Toshiba Microwave ML-EM23P(SS) save time

There are a variety of microwaves on the market but for me personally Toshiba sell some of the smartest looking microwaves which are affordable. What is a microwave good for though you might ask? Well a microwave is like an oven but a lot smaller and faster. Within a microwave you can defrost food, cook a variety of dishes within it, and saves you time.

Microwaves were first introduced as a device to save time. However since then apart from throwing in a microwaveable meal bought from a supermarket microwaves have highly evolved. Now within microwaves you can cook practically anything such as a turkey.

Courtesy of Toshiba I was given a microwave on a gifted basis to show me how microwaves have evolved and how much time you can save.

Toshiba brand

Toshiba was founded back in 1939 in Japan which was a merge of two companies, Shibaura Seisakusho (Shibaura Engineering Works) and Tokyo Denki (Tokyo Electric). Since merging this multinational conglomerate organisation has become one of the worlds leading brands in electrics. They supply a range of diversified products and services which range from power, elevators, escalators, kitchen electronics, home electronics, lighting and so much more. However they are mostly known though for their laptops, other home appliances and medical equipment.

Convenient cooking at home

Microwaves are a great alternate to an oven as they make cooking that much quicker, be it a pre-made microwave meal or to cook a homemade dish. No matter what you cook in a microwave the time it would cook in an oven is highly reduced.

I opted to test the the mid range microwave by Toshiba model ML-EM23P(SS) which costs £84.99.

Brand and Model	Toshiba ML-EM23P(SS)
Colour	Silver
Material	Metal
Capacity	23 litres
Item dimensions L x W x H	48.5 x 39.7 x 29.3 centimetres
Item weight	12.3 Kilograms
Voltage	240 Volts
Power	800 watts
Special features	Child lock, multi-stage cooking, defrost by weight & time

Upon receiving I was impressed by the size and look of this countertop microwave. I can see why it is one of Amazon’s most popular Toshiba microwaves. It is stunning, with a silver coating and black door which gives it that modern and stylish look. However it is quite heavy. The digital touch control panel on the microwave has a fluorescent green display for the time counter, buttons for clock, power, start, stop, defrost and even has some pre-programmed options for popcorn, potato, pizza, frozen vegetables, beverage and dinner plate.

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Even though I have had a microwave in the past I never really used it to it’s full potential as I only used it to cook microwave meals from supermarkets or even to melt butter. Plus I did explode one once as I started the microwave up with nothing in it, not releasing and it went up in smoke. However why have I never used a microwave it to it’s full capacity before? well I suppose it is because I was not really sure what a microwave could actually cook, I just thought it was for pre-made microwave meals. Plus I was always a little scared of using one as of the high RF radiation rays in which it uses. However with technology coming along way since the 80s I feel now more comfortable using microwaves and that so much more can be achieved with a microwave when it comes to cooking or even defrosting.

How does a microwave cook the food though you might ask? Microwaves are made from electron tubes (magnetron) and when the metal interior reflects it absorbs the food. This then causes the water molecules in the food to vibrate, producing heat and cooks the food.

Is using a microwave oven though harmful? No, using a microwave to cook or heat food is not harmful. They are safe and convenient for cooking and heating up food. The food is not radioactive.  

Cooking made quick and easy

As I love to cook and bake from scratch I decided to get a little creative and use the microwave to cover the whole day from breakfast to dessert. Being my very first time and discarding the ready made microwave meals I was actually highly impressed by the results.

Breakfast time I opted to cook Scrambled Egg.

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Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp milk
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Spray ramekin or mug with cooking spray or wipe lightly with vegetable oil.
2. Whisk the eggs, milk, salt and pepper in a bowl then pour into your ramekin or mug.
3. Cover with cling film, pulling back a very small area for venting.
4. Microwave for 1 minute and 45 seconds, stirring half way through.
5. Let stand for 30 seconds once cooked.
6. Mash and serve on toast.

The scrambled egg was very similar to the scrambled egg usually done on the hob, just minus the butter. So if you love eggs and looking for a healthier alternate to scrambled eggs then this is a great choice as it’s still fluffy and eggy.

For lunch I decided to cook two different types of Mac & Cheese one with Cheddar and one with Feta.

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Ingredients

• 28g macaroni pasta
• 175ml water
• 4 tbsp milk
• 1/2 tspn cornflour
• 4 tbsp cheddar cheese, grated
• Baby spinach, small handful
• salt and pepper

Method

1. In a large microwavable bowl add in the macaroni pasta and the water. Microwave for roughly 7 minutes or until cooked.
2. Pour away remaining water and then stir in the milk, cornflour, cheese, spinach and then microwave for a further minute.
3. Season, stir well and serve.

A great simple, quick mac and cheese which just uses a few ingredients.

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Ingredients

• 28g macaroni pasta
• 175ml water
• 3 tbsp milk
• 2 tbsp feta, crumbled
• 4 tbsp mozzarella, grated
• Baby spinach, small handful
• salt and pepper

Method

1. In a large microwavable bowl add in the macaroni pasta and the water. Microwave for roughly 7 minutes or until cooked.
2. Pour away remaining water and then stir in the milk, cheeses, spinach, season and then stir.
3. Serve.

A very different take on the normal Mac and Cheese but very tasty and healthier.

For a snack I chose to make Popcorn with the microwave using the handy popcorn button.

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Ingredients

• 40g popcorn kernals
• Sugar and salt (optional)

Method

1. Place the popcorn kernals in a oven proof glass bowl.
2. Cover with three layers of clingfilm and pierce several small holes (use a toothpick).
3. Press the popcorn button and watch the popcorn pop.
4. Serve when ready and sprinkle over some sugar and salt (optional)

A great and very easy snack to create within minutes. No oil or butter needed resulting in a healthier popcorn snack.

For dinner I cooked Salmon with Noodles.

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Ingredients

• 1 salmon fillet
• 2 tbsp orange juice
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 nest of noodles (approx 60g)
• Spinach, small handful
• 1 spring onion, finely sliced

Method

1. Put salmon in a microwavable bowl and pour over the orange juice, soy sauce and honey over the salmon.
2. Microwave for 3 minutes, turning halfway through.
3. Add spinach and cook for a further 1 minute.
4. Rest for a minute then place the salmon on top of the noodles. Scatter over the spring onions.
5. Noodles can be cooked on a hob according the pack instructions or cook in microwave for 5 minutes within water.
6. Stir well, season and serve.

The salmon tasted like it had been steamed and the flavours of the soy sauce and orange gave it that sharpness and tanginess making this simple noodle dish a delight.

For dessert I made a simple easy Chocolate Sponge pudding.

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Ingredients

• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp peanut butter
• 1/2 tspn vanilla
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3 tbsp chocolate chips

Method

1. Melt butter in a small dish.
2. Add the peanut butter and mix well.
3. In a mug, mix together the vanilla, egg and sugar until well combined.
4. Then add the flour, cocoa, slat and baking powder.
5. Pour in the peanut butter mix.
6. Stir in the chocolate chips.
7. Put in the microwave for 2 minutes.
8. Top with whipped cream.

This desert is like a chocolate sponge. So if you love sponge this is a quick alternate to get your chocolate hit and sponge love.

With all the creations I made within the microwave I was highly impressed by each dish. Not only was each dish easy to make but cooked really fast as well cutting the time down in how long it would usually take in the oven.

I never used the multi stage option but there is a programme in where you can set for two cycles in one. For example you could boil rice at 80% for 5 minutes and then set it to simmer at 20% for another 10 minutes. Which is a great time saver as there is no need to go back to reprogram for the second stage.

QUESTION
What have you cooked or baked within a microwave which you was highly impressed with?

Verdict

This Toshiba Microwave ML-EM23P(SS) is pretty much everything you’d want in a solo microwave. It is a great value for money, stylish, large interior and has great functionality.

Upon reading up about microwaves and using my brand new microwave by Toshiba I have learnt that microwaves have improved so much since the 70s and how convenient a microwave is, from saving time to even helping eat more healthier as you don’t need oil/butter to cook seafood, meat or even vegetables in a microwave. Also a great thing about any microwave is that it is low in noise. The Toshiba one is fitted with 5 blades resulting in an exceptionally quite whirring noise. Also the microwave is very easy to clean due to it’s coated interior lining so a quick wipe is all that is required after use.

However even though the dishes within the microwave are quicker, and a healthier way of cooking it does taste slightly different if you were to cook in an oven or on the hob. Why? as the food is cooked by rays and water molecules. Ovens heat much more evenly and solely from the outside in, usually crisping up the outside of food resulting in texture. Microwave food to me is more of a steamed or poached taste experience.

All in all this Toshiba Microwave ML-EM23P(SS) is a great option as there are not many microwaves out on the market that will give you this kind of combination with all the mod cons which is under £100.

Buy this microwave, get creative, eat healthier and save time.

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Thank you Toshiba for the microwave it certainly has shown me microwaves are a true time saver. All views are my own honest opinion.