Microwaveable Mug Desserts

Let’s play a game of word association, shall we? I’ll write down a word, and you have to say the first thing that comes into your head. Ready?

The word is: Winter.

What did you think of?

I bet it was mugs. Why? Because I need to segue into this edition’s topic, which is all about mugs, and what you can put inside of them.

Also, I believe that individualism is over-valued in our society, and I would like to do away with free thought.

So I don’t care if, when you saw “winter,” you thought of “snowmen,” “existential despair,” or Game of Thrones—winter is all about mugs.

Or, more specifically, microwaveable mug meals (A+ for alliteration).

As your loyal and exhausted food columnist, I have curated five delicious recipes that, yes, can all be made by mixing together a few simple ingredients in a mug.

I am basically a wizard. A wizard who’s made winter a whole lot tastier.

Snap, Crackle, and POP

Ingredients:

4 large marshmallows

1 tsp. of butter

1/2 cup cereal

This mug dessert should represent your childhood. If it doesn’t, you must have been a latchkey kid, or you’re Gwyneth Paltrow’s child, or something even more sugar-repressed. Be forewarned: this dessert is very un-GOOP, as it does not contain a single beet. To create this bad boy, place the marshmallows and butter in the mug, microwave for 20-30 seconds, stir, add cereal, and stir again. Crazy simple, right? Even a latchkey kid could do it.

2. Mac ‘n’ Cheese, please.

Ingredients:

1 cup water

3/4 cup macaroni

1/2 cup shredded cheese

This is a very sassy mug meal. It says, “I know I’m an adult, but I will eat the food of a preschooler if I so choose.” Add the macaroni and water to the mug, microwave on high for eight minutes, (stirring at the five-minute and two-minute marks), add the cheese with a lil’ more water, stir, then microwave for another 30-60 seconds. Voila: the perfect study snack.

3. Brunch in Love

Ingredients:

2 eggs

1 tablespoon milk or water

Shredded cheese

Chopped onion

Chopped pepper

Welcome to brunch-in-a-cup. We hope you enjoy your stay. To remain on planet Yum, simply mix your eggs and milk/water in a mug, and microwave for one minute. Add all your fixings, microwave for another 30 seconds to one minute, and you’ve got yourself a wholesome, delicious brunch-cup phenomenon on your hands and (eventually) in your stomach.

4. Mug Muffin

Ingredients:

1 oz. frozen blueberries

1/4 cup ground flaxseed

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons sugar-free pancake syrup

1 egg white

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

As single-serving students, we often don’t want to make up an entire batch of baked goods. With so many leftovers, it becomes necessary to pawn your creations off on your friends, who always refuse to avoid seeming like the gluttons they really are. Enter the mug muffin. Simply mix the above dry ingredients into a bowl, and then add the egg, syrup, and zest. Pour this concoction into a large mug, and stick it in the microwave for about 90 seconds. You’ll be able to satisfy your carb craving without being burdened by leftovers.

5. Feelin’ French

Ingredients:

1-2 pieces of bread, cubed

Butter

1 egg

3 tablespoons of milk

Cinnamon

1 drop of vanilla extract (optional)

Syrup

Okay, so this one is a magical mug. It is basically French toast, done in two minutes flat. Side effects may include: swooning, breathlessness, a growling stomach, and the repetition of the phrase, “Mamma mia!” First, cube your slices of bread. Then, rub the inside of your mug with butter, and allow a bit of butter to rest on the bottom of the mug. Stuff the bread into the mug. In a separate bowl, mix together all the wet ingredients. Add this mixture to the bread-cup, and place the entire thing in the microwave for 60-90 seconds. Remove. Add syrup. Die happy.

See? Winter is all about mugs and the happiness they contain. Hopefully these recipes will help you through many a study session, and keep you warm as we muddle through yet another long, harsh Canadian winter.

Until next time!