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Kristen Helmstetter

(Brisa Starr)

recipe

Apocalypse Bean Soup Recipe

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Apocalypse Bean Soup

I’d written recently how we are finding ways to save money because we are headed toward the bliss of financial independence! Whoohoo!

One way to support our goal is being mindful when buying groceries. In my former days I had a habit of stocking up on things, food especially. In fact there was a time we had two refrigerator/freezer combos PLUS a huge stand alone freezer. Ya sure would think we were some hard-core preppers although we weren’t really. I don’t think?

These are new days though! And my passion for minimalism stretches to the pantry. It’s probably how I lost a couple pounds so easily. 

Well, we were running low on food yesterday and I wanted to hold off on shopping for a couple days. 

Challenge was that Mr. Pantry and Ms. Refrigerator looked like the apocalypse. 

Ok bean soup it is. I had a couple stalks of celery left, half a bell pepper, half a bulb of fennel, one red onion (a whole one! Yay!), plus…. 

drumroll please…. Dr. Cowan’s veggie powder. (That’s an affiliate code which doesn’t cost you anything extra but supports my writing. Thanks!) I’m so happy I have these veggie powders in my pantry for the times I run out of fresh veggies. Just add a tablespoon to amp up the nutrition and flavor of pretty much anything (including desserts!). 

I LOVE these Veggie Powders.

Plus, I added cumin, paprika, turmeric, salt, and black pepper. 

Oh. And butter! Gotta add grass-fed butter. 

Still though… pretty boring. It needed more heartiness. Hmmmmmm. 

I headed back to dive the depths of my apocalyptic pantry and refrigerator shelves. They were so empty I could practically crawl in them. (Tee-hee)

What’d ya know? 

I found a few things. 

I came out with sunflower seeds, raisins, mustard, and half a jar of pineapple salsa. I added them to the soup. 

Whoohoo!

My Apocalypse Bean Soup, actually, was hearty and damn tasty. I’m going to remember this recipe for future use. 

This recipe’s a keeper.

Oh… and OF COURSE I USED MY AWESOME INSTANT POT to make this (that’s an affiliate link too… same drill as above. Thank you!). 

I use my Instant Pot every day. It helps my family eat WAY more veggies. 

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Instant Pot Rice, Egg, and Veggie Dinner

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Comforting delicious dinner from my Instant Pot

I know I know I know… more Instant Pot.

It’s just such a brilliant kitchen robot that helps me get nutritious meals on the table quickly. I love writing about my creations.

I’m not even going to say anymore than that. 

And, frankly? It’s Sunday morning and I have STEAMTeam5.com work (<– have you checked out my family’s latest project? if not, please do!), and coffee to drink, and homeschooling Kamea, and watching Grace & Frankie. 

Here’s last night’s delicious and easy dinner. Instant Pot* (mostly).

Instant Pot Rice, Egg, and Veggie Dinner

  • 1.5 cups arborio rice, rinsed
  • 3 cups chicken bone broth (or water)
  • sea salt, to taste
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons butter 
  • 1 tablespoon mixed Dr. Cowan Veggie Powder (optional nutrition boost)*
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 bunch spinach, roughly chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 6 eggs, gently scrambled (not in the Instant Pot)

Put the rice, broth, salt, and butter in the Instant Pot. Cook on HIGH for 6 minutes. (Gently scramble your eggs once the 6-minute timer starts on the Instant Pot.)

Quick release the pressure once the timer is done. Stir everything. Add the veggie powder, if using, plus the cumin, spinach, and bell pepper. Put the lid back on the Instant Pot to encourage the wilting of spinach and warming of bell pepper. 

After a couple of minutes, open the lid and stir in the scrambled eggs.

Season with additional salt (and butter), if needed.

Enjoy.

* These are affiliate links. They don’t cost you anything to use but they support my writing. Thank you!

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Instant Pot Purple Cabbage and Raisins – Easy Vegetables

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Instant Pot Purple Cabbage. Easy.

It’s not a secret that I love my Instant Pot.

I use it every. single. day. literally. (and usually multiple times a day)

It’s the easiest way to get more vegetables into my family’s bodies.

Here’s a quick cabbage recipe I made. Easy and delicious.

Purple Cabbage and Raisins

  • 1 head purple cabbage, chopped or sliced
  • sea salt (a few pinches to start)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 to 3 pats of butter (or more)
  • 1 cup water or broth
  • raisins and Greek yogurt (for garnish)

Put everything (except the raisins and yogurt) in the Instant Pot. Cook on LOW for 3-minutes. Quick release.

Scoop the cabbage into bowls. Add more salt, if needed. Top with raisins and Greek yogurt. 

See? Easy.

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Easiest Burger in the World

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Easiest burger in the world.

In a mad rush one night earlier this week, I came up with a fantastic way to make burgers. Fast.

I knew I had ground beef. But instead of making patties, seasoning them just so, and standing over the stove as I cooked ’em up. I decided I simply wanted to smash the beef into one big square, bake it, add some cheese, cut. Done.

Minimal handling. Quick cooking. 

And? Ha. It worked like a charm! I’ll forever whip up burgers like this cuz it’s just too darn easy. 

I like easy.

So here’s how to do it in pictures. :)

Toss that pound of (grass-fed) beef in the center of a pan.

When possible, let that beef sit (wrapped) on the counter to take the chill off from being in the refrigerator. When I was in my mad frenzy to make dinner the other night, I called my husband from the road and said screamed, “GET THE MEAT OUT!”

It’s time to get the beef flat for easy cooking. No making multiple patties here. Think of it as one big-ass burger.

Giver ‘er a quick smash. No crazy handling, just a quick smash to flatten it out.

I envisioned a giant square, when I thought this idea up, and that’s what worked for me. That way I could cut it into four nice patties after cooking.

Also, my intention was to keep it on the thinner side to help it cook faster. 

Okey-dokey. Smashing success. ;)

Get out the salt. And pepper (and anything else to sprinkle on top, maybe garlic powder or turmeric powder? When in a rush, stick to just salt and pepper).

Season generously with salt and pepper. Repeat after me: Season generously.

I baked mine at 375 for about 10 minutes (which of course you turned the oven on before starting the prep, right?). You might cook for a shorter time to get a medium-rare burger. The idea here is that it cooks pretty fast and that’s the whole point of this exercise, eh? 

Bake away. Love my lil Breville oven.

When it’s reached the right temperature for you, add sliced cheese. Turn off the oven and stick the pan back inside, with the oven door closed so it melts.

Ahhhhh the cheese. Yes cheese please! (grass-fed, of course)

Cut that big square of cheesy beef into four smaller squares. You’re ready to serve on buns, sourdough bread, a lettuce bun, or just eat that deliciousness as is. With mustard.

Side note: Hopefully, while the meat was cooking, you made a healthy side dish veggie. However, the first time I made this… the time I was in a crazy rush, I didn’t even bother with a side. I figured the homemade pickled onions I threw on top were enough. That’s motherhood, though, right?

At least the second time I made this, so that I could capture the process in photos for you, I threw some brussels sprouts in my INSTANT POT(!). They cooked with perfect timing to the beef cooking.

(I used my Instant Pot three times today to make veggies: the first time I made dandelion greens, the second time I made carrots, and the third time I made the brussels sprouts. I definitely eat way more veggies now that I have an Instant Pot. They’re just SO EASY to make in it.)

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Instant Pot Pasta – 15 Minute Meal in One Pot!

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Instant Pot Pasta. One pot. Too easy!

 

I’m back at it again. Sharing another fantastic meal to make in the Instant Pot. 

I LOVE MY INSTANT POT! (that’s me screaming)

Regular readers of my blog know this, because I frequently gush about this magical kitchen robot. 

Ok, it’s not magical, but it makes me feel like I’m living a magical life from all the free time I have since I’m not spending it cooking all the time. (Mostly) hands-free cooking. Yes Yes Yes.

My family eats damn near ALL of our meals at home. That’s a lot of time in the kitchen … unless you have a brilliant Instant Pot. I have since talked a few people into buying Instant Pots, and they, too, don’t know how they lived without one.

Easy to use. Quick cooking. Nutritious. Easy to clean.

Get one here! (<– that’s an affiliate link in case you didn’t know so it doesn’t cost you extra to buy through it but it gives my blog a little cha-ching – thank you!)

Here’s how I make a ridiculously delicious meal in 15 minutes with my Instant Pot.

Stirring in some grass-fed mozzarella

Ingredients

  • 2 to 4 tablespoons butter (grass-fed, unsalted)
  • 1 jar (25 oz or so) organic pasta sauce
  • 1 to 3 pinches sea salt
  • Dr. Cowan’s veggie powders, totally optional (affiliate link, same drill as above)
  • 1 box noodles (I like Jovial gluten-free)*
  • 1 to 2 cups filtered or spring water (or bone broth!)
  • Mozzarella cheese (grass-fed, organic)
  1. Get out your awesome Instant Pot. 
  2. Put the butter inside it. Add the sauce and the sea salt. Add Dr. Cowan’s veggie powders at this time if you’re using (I love these powders… see WHY here and get a coupon code for your first order.)
  3. Add the noodles. Add the water (the goal with the water is that you add at least a cup plus any extra needed to just about barely cover the noodles. It’s ok if they’re not submerged – I don’t submerge them all the way with a few peeking out).
  4. Put the lid on your trusty awesome Instant Pot. Set it to LOW pressure for 5-minutes (if your box listed cook time of 9 to 10 minutes – see note below).
  5. Go do something enjoyable because in about 15 minutes it’s all done (10 minutes to reach pressure, 5 minutes to cook).
  6. When the time is up, quick release the pressure. 
  7. Add plenty of cubed mozzarella for kick ass flavor.

* Tip for cooking noodles in the instant pot with respect to time and temperature: cook them for HALF the time listed on the box and cook them on LOW pressure. Therefore, if my box reads 10-minutes, I’ll cook on them on LOW for 5-minutes. If my box reads 9-minutes, then I’ll round up and cook them for 5-minutes on LOW pressure.

Extra tip: Oh, sometimes I add a pound of crumbled (grass-fed!) ground beef on top of the noodles. I don’t change anything else as this is enough time for me to cook the ground beef right along with everything else. I season the beef with sea salt, too.

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Homemade Sunflower Seed Butter – Just Too Easy

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Homemade goodness
I was on the hunt for some nut or seed butters in the store recently.

I wanted something to have on hand for:

  • snacking with celery and raisins
  • frozen berry smoothies (the fat in the nuts or seeds helps our bodies assimilate more nutrition from the produce)
  • just a spoonful when I want a little something in my belly that’s easy and quick

Something was holding me back from buying anything like that from the store. Something something something…

Oh yeah… price and quality. To be fair there are some good organic nut and seed butters out there, but I decided I wanted a seed butter. At the time the prospects weren’t attractive because they were either stored in plastic or they weren’t organic or they were just too damn pricey.

And, duh, I remembered that I had raw organic sunflower seeds sitting in my cupboard at home. :)

I made my own. Cuz. It’s just too easy.

Here’s what I did…

(I took the extra step to toast them a bit in a pan on the stove for fun and extra flavor.)

Put the seeds in a food processor, fitted with the “S” blade. Add a pinch (or two) of sea salt, if desired.

Let it whirl, and whirl, and whirl and whirl and whirl whhhiiiirrrlllllll

…until it’s nut or seed butter. 

Beginning stages… go go go!
A few times in the process I scraped down the sides.

Voila! Sunflower seed butter. 

Let’s eat!

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