Embracing My Instant Pot

Not-Quite-Free Vegetable Soup

Now, I do not regret tasting every single homemade goodie on the snack table at the knitting retreat last weekend. And several of the packaged snack foods as well. It was all good. But you know that kind of "vacation" eating cannot continue at home.

So this morning I made soup. The "nearly free" of WW points recipe I make after I've over indulged. It will be my lunch for days. And this time I made it in my Instant Pot. I've had several questions lately about how much I use mine. How much I like mine. And I have decided that since I do have one sitting on a counter, I need to use it more.

Suellen, our retreat hostess, brought soup on the set up day for those of us who came early to help her get things ready. It was so good. She had made it in her Instant Pot. I've asked her before about using the Instant Pot because I've heard her say that she uses hers all the time. She also said that she grew up in a household where pressure cooking was a regular way to get dinner on the table.

It dawned on me (I think I must be a really slow learner) that what was holding me back from using my Instant Pot more was the thought, "What if I mess this up?" And this morning I had a better thought—that happens occasionally—that in almost no other venture would I expect perfection as I'm learning

So I will make it a point to cook regular foods at least a couple of times a week in my IP and see what happens. If I waste a bag of dried beans, so be it. I've got to be willing to learn. And I've got to be willing to fail.

BIG, BIG thing I already know about IP cooking....write down what you do. Make notes!!! I cooked dried beans last week after another Suellen coaching session. And by this morning I wasn't a hundred per cent sure what I did. Fortunately I found the directions I used and scribbled some notes this morning about how I adapted it.

And the other big thing I've already learned is that because all of us have different tastes and different expectations, there is a range of cooking directions/times that will work. You just have to find the one that works for you.

Here are a few "recipes" that I have used. Easy things to get you started if you are shy about using your IP.

HARD COOKED EGGS

Place eggs on a rack (or use the trivet that comes with the pot) and add 1 cup water.
Fasten lid and turn lever to SEAL.
Set on MANUAL for 6 minutes.
When timer goes off, quick release the pressure.
Immediately remove eggs from IP and place in a bowl of ice water.
Let cool for 5 minutes.
Then remove from cold water.
Store, covered, in refrigerator if not using immediately.

This set of cooking and cooling times gives us eggs the way we like them. If you do a Google search, you'll find time variations. Try until you find the time that you like. These are surely easy to peel. I keep extras, unpeeled, in a ziplock bag in the refrigerator for a super quick breakfast, salad topping, or snack. Egg salad is easy to make when these are waiting.

You can cook as many eggs as fit into your rack. You would cook 2 eggs or 12 eggs the same way.

DRIED BEANS–WITHOUT SOAKING

You can Google ways to cook dried beans in your Instant Pot. I read them all. And I asked Suellen how she did hers. And then I combined some of the methods. Again, you will have to find what suits you. But this is a good place to experiment. Dried beans are cheap.

1-lb bag of dried beans
1/2 onion, optional (for seasoning)
6-8 cups water
1 tablespoon cooking oil (to prevent foaming)
1-2 teaspoons salt

Pick through beans, removing any pebbles and broken beans. Rinse them and add to IP. Add remaining ingredients. Fasten lid and turn lever to seal. Set MANUAL and cook for 30 minutes. Let NPR (natural pressure release). If you run out of time after 20 minutes, release remaining pressure.

NOTE: Suellen cooks hers for 50 minutes. Much longer than I did. It all depends on how you like your beans. If you try 30 minutes and decide they are not as soft as you like them, put the lid back on the pot and cook under pressure a little longer. This time you can do a quick pressure release. 

Because we are a household of two, I froze my butterbeans in pint containers for later. Suellen cooks hers considerable longer. Next time I might set my timer for 31-32 minutes. But these were really close to perfect for us. Tender but still firm. Go to this "how to cook dried beans" for more information. She says black beans cook faster, chick peas slower.

NOTE: We ate these beans out of the freezer last night, along side my Fried Cabbage with Smoked Sausage. The beans were perfect. And I loved that combination.

Just needs  cornbread

"NOT QUITE FREE" VEGETABLE SOUP

1 16- oz bag frozen vegetables for soup
1/2 head cabbage, finely chopped
1 onion, diced (I only had a 1/2 onion)
1 15-oz can cut green beans 
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
1 pkg dry Ranch Dressing mix
5-6 cups water
freshly ground black pepper, to taste 

Add everything to IP. Fasten lid and set to seal. Set MANUL for 13 minutes. Let NPR.


This took quite some time to come up to pressure and then to release (I let the pressure out after 30 minutes.) But once everything was in the pot and the time set, I didn't look at it or touch it until it was done. The hands-off part of IP cooking is part of what I like. 

I've made this soup many times on the stovetop. I really think the flavors are blended better cooked this way. And the veggies were more tender. Next time I might set it to cook for 11 minutes. I think the vegetables will still be tender. I can always cook it bit more if I want to.


SUELLEN'S VEGGIE INSTANT POT SOUP
This was the soup that we enjoyed after doing the set up chores. I really liked the rice in this soup.

1 small can tomato paste
1 (15-oz) can diced tomatoes (plain, not flavored)
1 (15-oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-oz) can corn, drained
1/2 bag frozen peas
1 large onion, diced
1 small yellow potatoes, diced
32-oz box low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked

Add all ingredients to IP. Fasten lid and seal. Set MANUAL for 13 minutes. Let NPR.



If you go to the Recipe Index tab at the top of the page, you'll find a category for other Instant Pot recipes. All are recipes I've made and we liked. Thankfully, there haven't been many disasters.