Early May text exchange between me and my sister:

Me: “Hey do you want to get mom an Instant Pot for Mother’s Day?”

Sister: “Sure!”

…pause, then she continued…

“What’s that?”

And right there, I received a serious blessing from the crazy month we call May. Between end-of-school celebrations and ceremonies, graduations, field trips, Mother’s Day and several family birthdays, I always, ALWAYS, feel like I’m failing at something.  

With my sister’s response, I knew I received a 2-for-1. Not only would our Mom receive an Instant Pot, but my sister, whose birthday is less than a week after Mother’s Day, would as well.

What’s this Instant Pot?

I joined the Instant Pot tribe – “Potheads” – this past Christmas when my husband and boys gifted me one.  Enough friends swore by it that I put it on my wishlist, even without truly understanding all it does.

It truly is superior to the Crock Pot. The Instant Pot is a multi-cooker that yes, is a slow cooker, but does so much more. It has sauteing functionalities (one-pot cleanup – hoorah!) as well as rice cooker, steamer, yogurt maker, warming, and my favorite, pressure cooker.

Another bonus is the stainless steel pot is dishwasher safe. No more slippery 20-pound ceramic bowls to hand wash! (Yes, I know I can put it in the dishwasher, but it takes up waaaay too much space.)

One thing I love about it is the ability to prep foods that aren’t recipes but make kitchen life easier. If I can cook something in a shorter amount of time and then have them available for several days, that is my ultimate version of kitchen winning.

Here are my three favorite non-recipe Instant Pot items:

Hard-Boiled Eggs

I can never seem to get hard-boiled eggs just right. The yolk is either under-cooked in the middle or gray on the rim, neither of which is appetizing to me. The Instant Pot cooks them juuuuust right.

Having prepared hard-boiled eggs on hand makes lunches and snacks easier as well. I’ll throw a couple on a salad as a protein base.

Sometimes I’ll peel them, leave them whole, add salt and pepper. I drop or two in a Ziploc baggie while I sit at a track meet for 8 hours, waiting to watch my younger son run for a total of 18 minutes.

Eggs are handy on-the-go food but for the love of all sensitive noses and enclosed spaces, please don’t eat one on a plane.

Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs

Place 5-15 eggs on the provided rack. Pour 1 cup water into the bowl.  Lock the lid and make sure the valve is set to “Sealing.” Press the Manual button and adjust timer to 5 minutes. Leave the pressure on “high.”  Let the pressure reduce naturally for an additional 5 minutes after cooking is completed, then do a quick release.

Beets

These are a recent addition to my food rotation. I began exploring with beets a few years ago, adding to smoothies in an effort to manage my blood pressure better. (You can read more about that journey here.)

Beets are high in nitrates, fiber, and are anti-inflammatory.  They are also beneficial pre-workout because they allow more efficient blood flow. I’ve noticed a positive difference on runs when I have beets prior to lacing up my shoes.

Raw beets taste a little … okay, a lot … like dirt.  

Cooked beets are actually enjoyable and versatile.

My mother later introduced me to pre-cooked, vacuum sealed beets from Costco. These are convenient and great-tasting. No additional ingredients are added. A friend of mine’s college-aged daughter enjoys them after her athletic practice.

The one drawback to the vacuum packed ones is they lose their vibrant color. I don’t know if it’s that they are oxidized or what, but when blended, they lack the bright pink hue that freshly cooked ones do.  (I just wanted to say oxidized and sound smart there. I have no idea what causes the discrepancy.)

Pink is a critical component when I make Don’t Get Beet Hummus (recipe below). There is something magical that happens when the blender mixes the bland chickpeas and the bright beets.

The hummus turns bright pink and is a conversation starter when you’re sitting at a track meet for 8 hours. (Can you tell what season we are in?) It might even encourage your pink-loving child to try it!

I feel like I need to interject with a Public Service Announcement here. When you enjoy beets, you may find yourself panicked the next morning.

I assure you: Your colon is not bleeding.  It may appear that way. It’s just your vibrant beets from the day before. (Well, you may have a problem … obviously, if this is a continuing occurrence see your doctor and don’t listen to a writer on the internet.)

I’d add more and I’m happy to talk about bowel movements all day but it would horrify my mother. In fact, she is probably already horrified that I even said “bowel movements.” So mom, just for fun: poop.

Instant Pot Beets:

Wash and trim 4-5 medium-sized beets. Cut off both ends then quarter. Place in Instant Pot on top of provided rack. Pour 1 cup water into the bottom of the bowl.  Lock the lid and make sure the valve is set to “Sealing.” Press the Manual button and adjust time to 15 minutes. Leave the pressure on “high.” Let the pressure reduce naturally for an additional 5 minutes after cooking is completed, then do a quick release.

Adjust time according to size; smaller beets take closer to 10 minutes while larger quarters take 20-30 minutes. Personally, I always err on the side of too much time rather than not enough.

Sweet Potatoes

I don’t have a good lead-in for this except to say if you like sweet potatoes, try this. Seriously. They are far superior to cooking in the oven or microwave. I’m not sure why or how they cook so perfectly but they do. I remove the skin and mash into a bowl. No butter, no brown sugar.

Just potatoes and their goodness.

If I visualize a perfect nutritional day (which you know rarely happens), it always includes sweet potatoes. The fiber, potassium, magnesium, and other vitamins all combine to offer a well-rounded, nutritious food.

My mom and I made these for my 6-month-old nephew. He gobbled them up and we got an extra bonus: 11 hours of straight sleep from the little guy!

Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes:

Wash 1-6 medium potatoes, leave whole and place on provided rack in Instant Pot.  Pour 2 cups water into the bottom of the bowl. Lock the lid and make sure the valve is set to “Sealing.” Press the Manual button and adjust time to 12-15 minutes. Leave the pressure on “high.”  Let pressure release naturally after cooking or use the quick release.

Adjust time according to size; smaller potatoes take closer to 10 minutes while larger quarters take up to 20 minutes. Personally, I always err on the side of too much time rather than not enough.

One more Instant Pot benefit

An added bonus to using the IP for beets and sweet potatoes is you’re not turning on the oven for an hour or more. We are entering summer season. This is the time of year I avoid turning that dial to 400 degrees. Our Houston-weather-induced electric bill is high enough; I don’t want to add to it by attempting to cool it down more from an oven cooking root vegetables for an hour or more.

Now, pull out that IP and start pressure-cooking. Then enjoy your eggs, sweet potatoes, and beets.  If you need an excuse to try the beets, check out the hummus recipe below.

Do you have an Instant Pot? What are your favorite non-recipe items to cook?

Don’t Get Beet Hummus

From Run Fast, Eat Slow by Shalane Flanagan and Elyse Kopecky

1 15-oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 medium beet, roasted, peeled and quartered

1 clove garlic

2 tablespoons tahini

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

¾ teaspoon fine sea salt

In a food processor or high-speed blender (I use my Magic Bullet), combine the chickpeas, beet, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Process on high until smooth, stopping as needed to scrape down the sides and underneath the blade with a rubber spatula.

Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until serving.

Egg Photo by Hannah Tasker on Unsplash

Sweet Potato Photo by Ela Haney from Pexels

Beet Photo by Natalia Fogarty on Unsplash