Author: richb

Healthy Instant Pot Elk Meat Chili

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A friend gave me some of the elk meat from his last hunt. This meat is very lean and can be pretty tough. Cooking it in the instant pot makes it nice and tender. I wanted a hearty meal so I came up with this recipe from the items I had in my pantry and it came out great.

Ingredients

  • 1.5 pounds elk meat (Round steak) chopped into 1 to 1/2″ chunks
  • 2 tbsp. oil (Canola, Vegetable, or Corn oil)
  • 3 slices of finely diced bacon
  • 1 – 14 oz. cans of stewed tomatoes
  • 1 – 8 oz. can of tomato sauce
  • 1/2 – 6 oz. can of tomato paste
  • 2 cups of pinto beans (soaked overnight)
  • 6 cloves of garlic
  • 1 bell peppers diced (Green or Red)
  • 1 onions, diced
  • 2 tbsp. New Mexico chili powder
  • 1 tbsp. cumin
  • 1/2 tsp of oregano
  • 1 tsp of basil
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp. Worcestershire
  • 1 tsp of crushed red chilies (I used 3 extra hot dried cayenne peppers crushed)
  • 3 tsp beef bullion powder
  • 4 cups of water
  • Additional Garlic & Onion powder and salt to taste (I added about 1 tsp of Garlic and Onion powder)

Directions

Night before, put pinto beans in bowl covered by 3″ of water. When ready to cook, set Instant Pot to sauté and add oil and Elk meat, bacon and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/4 of the diced garlic. Sauté till browned. Then add in tomato sauce and paste, chili powder, cumin, oregano, basil, Worcestershire sauce, beef bullion, and red chilies and stir. Set Instant pot to pressure cook high and cook for 40 mins. When done do quick pressure release, open instant pot and stir in the rest of the ingredients and then set for pressure cook high for 15 more minutes. When timer expires do quick pressure release and enjoy.

Spanish Rice in a Rice Cooker

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This is a quick and easy but delicious recipe. It goes well as a side dish to many different dishes. My Crave-able Refried Beans recipe is a good match. You can make a Bean Burrito and add this to the Burrito or have it as a side.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups of long grain white rice
  • 1/2 cup of tomato sauce
  • 1 tsp of Garlic powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp of Cumin
  • 2 tbsp of Oil (I used canola)
  • 1 tsp of chicken (or vegetable for vegan) bouillon
  • 3 3/4 cups of water

Directions

Add all ingredients to rice cooker, stir, and set for white rice and cook. When done fluff with a fork and serve.

Crave-able Instant Pot Refried Beans

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Do you love refried beans with the smoky flavor with garlic and onion notes along with the creaminess of refried beans coming together in a deep rich flavor? If so, then you will crave these easy to make and delicious refried beans. Make comforting bean and cheese burrito’s with onions & hot sauce or delicious tostada’s with fresh shredded lettuce and cheese. These are quick easy to make refried beans and are the best I have made so far. Keys are to start with frying the bacon, cook the beans in the bacon and rendered fat. Then after following the recipe to customize them in the end with the garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin to your taste. Cook, eat and enjoy!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups dried pinto beans, soaked overnight
  • 4 strips low sodium bacon chopped to bits
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 cups filtered water
  • 1 tsp salt and pepper, to taste (maybe 1 tsp salt)
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin

Instructions

  1. Turn the instant pot on sauté mode. When hot add in oil and bacon. Let the bacon sauté for up to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
  2. Meanwhile drain beans from overnight water and wash beans thoroughly. Add beans and water to instant pot with bacon and bacon grease rendered.
  3. Turn off sauté function. Close the lid and seal the vent valve. Cook on high pressure for 55 minutes. When done allow for natural pressure release. 
  4. Carefully open the pot. You might want/ need to remove some of the liquid. If needed you can add back the bean liquid during the blending/ mashing process. It’s best to start with less liquid and add if needed. I removed about 1/2 cup of liquid and didn’t need to add it back. 
  5. Add in the spices and seasoning. Using an immersion blender, work it for 1-2 minutes or until you have reached a consistency of your preference. If the result is not thick enough, press the sauté button and boil while stirring till desired consistency is achieved.
  6. Serve with fresh cilantro and jalapeño. Refrigerate remaining refried beans in an air tight glass container. 

Healthy Stuffed Poblano Peppers

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Ingredients

  • 4-6 large Poblano Peppers Halved and seeded
  • 8oz of shredded Jack or Medium/Mild Cheddar Cheese
  • 3/4 lb Lean Ground Beef
  • 1 package Taco Seasoning (Use 3 tbsp.)
  • 2 cups of cooked White Rice (Eliminate for low carb)
  • 1 8oz can of Hot Tomato sauce (Regular Tomato sauce can be substituted)
  • 1/2 of a large onion diced
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • Optional Ingredients to kick up flavor
    • 1 teaspoon of cumin
    • 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
    • Chopped Jalapeno (little spicy) or Serrano (more spicy)
    • 4 oz. Frozen corn
    • 1/2 can Black Beans

Directions

Brown ground beef till done. While browning add in taco seasoning. Add in onions and cook for 2 more mins. Then add in rice and stir till combined. Add in Optional seasonings and salt and tomato sauce. Stir to mix together. Remove from heat and let cool. Mix in half of the shredded cheese and any optional ingredients. Add in enough meat mixture to fill and sprinkle cheese on top. Cook at about 325 degrees F till pepper is cooked and cheese melted (about 20 mins).

Healthy Instant Pot Barbacoa

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Ingredients (barbacoa):
5 cloves garlic
1/2 medium onion chopped
1 lime, juice
3 chiptoles in adobo sauce
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground oregano
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 cup water
3 – 4 lbs beef cross rib roast 5″ chopped into large chunks
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
black pepper
1 tsp oil
3 bay leaves

Ingredients (Toppings)

  • Cooked rice for Barbacoa bowls or tortillas to make tacos
  • Sliced greeen onions
  • Diced red onions 
  • Avacado diced
  • Cilantro chopped
  • Tomatos diced
  • Sour cream
  • Frozen corn microwaved 3 to 4 mins to cook
  • Jalapeno cooked pinto beans (can)
  • Cheese (Monterrey Jack or Cheddar)
  • Salsa or hot sauce that you like

Set Instant Pot to saute, wait to get hot, add oil to pot and brown chunks of beef. Cancel the saute cycle when beef is browned. Add in water then beef, squeeze the lime juce over the meat, sprinkle the onion, garlic and other ingredients over the meat. Close the Instant Pot and pressure cook on high for 60-70 minutes depending on how much meat turning off the warming at the end of the pressure cook. Let the pressure naturally release. Shread and mix with sauce that forms in a bowl. Server over rice with

Manchurian Vegetable Balls

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Ingredients

  • Vegetable Balls
    • 1 carrot grated fine
    • 1 cup of cabbage grated or sliced & chopped finely
    • 1/2 Onion grated
    • 1/2 Bell pepper chopped finely
    • 2 pieces of bread crumbed (for Vegan use Vegan Bread)
    • 1/4 cup of flour
    • 1/2 tsp cumin
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
    • 1 egg
    • 1/3 cup water
    • Oil for frying
  • Sauce
    • 1/2 onion chopped
    • 2 tablespoons oil
    • 1 tablespoons vinegar
    • 3 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 tablespoon minced ginger
    • 3 tablespoons Ketchup
    • 1 tsp Siracha sauce
    • 1/4 tsp sugar
    • 1 tablespoon cornstarch in 2 tablespoons of water

Directions

For Veggie Balls: Add Vegetable Ball ingredients to a bowl and mix till well mixed. Heat frying oil in a pan, when hot, form 1″ diameter balls and drop into hot oil. Fry till golden brown and cooked through, then drain.. Or for Heathier version with less fat coat w/oil and cook in an air fryer.

For Sauce: Add oil to pan and heat till hot. Add in onions and fry about 2 minutes. Now add garlic and ginger fry lightly, do not brown. Then add water, ketchup, vinegar, Siracha and sugar. Adjust vinegar and sugar to taste. Cook about 2 minutes till boiling, then add in cornstarch/water mixture and boil till thickened. Serve Veggie balls with sauce on the side to spoon over.

Healthier Enchilada Soup

Healthier Chicken Enchilada Soup (Crock Pot/Instant Pot)

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Ingredients

  • 1 can of Cream of Chicken Soup
  • 1 8 oz can of tomato sauce (low sodium if desired)
  • 2 tbsp of Chili powder (I used 1 tbsp of New mexico chili, and 1 1bsp of generic chili powder)
  • 1 tbsp of Garlic powder
  • 1/2 tbsp of cumin
  • 1 tbsp chicken bouillon
  • 1 tbsp olive oil to saute chicken
  • 1 diced red bell pepper
  • 1/2 onion diced
  • 1 can of black beans (rinsed)
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp Siracha sauce
  • 1 can of sweet corn (optional)
  • 1 lb of chicken tenders
  • 1/2 cup of sour cream
  • 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup of whole milk (or heavy cream for creamier soup)
  • Toppings
    • Crispy tortilla strips
    • Cilantro minced
    • Avocado diced
    • Extra shredded cheese
    • Extra sour cream

I reduced some of the sodium by not adding extra salt and used chili powder, garlic powder, and cumin rather than canned enchilada sauce. Choosing low sodium tomato sauce. You could further reduce it by using frozen corn and low sodium bouillon.

Directions

Set Instant Pot to saute and put oil, chicken, onion, and pepper. Saute for few mins. Now add rest of ingredients but sour cream, cheddar cheese, and milk to crock pot or instant pot. Cook on high pressure for 25 mins. Quick release stir in sour cream, cheddar cheese, and milk. If using a crock pot skip the saute step and cook for about 4 hours on high or 6-8 on low.

Fluffy White Bread Machine Bread

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This Bread came out amazing. It had a really nice flavor, was fluffy, and incredibly moist. After cooling, I cut it and made a sandwich and it was excellent. Actually the bread greatly improved the sandwich taste.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/8 cups of hot water. (about 105 degrees F)
  • 2 teaspoons activated dry yeast
  • 3 tablespoons of sugar (I used organic)
  • 1/4 cup of vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups of white flour (I used all purpose)
  • 1/2 tablespoon butter to grease pan.

Directions

Add sugar into bread maker, then add hot water, followed by yeast. Let set for 5 minutes till frothy. Then add in flour salt and vegetable oil. Set for Dough setting if you want to bake in loaf pan (this is what I did). When dough cycle done, add into greased loaf pan. I used a long loaf pan (12 “), let rise for 30-40 mins till it rises above the top of the pan. While the bread is rising preheat the oven to 325 degrees F with a pan in the shelf below the bread pan in the oven to add about 1/4 cup of water when the bread goes in the oven. Add water and loaf pan with risen bread and bake for approx 30-35 minutes. Check temperature using a probe thermometer. Should be at least 190 degrees F in center to be completely cooked. Take bread out of the oven and immediately remove from pan and place on cooling rack covered with a dish towel. Let cool for 1 hour before slicing. After bread is cooled it can be halved and stored in a 1 gallon ziploc bag.

Filipino Chicken Lugaw (Instant Pot compatible Recipe)

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Ingredients

  • 10 cups of water
  • 1 cup medium-grain white rice
  • 1 ½ tablespoons concentrated chicken base or 4 bouillon cubes
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 eight-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast, very thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon minced ginger
  • 1/2 large onion diced
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • Toppings:
    • 1 scallion, finely chopped for garnish
    • 2 to 3 round slices lemon, each cut in half to squeeze on top when serving
    • Minced Garlic fried to golden brown for topping
    • Hardboiled Eggs sliced for topping

Directions

If using Instant pot, add ingredients to instant pot. Cook on porridge setting. if not using instant pot cook in covered stock pot on stove for 1 hour. Serve with lemon squeezed over and crispy fried garlic sprinkled on top. Add additional toppings as desired.

Thai Basil Beef Stir Fry (Pad Gra Prow)

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Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp oil
  • 1-5 Thai Chilies depending on spice level
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • About 1 lb Beef sliced into strips
  • 1/2 of a medium size onion cut into strips
  • 1/2 of a bell pepper cut into strips
  • 3 Tbsp Oyster sauce
  • 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
  • 1 Tbsp Fish Sauce
  • 1/2 Tbsp sugar
  • 1/2 Bell Pepper sliced into strips
  • 1/2 Onion sliced into strips
  • Fresh ground black pepper
  • Dark Soy sauce (optional)
  • 2 handfuls of Thai Basil

Directions

Add oil to pan when hot, then add chilies and garlic that have been smashed together into pan. Fry till fragrant then add in meat. Cook to outside is brown then add in onion and pepper and cook another 1 to 2 minutes. Now add the the next 6 ingredients that have been combined in a bowl ahead of time. Cook a few more minutes then add the Basil and cook for another minutes, then serve over rice.