’s starving after a long walk, make breakfast before work or cook a delicious dessert when a friend of yours unexpectedly drops in to see you.

Bright Side has put together a collection of recipes for these occasions, just for you.

Baked oatmeal with banana

You will need:

• 1/2 cup of instant oatmeal flakes
• 1 tablespoon of sunflower seeds
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 1/3 pureed banana
• 1/2 apple cut into pieces
• 1/2 tablespoon of honey
• A sprinkle of cinnamon

How to make it:

In a mug, mix together some oatmeal flakes, sunflower seeds, the egg and the milk. Mix thoroughly. Add the banana, apple and honey and mix again. Bake in the microwave on a high setting for 2-3 minutes. Mash the baked oatmeal with a spoon. Add a little milk or yogurt if desired.

The two-minute omelet with ham

You will need:

• 2-3 eggs
• 1 tablespoon of any kind of meat cut into cubes (ham, chicken or turkey)
• 1 tablespoon of salsa sauce (optional)
• 1 tablespoon of grated cheese
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper according to taste

How to make it:

Grease a mug with olive oil, place the eggs in it and whisk with a fork. Add the meat, salsa, cheese, salt and pepper. Whisk thoroughly. Place in the microwave at full power for one minute. Remove and stir, then place it back in the microwave for another 45-60 seconds until the eggs are cooked. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

Easy-to-make granola

You will need:

• 1 tablespoon of maple syrup or honey
• 2 teaspoons of water
• 2 teaspoons of oil (olive, coconut or butter)
• 1/8 teaspoon of fine sea salt
• 1/3 instant oatmeal flakes or regular oats
• 1 tablespoon of crushed nuts or seeds
• 1 tablespoon of chopped dried fruit (raisins, dried apricots, prunes or cranberries)

How to make it:

Place but don’t mix the maple syrup (honey), water, oil, salt, oatmeal and nuts in a large mug. Put the mug in the microwave at medium power for two minutes. Mix thoroughly and make sure that there’s no syrup left at the bottom. Put the mug back in the microwave for 1-2 minutes on the same power setting; the oatmeal should turn a golden colour. Add the dried fruit, leave to cool for 2-3 minutes, and your breakfast is ready!

White omelet with vegetables

You will need:

• 4 egg whites (or 2 whole eggs)
• 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped spinach
• 1 tablespoon of green bell pepper cut into cubes
• 1 tablespoon of red bell pepper cut into cubes
• 1 tablespoon of tomato cut into cubes
• 1 tablespoon of cheese
• Green onions
• Salt and pepper according to taste

How to make it:

Grease a mug with vegetable oil. Whisk the egg whites, add all the ingredients and mix well. Put in the microwave for one minute, then stir and put the omelet back in for another 1-2 minutes until the eggs are completely cooked.

Meatballs in a mug

You will need:

• 2 tablespoons of milk
• 1 tablespoon of ketchup (you can make without this if cooking for kids)
• 2 tablespoons of instant oatmeal flakes
• 3.5 oz (100 g) minced beef
• Salt and pepper according to taste

How to make it:

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and mould them into balls. Place the meatballs in a mug greased with oil. Bake in the microwave at high power for three minutes. Serve with sauce or pickled vegetables.

Minestrone made in a mug

You will need:

• 1/2 carrot cut into cubes
• 1/2 tablespoon of chopped celery
• 1/2 tablespoon of chopped bell pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon of chopped tomato
• 1 tablespoon of broth (optional)
• Green beans, mushrooms, onions, zucchini, canned beans, cooked turkey, chicken or beef — optional
• 1 egg
• Cheese
• Water

How to make it:

Place the carrots, celery, pepper and broth into a mug. Make sure that there’s one inch (2-3 cm) left at the edge. Cover the vegetables with water. Cook the soup at full power for 3-4 minutes, but make sure that it doesn’t boil too much. Beat an egg into the mug and mix gently. Place the mug back in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. Make sure that the egg is cooked, then sprinkle with cheese.

Oriental rice

You will need:

• 3.5 oz (100 g) rice
• A handful of frozen peas
• A handful of chopped red pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon of minced onions
• A pinch of bean sprouts
• A handful of chopped purple cabbage
• 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil (if desired)
• Salt and pepper according to taste

How to make it:

Pour rice into a large mug and cover with water, so that it’s covered by 1-2 inches (the width of 2-3 fingers). Place in the microwave at full power for a few minutes and wait until the rice has absorbed the water completely. Mix all the vegetables, add into the rice and cover the mug with cling film, place back in the microwave for one minute.

Mix the spices with sesame oil and soy sauce. Pour the mixture into the mug and mix well. Cover the mug with cling film and place back in the microwave for another 35-40 seconds. Remove, stir and allow to stand one minute before eating.

Lightning-fast macaroni and cheese

You will need:

• 1/3 cup of pasta
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1/4 cup of buttermilk
• 1/2 cup of grated Chedder cheese

How to make it:

Mix the pasta and water in a large bowl. Place in the microwave at full power for two minutes. Stir and place back in the microwave for another two minutes. If the pasta didn’t absorb all the water, repeat one more time. Add milk and cheese, place in the microwave for another minute. Mix thoroughly.

Greek salad with couscous

You will need:

• 1/3 cup of raw couscous
• 1/3 cup of chicken broth or water
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil
• A pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup of chopped cucumber
• 1/2 tomato cut into pieces
• 1 tablespoon of olives cut into halves
• 1 tablespoon of chopped green onions
• 1 tablespoon of feta cheese

How to make it:

Pour some water into a mug and place it in the microwave at full power for 3 minutes until the water boils. Pour in the couscous, cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Then whisk with a fork. Add lemon juice, olive oil and salt and mix thoroughly. Allow to cool, add the olives and tomatoes, sprinkle with feta cheese, and your healthy snack is ready.

Pumpkin pie

You will need:

• 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons of honey (maple syrup or sugar)
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg
• Walnuts, hazelnuts or any other kind of nuts for garnishing

For the dough (if desired, it can be made without this as well)

• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 1 tablespoon of coconut flakes
• 1 tablespoon of almond flour

How to make it:

Mix together all the ingredients for the dough, then place the dough in a mug. In a separate bowl, mix together the pumpkin, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg and honey (sugar or syrup) until the mixture is smooth. Place the mixture in a mug on top of the dough, so that there’s some space left. Use your fingers to press gently and flatten the surface. Place in the microwave for two minutes. Check with a toothpick, if the cake is moist inside, place it back in for 20-30 seconds.

Blueberry muffin

You will need:

• 1/4 cup of flour
• 1 teaspoon of brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 tablespoon of butter
• 2 tablespoons of milk
• 1-2 tablespoons of frozen blueberries
• A sprinkle of cinnamon
  

How to make it:

In a mug, mix all the dry ingredients together, stirring thoroughly. Add butter to the mixture. Pour the milk, and mix well. If the mixture is too dry, add some milk. Add the blueberries and push them into the dough. Bake at full power for 90 seconds.

Chocolate cake

You will need:

• 2-3 tablespoons of crushed cookie pieces
• 3 1/2 tablespoons of melted butter
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
• 1/4 cup of flour
• 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder
• 1/8 teaspoon of baking powder
• A pinch of salt
• Crushed chocolate
• Marshmallows

How to make it:

Mix together the butter and chocolate, then place in the microwave for 30 seconds. Add the egg, sugar and vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and cocoa. Combine the two mixtures. Pour into a mug half of crushed cookie pieces, add half the mixture on top, then add the remaining cookies and mixture. Cover with marshmallows and place in the microwave for two minutes.

Cheesecake

You will need:

• 1.8 oz (50 g) cream cheese (Philadelphia, mascarpone) or Farmer’s cheese
• 2 tablespoons of sour cream
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice
• A sprinkle of vanilla
• 2-4 tablespoons of sugar

How to make it:

Mix all the ingredients together. Place them in a large bowl. Cook for 90 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds. Allow the dish to cool. Garnish with berries, nuts and whipped cream.

Coffee cake

You will need:

• 3 tablespoons of flour
• 1 teaspoon of instant coffee
• 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder
• 2-3 tablespoons of sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder
• 2 tablespoons of milk
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

How to make it:

Mix together the flour, coffee, cocoa powder, sugar and baking powder, stirring thoroughly. Add milk, the egg, oil and vanilla. Stir once again until smooth. Pour the mixture into a greased mug and place it in the microwave at high power for 90 seconds.

Cinnamon roll

You will need:

• 2 tablespoons of apple puree
• 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon of cream
• 2 1/2 tablespoons of brown sugar
• A sprinkle of vanilla
• 1/4 cup of flour
• 3/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder
• A pinch of salt
• For icing:
• 1 tablespoon of cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons of frosting sugar
• 1 teaspoon of milk

How to make it:

Mix all the ingredients together. Whisk until the mixture turns into a fluffy foam. Cook in the microwave at high power for one minute. To make the frosting, mix together the cream cheese, frosting sugar and milk, then whisk thoroughly.