Instant Pot Plant-Based Meal Plan

June 17, 2019 by 1 Comment

This weeks Instant Pot Plant-Based Meal Plan will only include our dinner plan. We just returned from a long weekend away so I don’t have anything prepped and just started working on my grocery list.

Instant Pot Plant-Based Meal Plan

We have plenty of oatmeal already and I’ve added cereal to my list. We will be keeping things super simple this week because we put our house on the market and want to keep things tidy. I won’t be cooking many elaborate meals but will use my Instant Pot to cook meals we can enjoy for lunch and dinner a couple of times.

Instant Pot Plant-Based Meal Plan

Monday: Soup and Salad feature Broccoli Potato Soup. I’ve recently received several messages about this soup and people are loving it. Some people are even sharing with co-workers because they smell it and want to try it! If you don’t have an Instant Pot don’t worry, I have a stove top version too!

Tuesday: Busy Night Pasta with a side salad. This is an easy meal to dump in the Instant Pot. We have pasta often because it’s so easy but I normally cook it on the stove. This one will mean I don’t have to clean up when my pot boils over, because it always does, while I’m working on the salad.

Wednesday: Refried Beans for easy Bean Burritos! My kiddos may opt for tortilla chips instead of a tortilla but that’s ok with me. They both love beans. One prefers them whole so I may scoop out a cup for him before I mash and season these. I’ll make a big batch so we can enjoy them in meals tomorrow too!

Thursday: Lentil Tacos with leftover refried beans. Instead of tacos we may actually have Taco Salad using the lentils. I LOVE taco salad, especially when I have the taco filling and refried beans. I add tomatoes and peppers when I have them but salsa is a must!

Friday: Instant Pot Minestrone Soup is one of my favorite soups! It’s a little more work than some of my other soups because of the variety of veggies that need to be chopped but you could save time by purchasing frozen veggies. I like the chopping, it’s cathartic. This Instant Pot version is just as good as the stove top version.

Of course with our house for sale and people coming to take a look, we could have to run out so who knows what our week will actually look like! Hopefully we get plenty of viewings and offers, while still enjoying healthy meals at home.

If you get my weekly plant-based tips email you may notice that it was a day late. Don’t forget to open it and checkout photos from our weekend.

Oh, and don’t forget to follow my Instant Pot board on Pinterest!

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Chipotle Black Bean Chili

February 20, 2019 by 1 Comment

Nothing beats a bowl of hot chili when it’s cold outside!

Chipotle Black Bean Chili

My Texas Style Chili will always have my heart but sometimes I like to mix it up with different recipes. This recipe uses more ingredients but also has a more complex flavor. With ingredients like chipotle peppers, quinoa, and cinnamon all in one dish, you know you are getting something unexpected.

Chipotle Black Bean Chili

This recipe is easy to dump in the Crock Pot or Instant Pot after some quick chopping and measuring spices. I use canned beans and tomatoes for ease. If you aren’t a fan of spicy, you may want to reduce or omit the chipotle peppers. They give it a great flavor but it’s spicy!

Chipotle Black Bean Chili ingredients

Chipotle Black Bean Chili

Like all my recipes, you can easily change-up the ingredients based on your likes and dislikes, or what you have in your pantry!

Ingredients:

  • ½ of a 7 oz. can Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
  • 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup frozen or canned corn
  • ¾ cup uncooked quinoa
  • 1 small red onion, chopped
  • 5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 large cinnamon stick
  • 1 Tbsp. chili powder
  • 1 Tbsp. oregano (Mexican oregano if you have it!)
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 (14 oz.) cans petite diced tomatoes with juice
  • ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro

 

Chipotle Black Bean Chili ingredients

Directions:

  1. Place everything up through broth in slow-cooker or Instant Pot. Add in half of the chopped cilantro. (Save the other half of cilantro for garnishing).
  2. If you are cooking in a slow cooker, dump the tomatoes in and give it a stir. If you are using the Instant Pot, set the tomatoes aside for a minute and stir well. Then add the tomatoes, just dump them on top but don’t stir. Sometimes tomatoes and tomato sauces can cause Instant Pot recipes to burn or stick. Leaving the tomatoes on top of the other ingredients will keep that from happening.
  3. If using a slow cooker, cover with the lid then cook on low for 7 to 8 hours, or high for 4 to 6 hours. If using an Instant Pot, close the lid and close the vent. Cook on high, pressing Manual or Pressure Cook (depending on your model) and adjust the time to 10 minutes. I prefer letting the Instant Pot version NPR (natural pressure release) for at least 10 minutes after it’s done.
  4. Stir well and remove the cinnamon stick.
  5. Serve in bowls, garnish with fresh cilantro or add your favorite toppings.

Chili Topping Ideas

There are so many great toppings you can add to chili. My favorites are tortilla chips to give it a little crunch and avocado to help tame the spiciness. Other great ideas are:

  • Cilantro
  • Diced avocados
  • Diced tomatoes
  • Lime wedges
  • Hot sauce
  • Diced green onion
  • Tortilla chips

Chipotle Black Bean Chili

My mom is visiting and loved this chili too. You don’t know my mom but that is saying something. She lives in Oklahoma where she raises horses, dogs, and cattle. She let all her Facebook friends know she ate vegan chili and liked it!

I think it’s safe to say for meat loving friends and family will love it too!

Don’t forget to pin this recipe and add it to your meal plan! You can follow my Instant Pot board on Pinterest too!

Chipotle Black Bean Chili

Filed Under: Crock Pot, Instant Pot, Main Dish Recipes, Recipes, Soups, Stews, & Chili Tagged With: , ,

Instant Pot Breakfast Rice

February 5, 2019 by 3 Comments

Oatmeal is our typical quick and easy breakfast but when I’m in the mood for something a little different I choose Breakfast Rice.

Instant Pot Breakfast Rice

I like my Breakfast Rice with the same type of flavors as my oatmeal, apples, cinnamon, chia seed and a bit of maple syrup.

Short grain brown rice is my favorite tasting rice. It’s got a slightly nutty flavor and stays bulkier than quick cooking rice. I feel like it’s more filling but you could switch it up and try your favorite type of rice, you will need to adjust the cooking time though.

Since short grain brown rice takes longer to cook than many other types of rice, I like to cook it in my Instant Pot. The best thing about the Instant Pot is being able to get everything started and walk away until its done. No need to stand and watch or stir throughout the cooking time. Just set it and come back when its ready.

Instant Pot Breakfast Rice

This recipe does double duty though because I cook the rice plain, then add the other ingredients after the rice is cooked. I’ve made it the other way and cooked it all together but this way, I can have a batch of cooked brown rice for later, if I double the recipe. Also, when you add the apples and raisins before cooking, they get too soft for my preference. I like my apples and raisins uncooked.

Instant Pot Breakfast Rice

This Breakfast Rice also tastes excellent the next day. I heat it up quickly in the microwave but you could reheat it in on the stove or in the Instant Pot. The only thing I do when I reheat it is add more liquid, usually rice milk but any plant-based milk would work. The rice will absorb any extra liquid when you store it.

Instant Pot Breakfast Rice

My boys love their Breakfast Rice swimming in rice milk. They always add a lot of extra milk to their oatmeal too.

There are many other options besides apples and raisins. Dried cranberries, blueberries, ginger, nutmeg, pears, pretty much anything you can imagine.

Instant Pot Breakfast Rice

Ingredients

  • 2 cups brown rice
  • 4 cups water
  • 2 cups rice milk
  • 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
  • 1 apple, diced
  • 1/4 cup raisins or other dried fruit
  • maple syrup to taste
  • 1 Tbsp. chia seeds, optional

Do

  1. Pour brown rice and water into your Instant Pot. Press manual and adjust time to 22 minutes.
  2. Once done, allow your pot to come to (NPR) natural pressure release for 10 minutes. Then release any remaining pressure.
  3. If you doubled your recipe to have brown rice for dinner, take it out and set aside now. If not, skip this step.
  4. Pour in your milk, cinnamon, diced apples, and raisins. Stir together.
  5. Top with maple syrup to taste and chia seeds.

Serve

This breakfast is perfect for people who want a warm, hearty breakfast that will keep them full all morning. If you have more time you can try the Stove Top Version of Breakfast Rice! It’s even creamier!

Instant Pot Breakfast Rice

Have you tried Breakfast Rice? What do you think? Share your favorite additions to this dish!

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Favorite Instant Pot Recipes

January 9, 2018 by 2 Comments

You know I love my Instant Pot! I do more cooking in my Instant Pot than my stove and oven combined. It’s such an easy way to cook because it’s mostly hands off. You get it going then walk away.

My Favorite Instant Pot Recipes and they are all plant-based!

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I bought my Instant Pot 3 years ago when I went back to work full time after being a stay at home mom and blogger. I knew that our life was about to get crazy and I would not be able to prep foods throughout the day or simmer a pot of beans all afternoon.

I bought the 6 quart 7 in 1 Instant Pot because it was the only one (at the time) that made yogurt. Now there are a bunch of choices when it comes to choosing an Instant Pot but I’ll cover that a different day.

My Favorite Instant Pot Recipes

I like to cook single ingredients foods a lot, beans, rice, potatoes, are my top three. We have a lot of other favorites too!

Enjoy restaurant style refried beans without sacrificing your health. These oil-free, plant-based refried beans are made in the Instant Pot.

Refried Beans

I’ve been making what I like to call unfried beans for years. Since no one knew what unfried beans were, I call my Instant Pot version Oil-Free Refried Beans. These are perfect on nachos, bean burritos or with your favorite taco recipe. I like Instant Pot Lentil Tacos.

Instant Pot Minestrone Soup may just be the perfect plant-based soup! Veggies, beans, broth and pasta create a hearty and healthy soup!

Minestrone Soup

Minestrone Soup is my favorite soup but it’s also labor intensive. All that chopping! Well, being able to  toss it all in my Instant Pot makes up for it. We love this soup and this version has some short cuts to make it easier. I think you’ll love this Instant Pot Minestrone Soup as much as I do!

Instant Pot Mexican Casserole

Mexican Casserole

I’ve made this recipe for years! First in my oven, then I created a stove top version, then a Crock Pot version. Finally my Instant Pot Mexican Casserole was born. This easy recipe allows you to use uncooked rice and beans. Pay attention to the tips in the recipe, old beans can give you trouble. If you use something other than black beans you’ll need to adjust the cooking time.

Instant Pot Chickpea and Rice Soup

Chickpea and Rice Soup

Even though this recipe provides stove top directions also, the Instant Pot Chickpea and Rice Soup is my favorite version! This recipe gives a nod back to the chicken and rice soup my husband used to love but cleans it up for a plant-based version.

Instant Pot Oatmeal

Steel Cut Oats

Yes, you can cook delicious steel cut oats while you get ready in the morning. Make this easy Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats recipe then add your favoirite toppings. Mine are cinnamon and diced apples but fresh berries are amazing too.  You can also try my Banana Nut version.

Try this Busy Night Pasta recipe! It's simple and fast! Make a pasta dinner tonight in the Instant Pot!

Pasta

Yes, I’ve successfully made pasta in the Instant Pot. It’s a bit trickier and I haven’t had success with gluten-free pasta, only wheat pasta. Short, sturdy noodle shapes are important for getting great pasta, I like spirals, riggitoni, or penne as favorites. Check out my recipe for Instant Pot Pasta.

Do you have a recipe you’d like to see made in the Instant Pot? Let me know and I’ll work on converting it. I’ve got more great Instant Pot recipes and I plan to add more favorite Instant Pot recipes soon!

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Instant Pot Winter One-Pot Lentils and Rice

March 8, 2017 by 41 Comments

I’m excited to share a recipe and tell you about The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook for Your Instant Pot! I was given a free copy to review. All opinions are my own. 

Winter One-Pot Lentils and Rice is an easy and delicious vegan dish made completely in the Instant Pot.

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Kathy Hester has knocked it out of the park with her new book The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook for Your Instant Pot! It has quickly moved to the top of the list of cookbooks I recommend.

Kathy understands that sometimes you need really simple recipes, other times you are missing an ingredient and need to make a substitution, and other days you want to try something new and fancy. This cookbook does it all!

The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook for your Instant Pot by Kathy Hester

I’ve enjoyed all of the recipes I’ve made so far from The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook for Your Instant Pot!

I’ve taken photos of a few of them and I’m excited to share the Winter One-Pot Lentils and Rice recipe. Unless you are new here, know how much I love lentils! First, I’ll tell you about a few other recipes I made from this book.

Kathy Hester's Instant Pot Rolled Oats

Check out this oatmeal cooked in the Instant Pot! Kathy used rolled oats and it turned out perfect!

My very favorite thing in the whole world right now is Kathy’s Vegan Cauliflower Queso. I can’t share those recipes but they are worth the price of the book alone! Truly, after tasting the queso you would gladly buy the book. It’s really that good!

Vegan Queso from the Ultimate Vegan Cookbook for your Instant Pot

Before I get ahead of myself let me tell you a little more about the book. It has 80 recipes and they are all completely vegan! I know that can be a relief when you are looking for Instant Pot recipes.

Plus, it was written for the Instant Pot so you don’t have to figure out how to make it in your pressure cooker if you are using the Instant Pot too.

Some recipes call for oil OR a dry saute with water or broth to prevent sticking. Often, recipes will let you know when substitutions are permitted. I love making substitutions so I appreciated the guidance, I avoided a trip to the store and had confidence my recipe would work.

Instant Pot Lentils and Rice is the perfect winter meal to make in your Instant Pot.

Instant Pot Winter One-Pot Lentils and Rice

This recipe says it serves four but we stretched it a bit further.

Winter One-Pot Lentils and Rice
 
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Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
This recipe is being published by permission.
Author:
Recipe type: Main Dish
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon water or vegetable broth
  • ½ cup chopped onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3½ cups water
  • 1½ cups brown rice
  • 1 cup brown lentils
  • 1 cup peeled and diced rutabaga (or turnip or potato)
  • 2 inches sprig fresh rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon dried marjoram (or thyme)
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. For the saute, use the saute setting over normal, or medium heat, and heat the water or broth. Add the onion and saute until transparent, 5 minutes. Then add the garlic and saute a minute more.
  2. For the pressure cooker, add the water, brown rice, lentils, rutabaga, rosemary and marjoram to the onion mixture and stir to combine. Put the lid on and make sure that the vent is sealed. Cook on manual setting at high pressure and set for 23 minutes.
  3. Let the pressure release naturally. Season with salt and pepper before serving and add more marjoram and ground rosemary as needed.

I highly recommend this book. There are so many recipes I can’t wait to try! It’s deeply discounted right now on Amazon so get it before it goes up!

You can also try to win your own copy!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Filed Under: Instant Pot, Main Dish Recipes, Recipes Tagged With: , ,
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