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Kristen Helmstetter

(Brisa Starr)

Search Results for: instant pot

The Perfect Black Beans (Instant Pot, Of Course)

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I only cook black beans using the Instant Pot.

Black beans in the Instant Pot pressure cooker… that’s the only way I’ll cook ’em cuz I’m guaranteed an easy experience.

Instant Pot for the win. Again.

The Instant Pot cooks them faster and better, plus supposedly making them easier on the digestion.

Win. Win. Win.

I usually cook about 2 cups (that’s 2-cups dried, before soaking, amount), which yields plenty with which to enjoy in various ways.

  • Soak the beans overnight for the best experience (or at a minimum soak them in the morning to cook for that night’s dinner). This means you put the beans in a fairly large bowl, depending on the amount you’re soaking, and add enough water to more than cover them because they’re going to soak up a lot of water. Let them soak on the counter, no need to refrigerate.
  • Drain off the water.
  • Put them in the Instant Pot.
  • Add enough fresh water to “healthily more” than cover them.
  • Put the lid on correctly. Power it to HIGH pressure for 25 minutes.
  • Once the timer is done, let the pressure release naturally, slowly.
  • Enjoy your beans. Top on salads, mix with salsa and cooked rice, add to soups, throw on top of some scrambled eggs.

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Instant Pot Yogurt – One of My Favorite Things to Make

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Homemade yogurt from the Instant Pot.

I usually like making a lot of things homemade… and yogurt is one of them. (I draw the line at ice cream anymore these days though.)

I used to make yogurt a lot back when I used my Sous Vide. It was fairly easy, but not without its hassles, so after awhile I stopped. After getting an Instant Pot and hearing how easy it was, I had to try.

Super easy. Saves money. Awesome.

Did I mention that it SAVES MONEY?

I’m hooked. It’s one of the best reasons for getting an Instant Pot, other than how an Instant Pot helps my family eat like 4X as many veggies, turning cheap cuts of meat tender super fast, and more.

Probiotics. Gut Health.

Yogurt in the Instant Pot

Yield 2 quarts.

  • 1/2 gallon whole-fat milk (I buy grass-fed)
  • 2 tablespoons yogurt with good cultures you have on hand (I buy Straus Greek*, Whole-Fat)

1) Pour the milk only into the Instant Pot.

  • Press “Yogurt” button, then press the “Adjust” button until the screen reads “boil” (pictured below).
  • Place the lid on, it doesn’t need to be locked or sealed.
  • Take the lid off and stir the heating milk a few times during the heating, replacing the lid each time you take it off.
  • You want to get the milk to 180 degrees F. This takes about 25 to 30 minutes. Take the lid off to test the temperature with a thermometer when the Instant Pot claims it’s done.
  • If it doesn’t actually reach 180 degrees F by the time it claims it’s done, turn the saute feature on (low) and cook, stirring frequently, until 180 degrees is really reached. (It happens like that on occasion.)

 

2) Take the lid off, if not already. Turn the Instant Pot off, if not already. Let the milk cool until it reaches 105 to 110 degrees F.

  • To speed up the cooling, remove the insert from the Instant Pot and place on a cooling rack, or in a cold water bath if really in a hurry. Generally the cooling takes from 20 to 45 minutes depending on whether you take the insert out or keep it in the Instant Pot to cool.

3) Put the insert back into the Instant Pot base if you took it out for cooling.

  • Place the 2 tablespoons of yogurt into a separate cup and ladle some of the cooled milk into the cup. Stir to mix. Transfer this mixture into the Instant Pot and stir to gently mix. (If you forget to stir the yogurt and some of the cooled milk together in a separate cup before putting it into the main batch of cooling milk – i.e., you put the two tablespoons of yogurt straight into the big batch of cooling milk – no biggie, just stir it all gently and thoroughly.)

4) Place the lid back on.

  • Again, it doesn’t need to be locked. Press YOGURT (normal). Adjust time to 10 to 12 hours based on preference. The longer the tangier (I usually do 12 hours). Walk away. Leave alone. (I usually do this part overnight).

5) When it’s done and the screen reads YOGURT, transfer the insert and lid to the refrigerator to chill / set for 3 to 4 hours.

6) When it’s chilled, then you can whisk it (not necessary but I like to).

7) Ladle into 2 quart mason jars (or smaller serving glass jars). Store in the refrigerator.

  • From here you can use 2 tablespoons of this fresh yogurt to make future batches. If you accidentally eat it all and forget to save a couple of tablespoons, buy a yogurt from the store to start another fresh batch.

*Note: I usually have Greek yogurt on hand because Kamea loves it, and that’s why I use it to culture the milk into yogurt using my Instant Pot. However, you can use any good yogurt. Using a Greek yogurt will not make your Instant Pot yogurt a Greek yogurt. To do that, you’d have to strain the whey off the yogurt you make for a Greek yogurt.

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The Secret to Life: Fast Instant Pot Soup

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Instant Pot Soup

I love making soup in my Instant Pot because it’s fast, easy, and clean-up is a snap. Plus it helps me get my daily servings of vegetables, extra servings some days. #PolyphenolsForTheWin

It feels like I know something special. I have a magic key to success, health, life… I don’t know. But it can’t be this easy and still be nutritious. Can it? It’s so easy that I feel like I’m cheating.

It can be this easy. Indeed, it is.

This is a breakfast of champions. Or lunch. Or dinner.

If you don’t have an Instant Pot… get one. Especially for the fall when the temperature drops and you want nice warm soup all day long.

The basic rules:

  • Throw chopped veggies into Instant Pot (I like smaller chops to reduce cooking time)
  • Add grass-fed butter or other fat
  • Add salt and seasonings
  • Add liquid (water, tea, wine, broth, or a mix) – enough to reach the top of the vegetables is my M.O.
  • Turn the Instant Pot to LOW and set the timer for 5 minutes or less.
  • Quick release once the timer goes off. Use an immersion blender smooth it out.

See? Easy. No excuses now. (Oooh check it out… Instant Pot has another model from which to choose.)

After having a mug of the soup, I take the rest and store in thermoses. One for Greg, one for Kamea, and one for me. Makes it a great meal to take on the go, alongside some organic sourdough bread.

This particular recipe was made from foods that needed to be eaten, you know the type…

  • 1/2 bunch celery
  • 1 head cauliflower
  • Plenty of grass-fed butter (makes my soups creamy)
  • Sea salt
  • Dried, ground turmeric
  • Dried basil
  • Filtered Water
  • After cooking, I added olive oil (my latest obsession passion) and my favorite ->> Dr. Cowan’s Garden Vegetable Powders

PS. The other real secret to life? Meditation. Oh, and love. Wait, gratitude is the secret, too. Plus, hugs. I’m sure olive oil and chocolate and coffee are secrets to life, too. Did I leave any out? Yes, cinnamon.

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Finally – Artichoke in the Instant Pot

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Organic artichoke – a beauty.

I’ve been wanting to try making an artichoke in the Instant Pot ever since I first got my Instant Pot (my bestie in the kitchen).

Two reasons:

  1. Artichokes are reputed as crazy nutritious, according to one of my favorite books, Eating on the Wild Side. A nutritious edible flower bud. However, in my attempts to find organic, I kept coming up empty-handed – until now.
  2. The instant pot promised, as usual, speed and ease of making artichokes.

While visiting a farmers’ market in California recently, I found organic artichokes. And… they were good ones.

Eating on the Wild Side says:

  • Buy your artichokes as fresh as possible (keeping in mind that apparently jarred artichokes are still nutritious)
  • Make sure they’re firm when squeezed
  • Rub two artichokes and they should squeak
  • Store them in the fridge drawer
  • Eat your fresh ‘chokes right away

I brought my Instant Pot with me to California, because who doesn’t travel with their Instant Pot?

Here’s what I did:

Put one cup of water in the Instant Pot along with the trivet.

Slice off a bit of the top of the artichoke as well as cutting off the stem.

Set the artichoke upright on the trivet in the Instant Pot.

Set the Instant Pot to HIGH pressure for up to 20 minutes. Quick Release. I know it’s hard not knowing the exact time, but it depends on the size of the artichoke. I started mine with 8 minutes and ended up with a total cooking time under pressure of maybe 13 to 15? I can’t remember exactly. It’ll take some experimenting, but rest assured that it’ll be easier than using any other cooking method to make them.

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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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