3 Easy Instant Pot Recipes
I’m sure we agree that we are feeling somewhat discomboblulated right now. At a personal level life our daily routines have changed. However our professional work at Zen continues in pursuit of helping home cooks while simultaneously continuing our social mission.
I’m grateful for my four walls and garden, and enjoying the new found peace that goes 
with much reduced traffic noise. I can listen to the dawn chorus without interruption. But following an initial period of 14 days in self isolation and now into week 4 of “hunkering down” it is hard to remember what life was like before.
Our gym membership is on freeze, so we crafted a “home gym” in our cobweb filled shed by resurrecting an old exercise bike and a free weights bench. If the sun comes out so does the bike, onto the lawn! All the while Meg was dusting off their seldom used cross trainer in their basement.
On a practical level and most notable is having four humans with adult appetites to feed three times a day. I’m used to picking at leftovers in the refrigerator for my working lunches. Not anymore. Also, I live in a city and panic buying is real. Less so now that we are adapting but there are still items on our regular grocery list which are no longer readily available. So I began, early on, to simplify and substitute ingredients in our recipes.
This week we have three new easy Multi-Cooker Instant Pot recipes with our Indian Dal, Tuscan, and Coq au Vin blends. You can pressure cook all three of these in minutes with very little prep.
Instant Pot carrot and yellow lentil soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups /1 medium onion diced
- 1 cup / 2 medium carrots chopped
- 4 cloves / 2 tsp garlic
- 1 Indian dal blend
- 2 cups yellow lentils (split pigeon peas / toor dal) *see below for yellow chana dal lentils / split garbanzos because it is different
- 6 cups broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 lemon juiced
Instructions
Pressure Cook Directions
- heat oil in the Instant Pot on sauté function; sauté onion and carrots for 2 minutes
- turn off and stir in garlic, Indian Dal blend, yellow lentils, broth, water
- secure the Instant Pot lid and pressure valve to Sealing
- cook on Manual/Pressure for 8 minutes, and allow to Natural Pressure Release for 10 minutes
- remove lid, blend if you prefer a smooth soup
- stir in the salt (to taste), lemon juice, and serve with yogurt and chili flakes
Slow Cook Directions
- heat oil in a skillet, sauté onion and carrots for 2 minutes.
- turn off heat and stir in the garlic, transfer the slow cooker
- stir in the Indian Dal blend, yellow lentils, broth, water
- cover and cook on LOW: 8-9 hrs or HIGH 3 1/2 hrs
- remove lid, blend if you prefer a smooth soup
- stir in the salt (to taste), lemon juice, and serve with yogurt and chili flakes
Notes
Instant Pot spaghetti, with garlic and tomatoes
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups / 1 medium onion diced
- 2 tsp / 4 cloves garlic minced or sliced
- 1 Tuscan blend
- 1 14 oz can chopped tomatoes
- 16 oz spaghetti
- 5 cups broth
- fresh basil
- 1 cup parmesan cheese shredded
Instructions
- heat oil in the Instant Pot on sauté function; sauté onion for 2 minutes.
- Turn off and stir in garlic, Tuscan blend, tomatoes
- Add pasta and broth, do not over stir
- secure the Instant Pot lid and pressure valve to Sealing
- cook on Manual/Pressure for 6 minutes
- Quick Pressure Release, remove lid and stir before serving with fresh basil and parmesan
Notes
Instant Pot penne, with artichokes, parmesan, and greens
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups / 1 medium sliced onion
- 2 cloves / 1 tsp garlic
- 1 15 oz can artichokes
- 1 Coq au Vin blend
- 12 oz penne pasta
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups spinach, or other greens chopped
- 1 cup sour cream sub for yogurt, creme fraiche, cream,
- 1 lemon juiced, zested
- 1/2 cup parmesan
Instructions
- heat oil in the Instant Pot on sauté function; sauté onion for 2 minutes
- turn off and stir in garlic, artichokes, Coq au Vin blend
- add pasta and broth, do not over-stir
- secure the Instant Pot lid and pressure valve to Sealing
- cook on Manual/Pressure for 5 minutes
- Quick Pressure Release, remove lid and stir in spinach, sour cream, and lemon
- serve with a generous helping of parmesan cheese, and some of the lemon zest
Notes
Ideas for Substitutions in our other recipes
black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans
cannellini beans, navy beans, butter beans
red lentils, brown lentils, yellow lentils (split pigeon peas)
sour cream, yogurt, creme fraiche
canned tomatoes, diced, whole plum, crushed
tomato sauce, blend a can of tomatoes
greens, spinach, kale, collard greens, chard
lemon juice, 2 tsp lemon juice to 1 tsp vinegar
Impact Work in April
We are supporting the Chicago Autism Project in April by offering proceeds off our site. We’re also in the midst of planning a virtual cooking class for moms with children who have autism in Chicago, followed by a similar initiative across the pond with our good friend Trish O’Dwyer of Autism Threads.
Reminder that you receive 20% off your entire order for the remainder of B Corp month (March) by using code BCORP at checkout.
Zen Moment
National Applause – A moment to honor our incredible front line hospital workers, carers, and all the key workers working so hard around the globe. In the UK last Thursday evening we held a National Applause. The entire nation ventured onto their front porches to clap for these incredible workers. Thank you.
