Instant Pot it, set it, and forget it

Pull out the Instant Pot, we're gonna get cooking

Author

Kristina Todini, RDN
March 06, 2024

Pull out the Instant Pot, we’re gonna get cooking

Here’s the part where I tell you that you need a pressure cooker.

If you’re anything like me, you resist trendy kitchen gadgets and cooking tools. You think “why would I get a special cooking item that takes up so much space when I can just make everyone on the stove or in the oven?”.

I felt this way too, until I cooked beans from dry in under 30 minutes start to finish. After that I was converted.

So today I’m sharing 5 of my favorite ways to use your Instant Pot this time of year – three recipes for winter soups and chili, and two kitchen hacks to make your life easier in the kitchen (and save a little money while you’re at it).

Now if only someone could talk me into finally getting an air fryer…

🍲 + 🫘,

Kristina
reluctant pressure cooker pioneer

Today in 5 minutes or less 👉

  • 5 of my favorite ways to use the Instant Pot

  • Useless fact: the origins of the pressure cooker

  • A video that has nothing to do with pressure cookers whatsoever

  • My favorite eco alternative to Amazon

  • I want to know, “Where do you shop for food?”

  • How to get meal plans for under $2/week

LINKS I’M LOVING: NEWSLETTER EDITION 🤝

From time to time, I love sharing other newsletters that drop interesting facts, news, or advice into your inbox — and both Important, Not Important and Breathe and Flow are some of them. Subscribe to check out their weekly emails about the science that matters and yoga, respectively.

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Important, Not ImportantScience for people who give a sh*t. News, essays, and Action Steps so you can understand and help unfuck the world.
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Breathe and Flowexpand your yoga practice beyond the mat

Plant-based protein-packed chili with a touch of heat 🌶️

Cooking beans from dry in an Instant Pot saves hours soaking and simmering (for way less $ than buying cans)

An antioxidant-rich bright orange soup with double root vegetables (and a whole lotta spice)

Here’s how to make your own broth from vegetable food scraps in the pressure cooker

A little sage and one of fall’s favorite vegetables in this easy peasy pressure cooker soup

DID YOU KNOW? 🧐

The origins of the pressure cooker can be traced to a 17th-century French physicist and mathematician named Denis Papin, who invented a “steam digester” in 1679. The steam digester consisted of a closed pot with a tight-fitting lid. As food and water heated up, the vessel trapped steam, raising the pot's internal pressure. Papin’s initial designs didn’t include any pressure-release mechanism, which resulted in various explosions early on. Over the next 200 years, intrepid minds refined the concept and pressure cookers became popular during World War II and then experience a resurgence with the Instant Pot in the 2010s. (source)

TODAY’S VIDEO 🎥

❝

Some of the most important conversations I've ever had occurred at my family's dinner table.

Bob Urlich

SECRET RECIPE OF THE DAY 🤫

Varnamala left this comment about my easy fruit-filled overnight oats…

TOGETHER WITH: EARTHHERO 🤝

EarthHero is my favorite eco-friendly alternative to Amazon for sustainably made and zero waste home and kitchen goods. In addition to stocking well-made items, they provide transparent information about each product’s origin, packaging, and tips for a product’s end-of-life care (composting, recycling, etc.). Get 15% off your first order!

I’M CURIOUS 🧐…

Where do you shop for food?

What type of store do you usually shop at most for grocery items?

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GET MEAL PLANS FOR $2/WEEK

If you’re not sure where to start with eating more plants and planning plant-based meals, give my Plant Path Planner a try! At only $7/month for weekly dietitian-created meal plans, you can try out 5-days of plant-based meals each week. Learn more!

A recent weekly meal plan

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