The biggest barrier to cooking often isn’t skill, it’s time. How often have you come home from school or work feeling too sluggish to make a meal? While the microwave is a common kitchen appliance to whip up a snack in record time, there’s a better option: the humble toaster oven. If you need a quick pick-me-up, try one of these awesome toaster oven snacks.

Nachos
Nachos are an incredibly simple (but oh-so-delicious) snack that you can whip up in relatively short time, making them easy to cook up in a toaster oven. Here’s the quick way to make some nachos of your own. Start by heating the toaster oven to 350 degrees, then line your toaster oven pan with foil. After spraying the foil with non-stick cooking spray, line the pan with tortilla chips. Once that’s done, mix shredded chicken with black beans, your favourite salsa and your preferred mix of shredded cheese in a bowl. Spread the mix over the chips, then bake until the cheese melts.

Quick Tortilla Pizza
Who doesn’t love pizza? Nothing’s better than a home-made pizza pie, but who wants to go through the work of making the dough? To make a delicious personal pizza in minutes, simply spread marinara sauce over a tortilla, sprinkle on lots of cheese, then add your favourite toppings. Toast until hot, and you’re good to go.

Toasted Nuts
Toasted nuts are a great ingredient in several cookies and pastries, but they make for an excellent snack on their own. Simply spread the nuts evenly on a toaster oven pan, then drizzle on a small amount of oil—as little as possible to evenly coat them—with grapeseed oil. Feel free to add a dash of sea salt if preferred. Roast the nuts, but remove after five minutes to stir or shake so that the nuts on the outside move to the inside and vice-versa. Cook for another three minutes, then check again. When finished, place them on a plate to cool.

Kale Chips
Kale is still a favourite superfood, and you can use your toaster oven to whip up a tasty snack with the trendy greens. Begin by rinsing your kale, then removing the stems. Break up the leaves into pieces, then coat with coconut oil. Sprinkle on some salt, pepper and garlic to taste, and you’re already half done. Line a baking pan with a single layer of the kale, then cook until the outside edges begin to brown—about seven minutes. Be careful not to overcook! When finished, you’ll have crispy, tasty (and healthy) kale chips.

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