The Instant Pot is becoming one of the most valuable cooking appliance in households all over the world. Whether you are a chef or just learning how to cook these recipes are easy, fast and delicious. I am a wife and mother of 2 children and work a full time job. Which means the only time I am not in a rush is when my head hits the pillow from shear exhaustion. I encourage my family to make healthy decisions about what they eat, but the truth is that if I don't cook for them every night. There are pretty good odds that I will find them staring blankly into the pantry or trying to microwave something that has a packet labeled sauce. The Instant Pot has been a life saver. I am able to meal prep on the weekend, come home after work, through everything in the instant pot, push a button and voilà a healthy dinner is done in not time. I have been on a Keto diet for around 6 months now. I don't follow it exactly like I'm supposed to, but that is probably because even hearing the words "Fat Bomb" makes me nauseous. I enjoy eating a lot of vegetables and lean protein. I didn't enjoy my vegetables becoming soggy because they were drowning at the bottom of pot. That's when I found the steamer basket. Not only does it have feet that keep it an inch off the bottom of my Instant Pot, it has a handle so I don't burn myself and works amazing as a strainer too. It has literally been my favorite kitchen accessory. I have put together 3 of my favorite recipes that I use the steamer basket with.
Instant Pot Brussels Sprouts Pomegranate and Pine Nuts
Ingredients:
1 pound Brussels Sprouts
¼ cup of Pine Nuts, toasted
1 Pomegranate
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Instructions:
1.Remove the outer leaves and trim the stems of the washed Brussels Sprouts. Cut the largest ones in half to get them to a uniform size for even cooking.
2.Prepare the pressure cooker by pouring in one cup of water, and adding the Steamer Basket. Put the sprouts in the Steamer Basket.
3.Close and lock the lid of the pressure cooker. Turn the heat up to high and when the cooker reaches pressure, lower to the heat to the minimum required by the cooker to maintain pressure.
4.Cook for 3 minutes at high pressure.
5.When time is up, open the cooker by releasing the pressure.
6.Move the sprouts to a serving dish and dress in olive oil, salt and pepper prior to sprinkling with toasted pine nuts and pomegranate seeds (optional)
Serve warm or room temperature.
Instant Pot Fish in a Packet
Ingredients:
4 fillets of Grouper Fresh or Frozen (thawed & drained)
1 Lemon, sliced
1 White Onion, shaved into rings
3 small turnip, thinly sliced
4 sprigs of Thyme
4 sprigs of Parsley
salt and pepper
olive oil
Instructions:
1. I like to measure out the width of my pressure cooker Steamer Basket with parchment paper before starting. You don't want to finish your lovely packet and then discover that it doesn't fit in your pressure cooker! To do this, cut a long piece of parchment paper, lay your parchment paper over your pressure cooker, and fold it to fit about one inch from each side - see photo. Now, you have your parchment creases are your packet "guidelines"!
2. Use a mandolin on the thinnest setting to get the potatoes and onions really thin. Lay out your parchment paper, and layer the ingredients in the following order:
Swirl of olive oil
Single layer of thin turnip slices
Salt and Pepper and swirl of olive oil
Fish Fillet
Salt & Pepper and swirl of olive oil
Herbs
A couple of onion rings
Lemon Slices
Pinch of Salt
Swirl of olive oil
3.Fold your paper packet.
4.Next, cut a long piece of foil and wrap the paper packet snugly inside the tin foil.
5.Prepare pressure cooker by pouring in two cups of water, and add the steamer basket. You can cook about two fillets at a time, or if using a tall pressure cooker, make a second layer using another Steamer Basket or trivet - just make sure that the packets have space all around for the steam to come in contact with and heat them.
6.Close the lid and set the valve to pressure cooking position.
7.Electric pressure cookers: Cook for 10 minutes at high pressure.
8.When time is up, open the cooker by releasing the pressure through the valve.
9.Take out the packets and slide the parchment paper packet out of the tin foil onto individual plates.
10.Serve with a pair of scissors or tear the paper open right before eating.
Rosemary Lemon Whole Chicken
Cook a whole chicken (fresh or frozen) in the Instant Pot pressure cooker steamer basket for tender rotisserie style meat. Low carb, keto, gluten free, Paleo, and whole30
Ingredients:
4 1/2 to 5 pounds whole chicken
1 medium sized onion finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 Lemon, sliced
5 Sprigs fresh rosemary
5 cloves garlic whole
2 teaspoons Jamaican allspice
4 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper to taste.
Instructions:
1. Add 1 1/2 cups of water to the pressure cooker pot. I Place Steamer Baskett inside your instant pot with handle placed to the side.
2. Clean the chicken and remove any giblets. Pat chicken dry with paper towels.
3. Carefully pull skin away from breast meat and stuff half of the lemon, garlic, herbs and butter inside. Place the remaining ingredients into the cavity of the chicken.
4. Brush oil on the breast, legs wings and thighs of chicken place in steamer basket and sprinkle wish Jamaican allspice, salt and pepper.
5 Close and lock lid on Instant pot. Cook for 25 minutes at high pressure, followed by a 15 minute natural pressure release.
6. Uncover and use Steamer Basket handles to lift the chicken out of the Instant Pot. Carve up the chicken and place meat on a serving platter.
Spoon a small amount of liquid from the pot over the sliced chicken and season with salt and pepper if needed.
The remaining liquid can be used as the base for your chicken broth recipe that follows.
Homemade Chicken Broth
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Pressure Release: 15 minutes
Prep Time: 5 minuets Cook Time: 25 minuets Yields: 3 Quarts
Ingredients:
2 lb. organic chicken bones
Ingredients:
2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 handful parsley sprigs
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
Optional 1 cup roughly chopped leaks
12 cups water
Sea salt, to taste
Instructions:
1. Place Steamer Basket in instant pot pressure cooker*
I make me broth out of the Rosemary lemon chicken recipe listed above and cut out a lot of time and ingredients listed above. The taste is amazing and I can make both the meal and the broth in the same day!
Notes: This recipe is based off of the 6 Quart Instant Pot and can be altered accordingly to the 3 Quart or 8 Quart.
2. Add all ingredients to your instant pot
3. Cover and seal the pressure cooker. Using the manual timer, set the instant pot to high for 5 minutes. Note: it will take time to come up to pressure with all the water.
4. Once done, use natural pressure release for 10 minuets. Shut off instant pot. Carefully release any remaining steam and uncover.
5. Let the broth cool until it is easier to handle. This is the best part! Instead of having to pour the contents through a strainer to remove the chunky contents. Simply pull out the stainless steel mesh steamer basket and discard the contents. This saves a lot of time and hassle.
6. Lift inner pot and pour broth into storage containers and let cool completely before covering. Both can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If both is unused after 5 days bring it to a boil before using. I use canning jars and the broth last a lot longer in the refrigerator. Once you boil the broth to be used, this is when you add salt to taste.
My Favorite Instant Pot Accessories used in these recipes
Steamer Basket
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