You know when the kettle takes 10 minutes to boil, or everyone is using the stove or you just CANNOT get the flipping oven to turn on. Fear not backpackers. Here at Hostelculture.com we have discovered that the microwave possess so much culinary capability, from Nutella cakes to breakfast burritos, chilli con carne to cheesecake, yep it's all pretty delicious, and super quick! Which means when whether you've come in from that 9 hour bus journey, hungry after that walking tour or generally just in the mood to stuff your face (which is sometimes necessary) we got all kinds of simple and quick dishes that you can whip up in your hostel's kitchen!

21. 1-minute Microwave Quiche in a Mug

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Quiche in a mug? I can't even cook it in an appropriate container but in a mug it's actually pretty simple, and delicious. You can grab the recipe here.

20. Flaky Microwaved Salmon

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You can do this with any other kind of fillet of fish, but salmon is always a favourite. This is pretty simple, but if you carry herbs with you there's bound to be some in the hostel's kitchen. Interested? Grab the yummy recipe here.

19. Mac and Cheese

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A guilty favourite. Little shells of cheesy goodness just make my soul feel all warm and fuzzy. It's quick enough too! Just click here, because gimme.

18. Chicken Fajitas

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Now, my Mother has a severe fear of food poisoning which has been forced onto me, to just be careful when you're cooking the chicken. No one wants an upset stomach. Apart from that, YAY FAJITAS! The fiesta starts here. 

17. Breakfast Burrito

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Following the previous point of Mexican goodness, I can't leave out the breakfast burrito. Eggs, salsa and cheese and wrapped up like a present for your taste buds! Find the recipe here.

16. Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie

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NO NEED FOR WORDS JUST GET IN MY STOMACH! HERE! 

15. Chilli Con Carne & Rice

 

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There's nothing like a hearty chilli con carne to warm up your bones and satisfy your belly. Find out how to make it here.

14. Chicken Curry

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This chicken curry is pretty darn delicious. Remember if you're not bothered boiling rice, just dip some bread into it. So good! Discover the deliciousness here.

13. Cheesecake

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Just when I thought the cookie was enough, you can bring f*cking cheesecake into the mix. Can I marry my microwave? Glory awaits you here. 

12. French Toast

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Well. breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day, so why not make it a f*cking great start! Recipe here.

11. Cup 'O' Meatloaf

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That's right. You can do it with meatloaf too. Learn how here.

10. Spicy Mexican Bean Soup

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I love this! It's great after a long, cold day of being outdoors! If you need something kind of savoury to thicken out the meal, add some extra beans and grab some nachos! You can find the recipe here. 

9. Risotto

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I always found risotto a total pain in the ass to make. So I literally felt like a whole new world was opened for me when I discovered that you can make it in the microwave! It's pretty easy to get in most European countries so it's great if you're sick of spaghetti bolognese. Check out the recipe here.

8. Egg-Stuffed Pepper

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This particular dish is totally flexible. Don't like eggs? F*ck eggs. Like cheese? F*ck some cheese in there. It's a recipe with basic guidelines and can be played with, which is great if you find yourself with only some cheese that smells ok and random seasonings. It's definitely worth check out this recipe here. 

7. Baked Sweet Potato

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To anyone who has even attempted to bake sweet potatoes at home I feel your pain. This actually takes the struggle out of baking sweet potatoes. You can cook them without breaking a sweat, and then you can eat them allllllllllllllllll the time! Yum! Find out the magical how to, here.

6. Omelet

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This is just in case the frying pan in the hostel is covered in burnt bits, which you know is gonna make your omelet taste awful! It's really simple and super quick! Check it out here. 

5. Five-Minute Scrambled Eggs in a Bacon Bowl

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Do I even need to say anything here? Check it out here.

4. Nutella Cake in a Mug

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Just the thought of this makes me smile. I know it's important to eat well, but we have to treat ourselves once in a while right? Find the recipe here, you'll thank me later xox

3. Soft Chicken Tacos

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Savoury, yummy and all made in the microwave! Find the instructions here.

2. Baked Potato

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Baked potatoes are full of good carbohydrates which makes it a good snack, even a dinner if you're in need of an energy boost! You can also stuff them with cheese, tuna, ham. The opportunities are endless! But find out how the basic recipe here.

1. Penna al Fresco

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This one you do have to pre-cook the pasta. But it does spice up your regular intake of pasta and store bought pasta sauce. It's great if you're going on a long journey and know you'll be in need of some serious grub! So check out the recipe here. 

 

I hope this brings you as much joy as it has brought me, Catherine Munnelly.