Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker: a Game Changer!

With a yearly expanding garden and a new herbal product business, I just don’t have time to cook like I use to.  Last year, I acquired an Instant Pot electric pressure cooker that has been a game changer for me. What a game changer! I simply plop my food in the container, turn it on one of the multiple settings, and sit back and eat the benefits.

Or was that reap the benefits?

Why an Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker?

I have a slow cooker which I still love.  Lack of planning was always my downfall with using  my slow cooker.  Some meals take a long time to cook.

I always cooked at least 3 pound of meat for each meal.  (Four hungry boys will eat you out of house and home.)

So many of my recipes called for a 7+ hour cooking time period.  I can’t start at 1 pm  for a 6 pm dinner. So guess what?  I would never get dinner done in time.

Even when I did cook, I was in the kitchen a minimum of 1 hour each day.  Add in everyone’s crazy food intolerance and eating habits, and tack on another hour.

My garden needed me and so did my growing herbal business.

So what does a green girl do?

The Instant Pot Become a Green Girl’s Best Friend

Instant Pot  electric pressure cooker was becoming the next best thing to sliced bread.  Everyone was talking about it in my circles–especially the 7 in 1 Instant Pot.  I swear it could even clean your windows!

(Nah, not the windows.  Just joking. But this machine is pretty awesome.)

So I  made a leap of faith, and bought the 8 quart  7 in 1 IP-DUO80.  The 7 in 1 DUO is available in a 5, 6 or 8 quart unit.  (See the video above about the unit.)

The Instant Pot is a

• Pressure Cooker
• Slow Cooker
• Rice Cooker
• Steamer
• Saute and Browning
• Yogurt Maker
• Warmer

It also has 14 different settings for cooking soups, stews, beans, rice, poultry and more.  Plus, it also has 3 different saute and slow cooking temperatures.

The Instant Pot also has dual pressure settings for high pressure or low pressure for delicate foods.

The DUO comes with a stainless steel steam rack with handles, condensation collector, rice paddle , soup spoon and measuring cup. (See more benefits HERE.)

But I am not done..

Here are the Other Benefits:

 1.  Convenience.  It has 12 key functions for most common cooking tasks, like poultry and soup. It also has manual setting if you want to alter the time for your recipe.  For example, I cook skinless boneless chicken breasts at 15 minutes instead of the usual poultry setting, which is 30 minutes.

 2.  Reduce cooking time.  According to the Company, you can reduce cooking time up to 70%.  My friend, Karen, cooked one of my spaghetti squashes in 6 minutes!  Normally it takes me an hour in the oven.

3.  Stainless Steel Insert!  I don’t use any of the Teflon coated or aluminium products anymore. The  Environmental Working Group “commissioned tests conducted in 2003 showed that in just two to five minutes on a conventional stove top, cookware coated with Teflon and other non-stick surfaces could exceed temperatures at which the coating breaks apart and emits toxic particles and gases.”

As for aluminum, although there hasn’t been a definitive link between aluminium and Alzheimer Disease, I still err on the side of caution. Aluminum from pans that are worn or pitted dissolve during cooking.  Leafy vegetables and acidic foods absorb the most aluminum.

4. Replaces Several Different Kitchen Machines:  Instant Pot is a slow cooker and can be used also to make rice, yogurt, and beans. It even keeps your food warm after it is cooked!

I don’t use my slow cooker as much, nor do I use my other pressure cooker to make beans anymore.  So if you are limited in counter or kitchen space, Instant Pot is one kitchen friend you want in the kitchen.

5. Cooking more nutritious meals. I cook at home more now rather than  going out to dinner which has  food laden with salt and sugar.  I don’t know about you but my fingers are always swollen when I eat outside the home.

6. All in one.  I saute my vegetables using this function and then add whatever other ingredients I need to the pot.  I don’t need a bunch of pans to cook with when using the Instant Pot.

7.  No excess heat or steam.  Instead of turning on the stove in the summer,use the Instant Pot.  I didn’t feel any excess heat or steam coming from this machine.  (Be sure to position your vent correctly otherwise you will have steam.)

8. Clean up is a breeze!  As I mentioned before, it is a one pot wonder.  So I only clean the Instant Pot insert.    It isn’t hard to clean.

9. UL/ULC certified.  According to the Company the machine has 10 fool proof safety protections.  Read HERE.

10. Delay Feature.  Instant Pot has a 24 hour delay function as well.

11.  Long Cooking Time.  Can cook for 120 minutes!

Be sure to watch the below video.

What Happens if You Don’t want All the Features?

There are several different Instant Pots to choose from.  The Company sells a 5:1, 6:1 and mine, the 7:1.  They even sell a blue tooth enabled version as well.  (Read about it HERE.)

See this handy chart on the difference between the models.

I Have You Sold, Now What?

Instant Pot has great videos to watch on how to use it, recipes, and a Facebook community with wonderful people whose creativity blows me away.

But if you are looking for a recipe book to get your started, I recommend Dr. Karen Lee’s EASY PALEO INSTANT POT RECIPES.  (Note, it is an eBook so you download it to your computer or iPad.)

(Note, I am an affiliate of her book and get some money if you buy.  I only promote books that I would purchase myself.  Karen’s recipes are amazing and easy.)

Her book has 43 delicious recipes such as:

• Breakfasts: Eggs Five Ways, Rice Porridge, Steamed Eggs, Herbed Eggs with Salmon
• Soups: Bone Broth Basics, Fish Stock, Chicken Soup, Clam Chowder
• Plants: Citrus Salad with Beets and Candied Walnuts, Stuffed Artichokes
• Meat Dishes: Pot Roast, Beef Stew Osso Buco, Korean Style Braised Short Ribs
• Poultry: Everyday Chicken, Korean Spicy Chicken, Chicken Garam Masala
• Seafood: Cioppino, Penne with Mussels Marinara, Seafood Paella
• Sweets: Rice Pudding, Pine Nuts Honey Mousse

Click here to view more details!

Plus, she provide great tips in her e-Book.  Sometimes I think she is talking to me as I read the book. I am a step by step girl. She is so through and easy to follow.

Pictured above is the squash soup that I made using her recipe.  It is delicious with a wonderful cinnamon aroma.

I bet you can smell it!

So when you grab your Instant Pot, download her book HERE too! Right now, it is on sale for $6.99 until December 4!!  (Originally $14.99.)

Join the Conversation:

Do you have an Instant Pot electric pressure cooker and if so, what is your favorite meal to cook in it?

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