16 Healthy Recipes for Your Microwave

Seared Chicken with Mango Salsa & Spaghetti Squash

A quick mango salsa gives this easy chicken dinner recipe a tropical flavor boost. A generous serving of spaghetti squash rounds out the healthy meal.

Sour Cream-&-Herb Baked Potatoes

Yogurt, sour cream and herbs are combined to make a perky topping for these healthy baked potatoes. Add some sliced tomatoes on the side to brighten up the plate and spoon some of the sauce over them too.

Sweet Potatoes with Warm Black Bean Salad

For a satisfying last-minute supper, it's hard to beat a sweet potato zapped in the microwave. The fragrant filling of beans and tomatoes adds protein. Be sure to eat the skin, which is full of fiber, as well.

Chicken Curry Cup of Noodles

Make your own cup of instant soup at home with this chicken curry zoodle (spiralized zucchini noodles) recipe. Pack several jars at once to take to work for easy lunches throughout the week.

Quick Mixed Berry Topping

Frozen mixed berries become an almost instant fruit topping in the microwave. Serve over angel food cake or Greek-style yogurt.

Southwestern Layered Bean Dip

Plenty of black beans, salsa and chopped fresh vegetables mean a healthy amount of dietary fiber in this Tex-Mex layered dip. We use reduced-fat sour cream along with full-fat (and full-flavored) cheese to make the dip lighter without compromising great taste. Be sure to have lots of baked tortilla chips on hand when you serve it.

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Microwave Potato Chips

You don't need a deep fryer to make crispy potato chips. We toss thinly sliced potatoes with just a touch of olive oil, pop them in the microwave and voilà! Crispy, crunchy homemade potato chips with 8 grams less fat per serving than regular chips.

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Strawberries Dipped in Chocolate

This healthy dessert recipe is a quick and healthy way to satisfy your chocolate craving.

Quick Applesauce

This quick homemade applesauce recipe makes a healthy snack or fruit dessert for kids. Applesauce is also a fabulous complement to potato pancakes or latkes.

Irene's Winter Salad

Steamed broccoli and cauliflower florets tossed with a tangy lemon dressing is a great alternative to a green salad or steamed vegetable side dish.

Lemongrass Pork & Spaghetti Squash Noodle Bowl with Peanut Sauce

In this Asian-flavored spaghetti squash recipe, thin slices of lean pork tenderloin are marinated with lemongrass, ginger, brown sugar and soy sauce. The flavorful marinade is then cooked with peanut butter and coconut milk to make a delicious sauce for this low-carb noodle bowl.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Coconut Milk

This three-ingredient dish, known as piele in Hawaii, is fabulously simple. Coconut milk--an occasional indulgence because of the saturated fat--contributes rich flavor.

The EatingWell Taco

Building the perfect taco is a very personal task--cheese under meat, cheese on top, no cheese at all? This is just our recommendation.

Creamy Mashed Cauliflower

This creamy cauliflower mash makes a perfect low-carb stand-in for mashed potatoes. Here we take simple mashed cauliflower and mix in garlic, buttermilk and a touch of butter to create a flavorful side dish that has about one-quarter of the calories of typical mashed potatoes. If you like, vary it by adding shredded low-fat cheese or chopped fresh herbs.

Greek Orzo Stuffed Peppers

We steam brightly colored bell peppers in the microwave to save time and then stuff them with orzo, spinach and feta. This basic recipe will work with almost any filling--try substituting different types of cheese, herbs or beans. Serve with whole-wheat pita bread and cucumber salad.

Spaghetti Squash & Meatballs

With this spaghetti squash and meatballs recipe, you can reduce the carbohydrates and increase the vegetable servings by skipping pasta and serving the Italian-seasoned turkey meatballs and quick, homemade marinara sauce over thin strands of cooked spaghetti squash instead. Cooking the squash first in the microwave and then in a skillet to cook off the extra moisture, gives the squash a more spaghetti-like texture.