Fo Reals Life

April 20, 2015 April 20, 2015/ Morgan

This is yet another meal made in the Instant Pot! If you have one then you understand why I’m cooking in it all of the time. If you don’t yet then trust me when I say that it is addictive. I use it pretty much every day. My stovetop is looking mighty unused lately (that’s such a good thing, I usually get that thing filthy!) Anyway if you don’t have a pressure cooker you can do this on the stovetop (or any other pressure cooked recipes I’ve posted!) Just cook until the vegetables are tender. 

Creamy Vegan Cabbage Potato Soup1/2 onion, chopped6 cups vegetable broth1/2 large green cabbage, shredded 1/2 large head cauliflower, chopped (or one small head)3 medium yukon gold (or other gold or red potatoes), diced small3 stalks celery, sliced4 cloves garlic, minced1 cup soy or almond milk (any non-dairy milk will work!) salt and pepper to taste (you’ll want at least 1/2 tsp salt but maybe more depending on your tastes and how salty the broth was!)

First you are going to want to saute the onions until translucent. I do this right in the pressure cooker using the saute feature. Seriously, I love this thing and how I only need one pot! Throw everything else but the soy milk into your Instant Pot  or pressure cooker and set for 5 minutes at high pressure. Let the pressure release naturally for at least 10 minutes after the 5 minutes of cooking time are up. Release the steam after 10 minutes. 
((To cook without a pressure cooker just cook it all together on the stovetop until the vegetables are all very tender.))
Now add in the soy or almond milk, get out your trusty immersion blender and blend it up until it’s totally smooth. You can of course do this in batches in your blender. 
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with all sorts of things – vegan sour cream, sliced green onions, chopped herbs, vegan bacon bits, nutritional yeast, etc! 

-2 WW points per 1 & 1/2 cup serving- 

April 20, 2015/ Morgan/ April 15, 2015 April 15, 2015/ Morgan Just another soup that I threw together really quick. My baby has been sick and will not let me put him down AT ALL. Somehow I was able to chop this stuff and throw it into the Instant Pot while he slept in the Ergo. Gotta do what ya gotta do, right? 

Butternut, White Bean and Kale Soup

3 cups cooked white beans (2 cans drained)3 cups kale, stemmed and chopped4 cups cubed butternut squash4 stalks celery, sliced1 head cauliflower, cut into bite sized pieces1/2 cup chopped onion (I use the white part of green onions)5 cloves garlic, minced8 cups vegetable broth1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary chopped fine salt and pepper to tastelemon wedgesPut everything in the pressure cooker except the lemon wedges, salt and pepper. 

Cook at high pressure (that’s the regular pressure rather than low) for 8 minutes with natural release for 10 (then manual release if necessary after that.) Stir and add additional salt and pepper to taste. Then take out a couple of cups and blend it OR use your trusty immersion blender and blend it a bit. It makes it creamier and oh so lovely. Serve with some lemon wedges to squeeze over to brighten the flavors at the table. 

Serving size: 1 & 1/2 cup  –  3 WW points

April 15, 2015/ Morgan/ April 12, 2015 April 12, 2015/ Morgan

So I’m totally in love with the Instant Pot electric pressure cooker! I went grocery shopping and oh crap now its late and I need to make dinner. Sure we could have something like a sandwich but nah I wanted chili. CHILI?!?! With dinner already being late? And no beans cooked. And nothing ready. Yeah dude, chili. Chop everything up, throw it in the pot, cook for 10 minutes (cool for 10 minutes) and boom CHILI!!!!!!!!!! 
The chili is spiced with some stuff you may not put in your chili but do it this time. You won’t be able to tell “HEY THIS IS REALLY CINNAMONY” (it’s a word) but you will be like  “woah that’s a nice spicey warmy chili bowl!” 

Spiced Butternut Lentil Chili 

5 c cubed butternut squash

1 bell pepper chopped
5 green onions, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2-3 tbsp chili powder (I use salt free) 
1 tsp cumin
1-2 chipotles in adobo, minced
1 c dry brown lentils
1/2 c dry red lentils
5 cups veggie broth
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 can diced tomatoes
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
Serve with limes, cilantro and avocado

Cook at high pressure (that’s the regular pressure rather than low) for 10 minutes with natural release for 10 (then manual release if necessary after that.) Stir and add additional salt to taste. Serve with limes to squeeze over, some cilantro and avocado of course. 

Makes about 10 cups

3 WW points per cup April 12, 2015/ Morgan/ April 03, 2015 April 03, 2015/ Morgan

Truth be told, I am not an oatmeal girl but I have a ton of steel cut oats that I need to use. I figured with enough apples I’d like it and I was right! I also liked that it was super duper easy to cook in my Instant Pot pressure cooker! 

Cinnamon Raisin Apple Pie Steel Cut Oats

1 cup steel cut oats

1 & 1/2 cup almond or soy milk1 & 1/2 cup water1/4 cup raisins (or other favorite dried fruit – cranberries would be yummy!) 3 large apple, cored and chopped1 tsp vanilla1 & 1/2 tsp cinnamon1/2 tsp ginger1/2 tsp nutmegpinch of salt (optional) I just threw it all into my Instant Pot pressure cooker on Manual (high) for 4 minutes and let the pressure release naturally. For extra deliciousness drizzle with a bit of maple syrup. Sorry for being a jerk and not posting how to cook this on the stovetop. I really am not sure because I always mess up steel cut oats on the stove. I burn them or undercook them usually. This was awesome because they came out perfect! 

*3 WW points per cup*

April 03, 2015/ Morgan/