Story by Helen Widman

Take a look at these easy, delicious recipes that only require a microwave and a fridge.

Protein pancake topped with strawberries and maple syrup.
*Photo by Helen Widman.*

Protein Mug Cake

Ingredients

1 cup protein pancake mix (regular pancake mix works too with a scoop of protein powder)

1/2 cup water

Toppings of choice

Directions:

Pour one cup of pancake mix into a microwave-safe container.
Add one cup (or equal parts) water to the mix and stir until batter is mostly smooth.
Microwave for one minute or until the pancake is cooked through.
Add toppings to your liking, such as fresh berries, syrup, chocolate chips or more!

Overnight Oats

Ingredients

1 cup of oats

1 cup of almond milk (or milk of choice)

1 banana (or fruit of choice)

Honey and cinnamon to taste

Directions:

Pour 1 cup of oats into a container or mason jar.
Add 1 cup of almond milk or a milk of choice.
Add in honey and cinnamon to taste. For extra protein, feel free to mix in a serving of your protein powder of choice (vanilla would work well).
Mix up the ingredients well, and place container in the fridge overnight.
In the morning, add half of the banana on top, or another fruit like blueberries, strawberries or raspberries and enjoy for a quick breakfast!

Mac in a Cup

Ingredients

1 cup dry pasta (pre-cooked pasta in a bag works too)

1 cup water

1 spoonful of butter

1/4 cup milk of choice

Shredded cheese to taste

Directions:

Add 1 cup of dry pasta and 1 cup of water to a microwave-safe container. If using pre-cooked pasta, follow the directions on the bag to heat and skip to step three.
Microwave pasta for one minute at a time until cooked (microwave times vary).
Once cooked, stir in the butter, milk and shredded cheese until all ingredients are combined. Feel free to double the ingredients if needed or use your own pasta sauce on top instead!

That’s a Wrap

Ingredients

1 tortilla

Hummus (or sauce of choice)

Shredded cheese

Veggies of choice

Protein optional

Directions:

Lay your tortilla flat on a plate. Spread a spoonful of hummus, or your sauce of choice, onto the tortilla.
Cut up some veggies, such as a bell pepper, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado or other, and lay them on the wrap.
Add shredded cheese on top, your choice of protein, and that’s a wrap! For protein, you can add microwavable chicken tenders, or cook your own if you have access to a stove in your dorm or apartment. Another great option is utilizing the to-go boxes at the dining halls!

Apple Dip

Ingredients

1 apple

1/4 cup of Greek yogurt (vanilla or plain)

2 tablespoons of nut butter of choice

1 tablespoon honey

Cinnamon to taste

Optional: Chocolate chips, granola

Directions:

Empty your Greek yogurt into a bowl. Stir in the peanut butter, honey and cinnamon. Top with any additional toppings.
Using an apple cutter or a knife, cut up your apple and serve with the yogurt dip. Now you have a low-maintenance snack that’s great for those with a sweet tooth!

Oreo Truffles

Ingredients

1 package of Oreo cookies (or other packaged chocolate cookie)

1 stick of cream cheese

Chocolate chips or a chocolate bar

Directions:

Empty the package of Oreos into a sealed plastic bag and crush the cookies until they are fine. Transfer the cookie crumbles into a container.
Mix in the cream cheese with the cookie crumbles until you have a dough-like consistency.
Roll the dough into bite-sized balls, place them in the freezer and set a timer for 30 minutes.
When the dough is almost thoroughly chilled, add your chocolate to a microwave-safe bowl and heat until melted. Melting time varies depending on the strength of the microwave and the amount of chocolate desired.
Once the balls have completely solidified, remove them from the freezer and dip them into the melted chocolate.
Freeze the chocolate coated dough balls one more time until the chocolate hardens and enjoy!