It’s been almost 50 years since the first domestic microwave was made available, and most of us are still using it to reheat leftovers and warm up milk. It’s time to fully appreciate the versatility of this appliance with some healthy recipes.

From sunrise to sunset, your little kitchen helper can give you quick and easy access to nutritional snacks and meals.

Breakfast

As the weather gets cooler, it’s always nice to wake up to something warm and comforting. The added cinnamon in this microwave breakfast bowl recipe offers a great anti-inflammatory boost.

For a savory take on breakfast, you can’t get much better than the perfect protein of eggs. Try poaching your eggs in the microwave for a quick, tasty option. Use a bowl with about half a cup of water, a splash of vinegar, a pinch of salt and a cracked egg (make sure it’s submerged) and cook on high for about one minute. Perfection!

Mid-Morning Snack

Mid-morning calls for a coffee or tea, which is always better with a little something on the side. If you’re avoiding gluten, quinoa-based flour is quickly becoming the preferred option. Not only is this chocolate banana quinoa mug cake recipe gluten free, but also high in protein, giving you a perfectly sweet accompaniment to get through the day.

Lunch

The sweet potato is a wonderfully filling lunch option that’s loaded with beta-carotene and can play a starring role in your lunch just as comfortably as it can as a side. In this healthy recipe, lunch is focused on the sweet potato, though it is stuffed with a lean protein.

Add a simple side salad or chopped veggies and you’re set! Here’s a tip — offering up a unique presentation is one secret to getting kids to devour lunch.

Post-Lunch Snack

You can tame those mid-afternoon cravings without gulping a huge helping of sugar. Whip up a batch of microwavable English muffin pizzas (top as you would any mini pizza and cook on high for 2-3 minutes).

And while we’re keeping things quick, a little afternoon fruit is always a good idea. Instead of the oven, use your microwave to bake your apples, which can be prepared without any added sugar. A simple hit of cinnamon is all you need, but if you want a protein boost, top with nuts.

Dinner

Who says that sweets are the sole domain of microwave recipes? Microwave meatloaf makes for a perfect, quick weeknight family meal. You can use a leaner meat like turkey or chicken (just make sure the internal temperature reaches 165 F). Feel free to chop in some fresh herbs like rosemary for more flavor.

When it comes to preparing perfectly cooked fish, the French have something going with their en papillote method, which encases your fish of choice in parchment paper, resulting in a beautifully moist dish. This method isn’t restricted to a convection oven and can be handily used in a microwave.

From dawn till dusk, there’s a microwave snack, treat or meal to curb cravings, save time and feed your family quickly.

Get more information about specific health terms, topics and conditions to better manage your health on bcbst.com. BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee members can access wellness-related discounts on fitness products, gym memberships, healthy eating and more through Blue365®. BCBST members can also find tools and resources to help improve health and well-being by logging into BlueAccess and going to the Managing Your Health tab.