Have you heard about the instapot craze? What is it? It's a multi-cooker. It's a pressure cooker, slow-cooker, rice steamer, yogurt maker, sauté/browning pan and warming pot all rolled into one appliance. If you are short on time and space this may be the appliance for you. Let's look at some recipes so you can see how to use this multi-cooker.
https://www.thekitchn.com/i-tried-the-instant-pot-and-heres-what-i-really-think-about-it-8-months-later-226178Instapot
INSTAPOT BONE BROTH
It is cold and flu season so it's a good idea to have bone broth on hand. You can make the broth much more quickly in the Instapot. Make this recipe and stay well all year long.
2 medium leeks, cleaned and cut in half crosswise 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into three pieces 2.5 pounds of assorted bones (I use a mixture of chicken and pork bones from the freezer or cross shanks and oxtails) 8 cups of water (enough to cover the bones but not more than 2/3rd the capacity of the pressure cooker) 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (optional) 2 tablespoons of Red Boat fish sauce
Toss the veggies in the pressure cooker (make sure it’s at least 6-quarts), and toss in your bones (frozen is fine). Then, cover with water (make sure you don’t fill more than two-thirds capacity!). Add the vinegar (optional) and fish sauce. Then, cover and lock the lid, and program to high pressure. If using a stove top pressure cooker, place the pot on a burner set on high heat. Once the indicator pops up showing that the contents of the pot have reached high pressure, immediately decrease the temperature to the lowest possible setting to maintain high pressure (low is normally adequate). Set the timer for 30 minutes (I let it go for 50 minutes if I’m cooking meaty shanks or oxtails). If I’m not in a rush, I set my Instapot on high pressure for 2 hours—the broth only gets better with more time. When the timer goes off, turn off the burner and remove the pot from the heat. Let the pressure release naturally (10-15 minutes). Remove the lid, skim of the scum (if you desire), and strain the broth. Done!
http://nomnompaleo.com/2012/01/17/20120117quick-pressure-cooker-bone-broth
INSTAPOT CRISPY POTATOES
Who doesn't love crispy taters? Give these a try.
1 pound fingerling or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into uniform 1 – 1½ inch cubes 2 tablespoons of ghee or favorite animal fat Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper ¼ cup minced Italian parsley ½ medium lemon
Add ½ cup of water (or the minimum recommended by the manufacturer) to the cooking insert of an Instapot or 6-quart stove top pressure cooker fitted with a steamer insert. Dump in the potatoes. If you’re using an electric pressure cooker like an Instapot, simply press the Manual or Pressure Cook button and program it to cook for 5 minutes under high pressure. Lock the lid, with the valve in the sealing position and let the Instapot do its thing. When the potatoes are done cooking, turn off the Instapot and let the pressure release naturally (~10 minutes). Instapot users can manually release the pressure manually at the 10 minute mark if the pressure hasn’t completely dropped by then. You can fry the cooked potatoes right away or refrigerate them in a covered container for up to a week. Melt the ghee or butter over medium high heat in a large skillet. Once it starts sputtering, carefully add the potatoes to the pan. Season generously with salt and pepper. Leave the potatoes undisturbed for 1 minute before flipping to brown the other side for an additional minute. Squeeze on the juice from half a lemon and toss with fresh Italian parsley.
http://nomnompaleo.com/post/33235606879/pressure-cooker-crispy-potatoes
INSTAPOT CREAMY BROCCOLI DILL SOUP
You'll love this easy soup. Adding the dill is a new change from traditional creamy broccoli soup.
2 tbsp grass-fed ghee or grass-fed butter, avocado oil or healthy fat of choice 1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced 3 fresh garlic cloves, peeled and chopped 3 celery stalks, sliced 4 cups (10 oz) fresh or frozen broccoli florets 2 cups bone broth or vegetable broth 1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt or Himalayan sea salt 6 tbsp non-fortified nutritional yeast 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice or unfiltered apple cider vinegar 1 1/2 tsp dried dill 1 tsp Dijon mustard
Add healthy fat of choice to the and press “Sauté.” Add the onion and sauté for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions become lightly caramelized. Add the garlic and give it a stir, cooking for about 1 minute. Press the “Keep Warm/Cancel” button. Add the celery, broccoli, broth and sea salt, stir to combine. Place the lid on the Instapot making sure the steam release valve is sealed. Press the “Manual” button and set to 5 minutes. When the Instapot is done and beeps, press “Keep Warm/Cancel”. Allow to naturally pressure release for 5 minutes. Using an oven mitt, “quick release”/open the steam release valve. When the steam venting stops and the silver dial drops, carefully open the lid. Carefully pour the soup into a high powered blender (or leave in the pot and use an immersion blender instead), leaving at least 3 inches of space from the top and add the nutritional yeast, lemon juice, dill and Dijon mustard. Blend on low speed just until fully incorporated, about 5 seconds and pour the soup back into the Instapot. Taste for seasoning, add more salt if you prefer. Serve immediately or store for later use.
https://www.recipestonourish.com/instant-pot-paleo-creamy-broccoli-dill-soup/
INSTAPOT SPICY BEEF STEW
This is a beautiful and nutritional soup that will warm you to the core.
2 tbsp ghee or avocado oil 1 lb beef stew meat, cut into cubes 1 onion, diced 3 medium potatoes, chopped 4 carrots, chopped 2 celery stalks, chopped 2 cups kale leaves, stems removed 1 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp black pepper 2 cups bone broth 2 tbsp your favorite hot sauce Sea salt, to taste
Set your Instapot to Sauté setting and add avocado oil. Add the meat and stir until the meat is browned. Add and stir in the rest of the ingredient, except salt. Close the lid, and make sure the pressure valve is set to "sealing." Set the Instapot to Meat/Stew. Once finished, about 40 minutes, the Instapot will beep. If you are eating right away, hit "Cancel" then release the pressure valve, making sure your hand is away from the opening where the steam escapes. If not, the Instapot will automatically switch to the "Warm" setting for the next 10 hours and the pressure will slowly lower on its own. Taste and salt, if necessary.
https://whatgreatgrandmaate.com/instant-pot-spicy-beef-stew/
INSTAPOT KALUA PIG
There is nothing like pork and cabbage. You'll love this recipe. If you can't find the salt this recipe calls for, use what you have.
3 bacon slices 5 pound bone-in pork shoulder roast 5 peeled garlic cloves (optional) 1½ tablespoons Alaea Red Hawaiian Coarse Sea Salt (or ~1 tablespoon Alaea Red Hawaiian Fine Sea Salt) 1 cup water 1 cabbage, cored, and cut into 6 wedges
Drape three pieces of bacon on the bottom of your Instapot. Press the “Sauté" button and in about a minute, your bacon will start sizzling. (If you’re using a stove top pressure cooker instead, line it with three pieces of bacon, crank the burner to medium, and start frying your bacon.) Slice the pork roast into three equal pieces. If you’ve got some garlic on hand, use it! With a sharp paring knife, stab a few slits in each piece of pork, and tuck in the garlic cloves. Carefully measure out the amount of salt you use. For this recipe, follow Judy Rodger’s rule of thumb: use ¾ teaspoon of medium-coarse salt for every 1 pound of meat. (Using fine salt? Use about half that amount.) Sprinkle the salt evenly over the pork. As you’re seasoning the pork, you’ll hear the bacon sputtering in the pressure cooker. Don’t forget to flip the slices, and turn off the heat when the bacon is browned on both sides. Place the salted pork on top of the bacon, keeping the meat in a single layer. Pour in the water. Check your pressure cooker manual to see what the minimum amount of liquid is for your particular model, and adjust accordingly. (After some digging and experimenting, I discovered that 1 cup of water is perfect for this recipe in my Instapot.) Cover and lock the lid. If you’re using an Instapot, select the “Manual” button and press the “+” button until you hit 90 minutes under high pressure. Once the pot is programmed, walk away. If you’re using a stove-top pressure cooker, cook on high heat until high pressure is reached. Then, reduce the heat to low to maintain high pressure for about 75 minutes. When the stew is finished cooking, the Instapot will switch automatically to its “Keep Warm” mode. If you’re at home, press the “Keep Warm/Cancel” button to turn off the cooker and let the pressure come down naturally quicker. If you’re using a stove-top pressure cooker, remove the pot from the heat. In either case, let the pressure release naturally (which will take about 15 minutes). Once the cooker is depressurized, check that the pork is fork-tender. If the meat’s not yet fall-apart tender, you can always cook the pork under pressure for another 5-10 minutes to get the right texture. Transfer the cooked pork to a large bowl, and taste the cooking liquid remaining in the pot. Adjust the seasoning with water or salt if needed. Chop the cabbage head into six wedges and add them to the cooking liquid. Replace the lid and cook the cabbage under high pressure for 3-5 minutes. When the cabbage is done cooking, activate the quick release valve to release the pressure. While the cabbage is cooking, shred the pork. Once the cabbage is cooked, pile it on the pork and serve.
http://nomnompaleo.com/post/111934821818/pressure-cooker-kalua-pig
INSTAPOT BUFFALO CHICKEN MEATBALLS
This would be a great Super Bowl Sunday treat!
1.5 lb ground chicken 3/4 cup almond meal 1 tsp sea salt 2 garlic cloves minced 2 green onions thinly sliced 2 tbsp ghee 6 tbsp hot sauce 4 tbsp butter or ghee Chopped green onions, for garnish
In a large bowl, combine chicken, almond meal, salt, minced garlic cloves, and green onions. Use your hands to combine everything together, but be careful not to overwork the meat. Grease your hands with ghee or coconut oil, then shape the meat into balls 1-2 inches wide. Set your Instapot to sauté setting and add ghee. Working in batches, gently place the chicken meatballs in the Instapot to brown them. Turn them every minute until all sides are brown. While the meatballs are browning, combine hot sauce and butter or ghee and heat them in the microwave or the stove top until the butter is completely melted. Use a spoon to stir. This is your buffalo sauce. Place all the browned meatballs in the Instapot, then pour the buffalo sauce evenly over the meatballs. Screw on the lid to the Instapot, make sure that the pressure valve is set to "sealing," then set it to "Poultry." Once the meatballs are finished cooking (about 15-20 minutes), the Instapot will beep. If you are eating right away, hit "Cancel" then release the pressure valve, making sure your hand is away from the opening where the steam escapes. If not, the Instapot will automatically switch to the "Warm" setting for the next 10 hours and the pressure will slowly lower on its own. Serve over rice, cauliflower rice, zoodles. or just eat on its own!
https://whatgreatgrandmaate.com/instant-pot-buffalo-chicken-meatballs/
INSTAPOT CHICKEN PHO
Use that bone broth you made earlier for this warming pho. Zucchini noodles (or any other veggie noodle) work well in this recipe.
For the broth:
1 tablespoon coriander seeds 3 whole cloves Chubby 2-inch (5 cm) section ginger, peeled, thickly sliced, and bruised 1 large (10 oz | 300 g) yellow onion, halved and thickly sliced 7 cups (1.66 l) water 1 (4 lb | 1.8 kg) whole chicken (no bigger!) 1 small (4 oz | 115 g) Fuji apple, peeled, cored, and cut into thumbnail-size chunks ¾ cup (0.7 oz | 20 g) coarsely chopped cilantro sprigs 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or 1½ TEASPOONS fine sea salt or Morton’s kosher salt) About 1½ tablespoons fish sauce 1- 2 teaspoons maple syrup (optional)
For the bowls:
4 medium zucchini, spiralized and blotted dry with paper towels About half the cooked chicken from the broth ½ small (2 oz | 60 g) yellow or red onion, thinly sliced against the grain and soaked in water for 10 minutes 2 thinly sliced green onions, green parts only ¼ cup (0.2 oz | 5 g ) chopped fresh cilantro, leafy tops only Thai basil leaves (optional) Pepper (optional) Paleo sriracha (optional) Lime wedges (optional) Toss the coriander seeds and cloves in a 6-quart pressure cooker. Press the sauté button on your Instapot (or place a stove top pressure cooker over medium heat) and toast the spices for several minutes, shaking or stirring, until fragrant. Throw in the ginger and onion and stir everything until aromatic, 45 to 60 seconds. Pour in 4 cups (1 l) of the water to stop the cooking process. Carefully place the chicken in the cooker, breast side up. Add the apple, cilantro, salt, and remaining 3 cups (0.71 l) water. Press the Cancel/Keep Warm button, lock the lid in place, and make sure the valve on top is in the sealed position. Press the Manual button and set the Instapot to cook under high pressure (~12 psi) for 14 minutes. If you’re using a stove top pressure cooker, bring to low pressure, 8 psi, over high heat on a gas or induction stove, or medium heat on an electric stove. Lower the heat to maintain pressure, signaled by a gentle, steady flow of steam coming out of the cooker’s valve. Cook for 15 minutes, or a few minutes longer if your cooker’s low setting is less than 8 psi. If your cooker only has a high-pressure,15 psi, setting, cook for 12 minutes. Your aim to gently poach the chicken and not overcook it! When done, turn off the Instapot and let the pressure decrease naturally for 20 minutes. Set a timer and if the pressure hasn’t completely released when it dings, turn the valve at the top to quickly vent the remaining pressure. (If you’re using a stove top pressure cooker, slide it to a cool burner and let the pressure decrease naturally, about 20 minutes.) Remove the lid, tilting it away from you to avoid the hot steam. Wait another 5 minutes before using tongs to transfer the chicken to a large bowl; if parts fall off in transit, don’t stress. Add cold water to cover the chicken and soak for 10 minutes to cool and prevent drying. Pour off the water, partially cover, and set the chicken aside to cool. Skim some fat from the broth, before straining it through a Chinois or muslin-lined mesh strainer positioned over a large pot. Discard the solids. You should end up with about 7 cups broth. If using right away, season the broth with the fish sauce, extra salt, and maybe a smidge of the maple syrup. Or, partially cover the unseasoned broth and let cool, then refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months; reheat and season before using. Use a knife or your hands to separate the breast meat and legs from the chicken. Set aside half of the chicken for another use. Reserve the remaining chicken for pho bowl assembly. The chicken can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months; bring to room temperature to use. Prep and assemble the bowls. Cut or shred the chicken into bite-size pieces. Discard the skin or save it for cracklings. Bring the broth to a simmer over medium heat as you are assembling the bowls. Divide the zucchini noodles among four soup bowls. (If you like softer zoodles, use a mesh strainer to dunk them in boiling water until the desired softness before placing the drained zoodles into the soup bowls.) Top the zoodles with shredded chicken. Check the broth flavor once more, raise the heat, and bring it to a boil. Ladle about 2 cups (480 ml) broth into each bowl. Then garnish with onion, green onion, cilantro, basil, pepper, and sriracha if desired. You can squeeze on fresh lime juice, too. Serve immediately! http://nomnompaleo.com/post/157517114578/instant-pot-pressure-cooker-chicken-pho
INSTAPOT CHILI
This recipe has some interesting ingredients to enhance the flavor. Give this a try the next time you want chili.
1 - 1 1/2 pound ground beef 1 medium onion diced 4 cloves garlic minced 1 can tomatoes crushed, 28 ounce can 2 cans red kidney beans drained & rinsed, 19 ounces 1 - 2 tablespoons chili powder depending on your spice preference 1 tablespoon cumin seed ground 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar optional coconut sugar to taste (optional) kosher salt to taste black pepper taste 1 cup chicken stock low sodium 2 tablespoons fish sauce 1 tablespoon coconut aminos 3 tablespoons tomato paste 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder Lime sour creme optional to garnish Jalapeno pepper optional to garnish, diced and seeded green onions optional to garnish Cheddar cheese optional to garnish avocado optional to garnish
Press Sauté button and Adjust once to Sauté More function. Wait until indicator says "hot". Season ground beef generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil into the pot. Ensure to coat the oil over whole bottom of the pot. Add ground beef into the pot. The ground beef will start to release moisture. At the 5-minute mark, remove the ground beef juice and reserve it in a small mixing bowl. Allow the ground beef to brown. Stir occasionally until they are slightly crisped and browned. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more kosher salt and ground black pepper. While the ground beef is browning, mix 1 cup chicken stock, fish sauce, coconut aminos, tomato paste, unsweetened cocoa powder in a 2 cup measuring cup. Add diced onions, minced garlic, ground cumin seed, chili powder, dried oregano. Sauté for about 5 minutes until the spices start to release their fragrance. Stir frequently. Pour in 1/2 cup of the Umami Chicken Stock Mixture, fully deglaze the bottom of the pot by scrubbing all the flavorful brown bits with a wooden spoon. Mix the brown bits with the stock mixture. Add in the reserved beef juice (from Step 2). Pour in the remaining Umami Chicken Stock Mixture. Add 2 cans of drained red kidney beans. Mix well. Pour in 1 can of crushed tomatoes with all the juice on top. Do not mix. Close lid and pressure cook on Manual at High Pressure for 10 minutes, followed by Natural Release when time is up. Open the lid carefully. If the chili is too runny, give it a quick stir and cook for another few minutes on the Sauté function. Taste and season with brown sugar, kosher salt and black pepper. Optional: Add Apple cider vinegar. Note that the vinegar will significantly change the flavor profile. Garnish chili with optional ingredients. Serve over your favorite side dishes. Enjoy!
https://recipes.instantpot.com/recipe/instant-pot-chili/
INSTAPOT COCONUT YOGURT
Make your own yogurt? Why not? You can control the sugar which is great because most of what is available in the store is loaded with sugar.
3 14-oz cans of coconut milk, refrigerated 4 capsules of probiotics 2 Tablespoons (14 g) gelatin (for thickening) 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) maple syrup or honey (to enable the yogurt to be made)
Use a spoon to remove the solid cream on top of the cans of coconut milk. Place this into the Instapot bowl. Close the lid, make sure the vent is closed, press the yogurt button, press adjust until it shows BOIL. When the Instapot is done, it’ll beep. Remove the bowl from the Instapot and let cool. Use a candy or meat thermometer to see when the mixture reaches around 100 F (38 C). This temperature ensures the cultures can grow. Open up the capsules of probiotics and slowly whisk them into the coconut cream. Place the bowl back into the Instapot, close the lid, press Yogurt and press (+) to set the time to 8 hours. Add the yogurt to a blender and slowly add the gelatin while blending. This will help thicken the yogurt. Add additional flavorings (e.g., honey, stevia, vanilla extract) if you want. Refrigerate for a few hours to cool and thicken. https://healingautoimmune.com/instant-pot-coconut-yogurt-recipe
Other ideas see https://myheartbeets.com/paleo-instant-pot-recipes/ along with: Roast a chicken in 40 minutes - https://www.apinchofhealthy.com/instant-pot-whole-rotisserie-chicken/ Make Italian beef roast - http://www.foodandsunshine.com/pressure-cooker-italian-beef-aip-paleo-gf/ Chili using dried beans - https://www.paintthekitchenred.com/instant-pot-chili/ Baked potatoes -http://makerealfood.com/2014/12/16/baked-potatoes-instant-pot-easy/ Apple sauce - http://www.provincialpaleo.com/pressure-cooker-applesauce/
Instapot recipes are endless. You can purchase this kitchen tool in many places like Amazon, Kohl's, Bed Bath & Beyond as well as instapot.com. This tool will save you time, so you can enjoy good wholesome food any time.
Here's to your health! Happy Cooking!
Lori