Alison Holst's Microwave Menus - Series One

Episode One
Alison Holst starts her microwave odyssey with a quick and nutritous breakfast. She starts with a vegetable or citrus juice, and shows how warming fruit in the microwave doubles its output. Three kinds of porridge are prepared, complimented with bran muffins and milo or "milky coffee". For dinner Holst whips up chicken drumsticks, new potatoes, peas and a chocolate sundae. Holst also uses paper plates and oven bags to minimise the dishes. 

Episode Two
Alison demonstrates how to cook with ease, starting by reheating a range of leftover soups paired with paprika butter croutons. Different cheeses are served on crackers and microwaved as a simple starter, followed by stuffed pita pockets. Cold meat sammies are wrapped in a paper towel and heated for a hot meat sandwich. Kiwi favourites baked beans and spaghetti are prepared, before a rack of lamb with oven bag veges, cheesecake tarts and Irish coffee for two.

Episode Three
Alison Holst plans a picnic lunch. On the menu are scotch eggs, "confetti meatloaf", salad greens with a dressing, chocolate brownies and lemonade. For dinner Holst plans a family meal of "good, basic food, simply cooked": corned beef with mustard sauce, mashed potatoes, carrots and cabbage with fruit crumble for afters. Holst prepares the dessert first and warns that microwave-made crumble won't brown as much as in a traditional oven. 

Episode Four 
Alison Holst shows how the microwave can handle every meal. She starts the day with microwave muesli, fruit stewed in microwave ring dishes, scrambled eggs and three ways to microwave crispy bacon. For the dinner menu, she prepares a hearty vegetable-filled minestrone soup, followed by creamy paprika fish served with a side salad, complete with microwave-toasted croutons. Dessert features a microwave-baked orange cake and classic melted brie with fruit.

Episode Five
It's takeaways night with microwave versions of favourite treats "hasty hamburgers" and "pronto pizzas". Wholesome mini muesli bars finish the meal. Next on Alison Holst's list is a three course dinner with a tomato soup entree and stir-fried pork with brown rice and cashews for the main. Dessert consists of an upside down pudding adorned with pineapple. Holst again uses a trusty plastic bag to cook her marinated meat.

Episode Six
Microwave enthusiast Alison Holst kicks off the episode with a classic family meal of lasagna, salad with croutons and carrot cake with cream cheese icing. The next tutorial is much more ambitious; a dinner party spread for six, with all the trimmings! Holst demonstrates how to prepare buttered rum/spiced apple juice, cheesy nachos, grand poulet (French roast chicken), scalloped potatoes, Julienne vegetables, bread pudding with whiskey sauce — and a number of side dishes!