Let me start by saying, I am in no way employed, paid to endorse or asked to promote the following product (I wish I was!). All my posts are purely out of the goodness of my heart (aren’t you lucky?!). I share things because they have been life changing (seriously this thing has been) or enhanced my life (it really has!) in some way and I think others could benefit form hearing my experience(s).
You may know that I am an awful cook (if you didn’t know, now you do). I have good intentions and ideas but rarely do they turn out to be anything resembling what they should be (I can burn oatmeal). I can however bake, oh can I bake, but that means someone has to eat said baked goods.
I have always been on a mission to learn to cook. However, have never remotely come close to achieving this mission. Until… the Instant Pot! If you aren’t familiar with what the instant pot is, let me enlightening you.
The Instant Pot is a multi function small appliance. It is first and for most, a pressure cooker. But has the ability to be a slow cooker, yogurt maker and other things depending on your model of choice. This post is all about the pressure cooker feature.
I, at first did not get all the hype of this little gadget and thought it was a waste of money, especially since I am missing a cooking gene. But friends of mine convinced me to give this little pot a chance.
Enter the Instant Pot into my life.
I get this pot thing (seriously had no clue what I was getting myself into), open the box and am instantly intimidated. So, I read online posts, join the Facebook group, scour Pinterest, do the “water test” (this is suggested to be done before starting to use it) and then I stood there. I stared at this thing as if it would magically tell me how to use it or make me dinner. I had no idea where to start!
SIDE NOTE:
You should know another thing about me, I can go from “yay this is great” to “this is the worst thing ever” in about, oh, 2.2 seconds.
I instantly went into regret mode! Why did I waste my money on this thing? I still can’t cook and this thing isn’t going to change that! Now I’m stuck with this stupid thing, that I paid for and still have nothing for dinner! The emotions were real.
But after a few deep breaths, help from a friend, let me tell you, once I got over the first hurdle of how the heck do I use this thing, wonderful things happened! Things I never imagined could happen! I CAN COOK! Every meal I have made is edible (imagine that!).
Not only has this little pot that could, allowed me to make meals that I never dreamed I could make, it has saved me so much time! Meals can be prepared in record time. Would you believe it if I told you it cooks chicken breasts in 12 minutes? Cause, it does! The Instant Pot is no joke and can help turn you into a cook, a time saver and meal prep-er (yeah I made that word up). Honestly, if it can work for me, it can work for anybody.
Let me delight you with a list of some of the things that have been made all in my Instant Pot:
- Chicken Fried Rice (which is basically a super good chicken, rice and veggie dish). Made this several times! SO GOOD!
- Chicken Wings
- Chicken Breasts
- Let’s just say every part of the chicken I have cooked in the pot
- Roast (pork and beef) with potatoes, veggies and gravy (yes all in the one pot) x 2 times
- Sweet and Regular potatoes
- Mac & Cheese
- Yogurt
- Cheesecake
- Banana Bread
- THE BEST meatballs and gravy x 3 times
- Artichokes
- Asparagus
- Sweet Potato Chilli x 5 times (yeah we like this one)
- And More!
All these things were made fully in the Instant Pot (very little dishes to wash), with the help of the abundance of recipes I found online. However, now I am at the point that I am starting to “wing” it and create my own recipes (Gasp!). Something I never imagined in a million years possible (remember I’m missing the cooking gene).
The time and energy this thing has saved me is incredible. So much so that I bought a second one (don’t judge)! Yep, I am essentially a Pot Head (that’s what us obsessed with the Instant Pot are called).
Meet….
ESSENTIALLY Healthy and Fit 