No-Bake Energy Bites by Isha Zubeidi on Flickr. Get the recipe here.
Whether you are currently between microwaves, or are trying to live without one in your kitchen, cooking without a microwave presents challenges in today’s world. Especially when it comes to snack foods.
Over the last few decades microwaves have passed from a novelty to being considered an essential kitchen appliance. The ability to quickly zap a snack from the freezer for a really fast snack is something that many of us take for granted.
So what quick and easy snacks can you make without a microwave? Here are several ideas to get you snacking in almost no time.
Popcorn
Popcorn has been an American favorite for centuries. Native Americans used hot sand to pop corn kernels in urns long before it was sold in microwaveable bags.
Today, you can quickly make some popcorn by using an air popper or a pot on the stove. In the case of stove-popped popcorn, tossing in some sugar and with the kernels produces a delicious sweet and salty kettle corn flavor right out of the pan!
The Sandwich, Revisited
If the first thing that comes to your mind for a sandwich is a peanut butter and jelly from a brown bag lunch, or a specialty club sandwich from a restaurant, it is time to expand your horizons. The versatile sandwich concept can be used for a quick, filling snack in a variety of forms.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Use crackers, cheese, dip, cold cuts and even slices of veggies for crunchy finger sandwiches
- Fold cheese into a tortilla to make a quesadilla
- Make grilled cheese, with tomato and/or bacon slices inside
- Try a traditional tea-time sandwich, like cucumber-butter sandwiches
Bean Dip And Chips
You can quickly cook up bean dip on the stove top by combining refried beans, salsa, and cheese. While a simple recipe, there is a lot of room for variation, especially if you add fresh tomatoes, peppers, and/or onions to your dip.
Fresh Veggies & Dip
If you have not had fresh veggies as a snack lately, you will be surprised at how filling they can be. Ranch, yogurt, and peanut butter are just a few of the popular dipping flavors which can make the health food a bit more palatable for picky eaters.
Your local supermarket will have a wide variety of tastes and textures in the produce department to try. Having veggies for a snack does not necessarily mean eating broccoli. Snow peas, baby carrots, and cherry tomatoes exemplify the range of textures and flavors that exist.
No-Bake Cookies and Treats
Any recipe that is ‘no-bake’ is going to be able to be prepared without an oven , and therefore without a microwave. Whether you want peanut butter chocolate cookies or energy bites (pictured at the top of this post) there are many varieties to choose from.
Rice Krispies treats can be prepared on a stovetop, so they are technically a no-bake cookie too. And if you haven’t tried baking cookies lately, it can surprisingly fast and easy to make some chocolate chip cookies to enjoy.
Hard-Boiled Eggs
Hard-boiled eggs are convenient for snacking, especially if prepared in advance. You can use them to make egg salad, deviled eggs, sliced for a salad or sandwich, or just eaten with pepper and salt to taste.
Oatmeal
As someone who grew up with 50 pound bags of oatmeal in the pantry, I’m a bit surprised by the recent interest and fascination with oatmeal lately. McDonald’s has made the traditional breakfast cereal sexy, and I have heard several times of people describing it as their favorite mid-morning or even lunch treat.
Oatmeal can be whipped up quickly on the stove top. For the best tasting experience, dress it up with honey, brown sugar, fruit (dried or fresh) and walnuts or almonds for some crunch.
Raw Fish
The idea of eating sushi can seem off-putting to those of us in the west. However, there are two fish that we are rather accustomed to seeing served and eaten raw: tuna and salmon.
Tuna can be prepared many ways, perhaps the most popular being tuna salad. It can also be eaten straight from the can or used for finger sandwiches with crackers. Salmon, for many people, is a treat – but make sure it has been frozen before eating it raw to kill any potential parasites.
What are some of your favorite non-microwaveable snacks? Let us know in the comments!
