I hesitated to buy yet another counter top item for months precisely because we have little counter space and also wondered if it was worth the money. Yet, a friend continued to text and email me article about the benefit of bone broth & how the Instant Pot makes bone broth in a fraction of the time. When she texted it was on sale on Amazon on Black Friday for $78, I took the plunge.
I must note that I have no financial interest in Instant Pot. I just hope to find fast, nutritious recipes for my patients and family.
So here are my initial impressions.
1. The 6quart is bigger than I expected. We have had an old “safe” crockpot for years which is half the size to feed a family of 8.
2. Instructions are a quick breeze: just read through major “don’ts”.
3. About to make my first bone broth with left over Thanksgiving bones:
I’ll keep you posted on how it turns out.
Below are some recipes we will try soon:
1. I do not eat rice as it has too many carbs, but my family does eat rice about once a week or when they unanimously rebel against QUINOA, which I love (but also do not eat a great deal as 1 cup of white quinoa has approximately 34.2g carbs: if you are trying to avoid diabetes or have a family history, it is recommended to try to stay below 50-60g of carbohydrates total per day.
| 1 Cup of White Quinoa: Nutrition Facts | ||
|---|---|---|
| Calories 222 | (929 kJ) | |
| Calories from fat 32 | ||
| % Daily Value 1 | ||
| Total Fat | 3.6g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium | 13mg | < 1% |
| Total Carbs. | 39.4g | 13% |
| Dietary Fiber | 5.2g | 21% |
| Protein | 8.1g | |
| Calcium | 31.5mg | |
| Potassium | 318.2mg | |
My dad, a Cardiothoracic surgeon by training and now practicing in general surgery, who was told he was pre-diabetic, prides himself on staying below 40gs of carbs per day.
The the discussion with the kids to limit their total carbs is becoming a fine art in our house as opposed to a ruthless science. Thus the occasional rice dish.
- Measure dry rice, set aside. (about 1 “cup” minimum recommended, any “cup” you choose)
- Measure same amount of water, add to Instant Pot’s inner pot/liner.
- Rinse rice, add wet rice to the measured water in the inner pot.
- Lock on the lid, and set the steam release valve to “sealing” position.
- Select your pressure cooking time.
~The “Rice” button is timed for white or parboiled rice only.~For other types of rice, set “Manual” to correct time (by pressing “-” to adjust the cooking time) for the type of rice you are cooking, in the case of brown rice, for example select 22-25 minutes depending on your preferences and any local issues, like high elevation.
~See abbreviated timing chart below, or use your preferred pressure cooking time for your variety of rice. - Let the rice rest for about 10 minutes after cooking is finished before releasing any remaining pressure, and serve.
1. The Instant Pot allows very little water evaporation due to Instant Pot’s superior sealing ability.
2. Rice absorbs its volume in water when cooked long enough.