Eating While on the Road - Hot Meals: Microwave Lasagna

Dear Readers,

Post no. 6

This post introduces a microwave cooked pasta recipe, featuring Microwave Lasagna.

My hot dinner/lunch meals this week included:

• Lasagna 

First the goods:
If you remember my itemized grocery list post you would have seen:
- Lasagna sheets (or pasta of your choosing, after all this is your pasta cake?) $2.49
- Organic pasta sauce (I would make my own gravy if I were at home - that's another post) $1.49

- Olive oil $2.99

- Ricotta $2.69

- Mozzarella (I buy whole fresh mozzarella and shave for use as needed) $2.39

- Salt and Pepper grinders $1 each. 

The tools:

• Microwave
• Microwave safe glass or ceramic bowl
• A second plate or bowl
• Utensils: Fork, Knife, Spoon [Spork if you can find one!]

Simple Microwave Scramble 

The application:
(Important tip, don't put your container in the center of the microwave, off-set it for best results)

1. A hand full plus half-a-hand-full of pasta (broken lasagna sheets) into your glass/ceramic bowl
• For me, that is about half a pint of cooked pasta, your hands will yield a different amount
2. Pour in enough water to cover pasta by at least half an inch
3. Add a pinch of salt and a drip of olive oil
4. Cover the bowl with the second plate & Heat in the microwave for 3 minutes
5. Remove the bowl from the microwave, remove the second plate and stir the past
6. Heat in microwave for another 5-7 min (uncovered)
• Cooking times vary depending on the type of pasta, the quantity of pasta, and your microwave age and power rating, I have access to a 900W Magic Chef machine)
• You may want to cook your pasta longer or less, prepare as necessary to taste. A little under-cooked here is fine, you'll be zapping again in step 9.
7. The bowl will be dangerously hot, using a towel or a t-shit remove the bowl and drain your pasta in the sink.
• I find that having a second dish or bowl comes in handy: place the second bowl/plate on top of the hot pasta/water and use that second clean dish/bowl as barrier, preventing the pasta from falling out of the dish as you drain the water out of the pasta.
8. Now layer the drained bowl first with pasta sauce followed by noodles, then ricotta and repeat until you've run out of noodles. Top with a layer of shredded mozzarella 
• I like to season my ricotta with a little pinch of salt and black pepper and olive oil
• I like to add mozzarella to the layers of ricotta as well
• I also like to add a little parmigiana if I have it
9. Heat in the microwave for 3-5 minutes 
• At this point (or sooner) any further cooking is to your preference. Once the mozzarella has melted no further cooking is necessary
• Remember to off set your bowl from the center of the microwave for even cooking
10. The bowl will be dangerously hot! Using a towel or a t-shit, remove the bowl to your eating location and allow the lasagna to rest for at least 2 minutes. You will likely burn yourself should you decide to chop right in.

Reminders:
A spork is a great tool for this meal.

Additions:
One ingredient that I am missing badly is parmigiana cheese. I really like to blend parmigiana into the ricotta and/or the mozzarella, but I didn't buy it because it wasn't necessary. I wish I had. You can add spinach, garlic, cooked sausage, any thing your palate desires.

Cost analysis: Pasta $.63 per serving ($2.49 for the 250 gram bag); Organic pasta sauce $.37 per serving ($1.49 for 25 oz jar); Ricotta $.67 per serving ($2.69); Mozzarella $.59 per serving ($2.39). It is difficult to calculate the exact cost of Olive Oil ($2.99 for a 8.5 fl oz jar) and Salt/Pepper ($1 each) because I am using such a negligible quantity. In total that's $2.26 for you microwave lasagna, with an additional few cents for a teaspoon of olive oil and a crack of black pepper and salt.

Nutritional value:
Difficult on this recipe because I kind-of eye-ball each of the quantities. Approximate values are below. Remember: Microwaving your food does less damage to your food compared to stove top methods, and as a result less/fewer nutrients is/are lost in the process. Quantities will vary depending on your portion sizes as well.

The pasta (I bought "Priano ancient grain" made from durum, semolina, wheat, and teff) is approximately 237.5 calories, 43.75g total carbs, 6.25g of fiber, 1.25g of fat, and 10g of protein. It also provides 15mg of calcium, 1.25mg of iron, and 135mg of potassium. The pasta sauce 67.5 calories, 705mg of sodium, 13.5g total carbs, 3g of fiber, 7.5 grams of sugar, 3g of protein. It also provides 60mg of calcium, 690mg of potassium, and 1.35mg of iron. There is no added sugar, by the way! The mozzarella is 140 calories, 10g of fat (7g saturated, 0 trans fat), 40mg of cholesterol, 200mg sodium, 10g of protein, and between 6-12% of your daily value of calcium. The ricotta (whole milk, pasteurized, vinegar and salt) 192.5 calories, 14g of fat (8.75g saturated, 0 trans), 52.5mg cholesterol, 140mg sodium, 3.5g total carbs (from sugar), 10.5g of protein. It also provides 350mg of calcium, 122.5mg of potassium.

Total approximate nutritional calculation: 637.5        Calories

60.75  Total Carbs

18.5 Dietary Fiber

25.25      Total Fat

92.5mg Cholesterol

Note:*
Get a good sauce. The one I purchased tastes too much like a pizza sauce, you'll have to find one to suit your needs.

Thanks for reading,

Joe

*Try to avoid plastic as much as you can. Microwave-safe plastic doesn't mean that it's good for you, it means that it will not destroy your microwave, it might destroy you long term.

Links:
Here are some links of people who videoed themselves following a similar process
Lasagna in a Mug (with Cheddar...)

A beautiful mug recipe (intended for the oven) This is beautiful. If I had a mug I would try this, but alas, I have only a bowl and a plate on this trip. I'll also try to recreate this in the microwave next trip.