Instant Pot Bone Broth

Bone broth is in!

The thing is, I grew up with bone broth, before bone broth becomes a gut-friendly super food. To me, bone broth is a traditional food, an integral part of my diet, a soup my mom would make to serve with a plate of steamed fish and stir fried greens.

Finally, after having these soups in my entire life, I’m learning that bone broth is good for your joints, your skin, your gut, your immune health and just about everything else. Some ancient mama wisdom there!

Now I make bone broth in an Instant Pot, with or without Chinese herbs, as a soup base for noodles or broth for cooking. It is easier to make than you think!

Start with collecting vegetable scraps or using a standard assortment of veggies such as carrots, celery, mushroom stems, ginger, garlic, onion and scallions.

Put vegetables in an Instant Pot with roughly 2 pounds of bones. I used beef bones here but you may use chicken, pork, turkey or fish.

Add a dash of apple cider vinegar, salt and enough water to cover the veggies and bones. Seal the pot and cook at high pressure for 120 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally. Let the broth cool before straining into jars for storage.

Refrigerate overnight. Scoop off the excess fat that settles on the top and discard the next day.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 pounds bones from beef, pork, chicken or turkey

• 2 medium carrots, scrubbed and cut in half

• 3 celery ribs (or ends and leaves)

• 1 large yellow onion, quartered

• 6 cloves of garlic, lightly smashed

• Herbs and aromatics on hand (sage, rosemary, thyme, parsley, scallion, ginger, peppercorns)

• Other vegetable scraps such as mushroom stems

• 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• Water

• Sea salt to taste

METHOD:

1. Place bones, all vegetables, herbs, aromatics, vinegar into Instant Pot.

2. Add enough water to just cover the bones and vegetables in the pot.

3. Place lid on Instant Pot and lock into place.

4. Flip vent valve to ‘Sealing’.

5. Select ‘Manual’ setting and adjust time to 120 minutes (keep hitting minus till it reaches zero, hit minus again and it will automatically land on 120 minutes).

6. When cooking is done, allow pressure to release naturally (this might take 20-30 minutes).

7. Allow broth to cool before straining into jars for storage.

8. Refrigerate overnight.

9. Scoop off excess fat and discard the next day. (The fat from the bones will settle on top.)

No-cook oats

Looking for a quick breakfast idea? 

This No-Cook Oats recipe, like most of my recipes, is a formula that allows you to substitute almost every ingredient that the recipe calls for. You may soak the oats overnight or prep it first thing when you wake up in the morning. Let it sit for half an hour and by the time you are showered and dressed and ready to go, so are the oats. 

Seriously, this is so easy and versatile there is no reason to skip breakfast or spend $8 for a latte and chocolate croissant every morning!

Here is the formula:

• 1/2 cup uncooked rolled oats

• 1/3 cup unsweetened yogurt (dairy or coconut)

• 2/3 cup milk (dairy or nut)

• 1 tablespoon chia seeds (or ground flaxseeds, hemp seeds)

• fruit (banana, berries, any fresh fruit in season or frozen)

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

• honey or maple syrup to taste (optional)

• chopped nuts (any kind, optional)

To do it the no recipe way, mix rolled oats with any combination of milk and yogurt in a large bowl or mason jar, add in a chopped ripe banana to sweeten it. Throw in chia, flax or hemp seeds and more fruit if you have them on hand. Mix well, cover and let it sit in the fridge for half an hour or overnight. (Use frozen fruit ONLY if you are soaking the oaks overnight.) When you are ready to eat the oats, stir in more milk if you desire a thinner consistency, throw in some chopped nuts and sweeten it with maple syrup or a drizzle of honey if necessary.

Shaved Asparagus and Quinoa Salad

This is more of a summer salad idea than a full-on recipe. A few simple ingredients, no exact amounts to follow, something that can be casually put together in minutes! I brought this dish to a potluck barbecue and it instantly became a big hit!

SALAD INGREDIENTS: 

• Asparagus, shaved into ribbons
• Quinoa, white or red or mixed, cooked and cooled off.
• Scallions, chopped
• Fresh mint leaves, torn into small pieces
• Avocado, chopped into small chunks

SALAD DRESSING:

• Olive oil
• Lemon juice
• Salt & pepper

HOW TO SHAVE ASPARAGUS:

First, trim or snap off the ends of each spear. Then, holding the spear by the cut end with one hand, use a peeler to slice away from your hand with steady, even pressure. When the stalk starts to flatten, flip it around so the flat side is down, continue slicing until it's done. If the tips fall off, simply add them to the pile of shaved ribbons.

My best ever green juice recipe

There is no better way to quench your thirst than the coconut water, pineapple and ginger combination. Throw in spinach and spirulina, you have a super green drink! 

I am addicted....

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup coconut water
• 2 handfuls spinach
• 1/2 Persian cucumber or a 2-inch piece regular cucumber
• 1/2 cup frozen pineapple
• 1/2 inch piece ginger
• fresh mint
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• 1/2 teaspoon spirulina
• Squeeze of lime
• Maple syrup to sweeten (optional)
• 2 or 3 ice cubes (optional)

Blend all ingredients and serve.

Vegan Kale Pesto

Vegan Kale Pesto Recipe:

• 1/2 cup pine nuts
• 1/2 cup pistachios
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1 cup kale leaves 
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2 teaspoons nutritional yeast 
• salt & pepper to taste

Instant Pot One-Pot-Pasta

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 zucchini, sliced into thick chunks 1 small onion, sliced
• 1 small shallot, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 12 white mushrooms, sliced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon sherry wine
• 3 cups vegetable broth (or combination of broth and water) 2 tablespoons tamari
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce (optional) 1 pound whole grain penne pasta (or gluten free pasta of your choice)
• 1 (5.5 ounce) can tomato paste salt and pepper to taste

METHOD:

1. Switch Instant Pot to Sauté Mode. When hot, put in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add zucchini, a sprinkle salt and brown for a few minutes. Remove from pot and set aside.
2. Add I more tablespoon of olive oil, throw in onion, shallot and garlic and sauté for a few minutes.
3. Add mushrooms. Mix in oregano and basil. Stir and cook for a few minutes.
4. Deglaze the pot with sherry wine, add broth, tamari, fish sauce (if used).
5. Pour in (dry, uncooked) pasta, stir in tomato paste. Make sure pasta is submerged in the sauce completely. If not, add more water.
6. Close the lid. Switch Instant Pot to Manual Mode and cook for 4 minutes at high pressure. When 4 minutes is up, wait 5 minutes and use the quick release method to de-pressurize.
7. Open the lid. If the pasta is too al dente, close the lid and leave it in the pot for a few extra minutes.
8. Stir in zucchini. Season with salt and pepper.

BUY AN INSTANT POT HERE

One Pot Chicken Rice with Shiitaki Mushrooms

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 chicken drumsticks
• 1-2 cups shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, sliced
• 2 teaspoons tamari
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• 2 cups jasmine brown rice
• 2 3/4 cups chicken broth or water
• salt 

METHOD:

1. Marinade chicken and mushrooms with a sprinkle of salt, ginger, tamari, sesame oil and maple syrup. (The longer you marinade the chicken for, the more flavorful it is. But if you don't have time, add more tamari at the end when it is done cooking.)
2. Pour rice into Instant Pot, add broth or water. 
3. Mix in marinated chicken and mushrooms.
4. Switch Instant Pot to Manual Mode and cook for 22 minutes at high pressure.
5. When 22 minutes is up, let the pressure come down naturally.
6. Open the lid. Stir and mix. Season to taste with tamari or salt. 

BUY AN INSTANT POT HERE

Instant Pot Lentil Soup

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups dry brown or green lentils
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 8 cups vegetable broth (or combination of water and broth)
• Vinegar, salt and pepper to taste

METHOD:

1. Switch Instant Pot to Sauté Mode. When the pot is warm, add olive oil, sauté onion for a few minutes. Add garlic and sauté for another minute.
2. Add carrots and celery. Cook for a few minutes.
3. Put in oregano, basil and bay leaves. Stir and mix well.
4. Put in lentils and tomatoes.
5. Add broth or a combination of broth and water. Stir and mix.
6. Close the lid. Switch Instant Pot to Manual Mode. Put it on for 12 minutes at high pressure.
7. When 12 minutes is up, use the quick release method to de- pressurize immediately.
8. Open the lid. Add vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Throw in spinach or favorite greens to serve.

BUY AN INSTANT POT HERE.

Asian Sesame Chicken (or tofu) Salad

This Asian Sesame Dressing is super versatile and makes a delicious cold appetizer dish with either shredded chicken or tofu.

Ingredients:

• 2 stalks green onion, finely chopped
• 4 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons tamari
• 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine) or Sherry wine
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon brown rice vinegar

Mix all the ingredients together. 

For Asian Sesame Chicken Salad, layer cucumbers at the bottom, add Instant Pot shredded chicken, drizzle Asian Sesame Dressing and sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Mix well and serve.

For Asian Sesame Tofu Avocado Salad, layer cucumbers at the bottom, add tofu and avocado on top, pour in Asian Sesame Dressing, garnish with sesame seeds, cilantro and serve.

Instant Pot Shredded Chicken

Always having pre-cooked protein in the fridge is one of my top kitchen practices. And what is an easier way to make a big batch of shredded chicken than the Instant Pot?  

Here is what you need:

• Instant Pot
• 1 steamer rack
• 1 steamer basket
• 4 chicken breasts (skin on or off)
• 1 cup of water

Here is how you do it:

1. Add 1 cup of water to Instant Pot.
2. Put a steamer rack down, add 2 pieces of chicken breasts on top.
3. Layer a steamer basket on top of the first tier of chicken breasts. Put 2 more pieces of chicken breasts on top to create a second tier.
4. Close the lid and cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes.
5. When the timer is up, leave the chicken breasts in Instant Pot for 10 minutes to de-pressurize (even if the floating valve drops before the 10-minute mark.)
6. Open the lid. Take out the chicken breasts and set them on a plate to cool off for 5-10 minutes.
7. Shred the chicken breasts with your hands or 2 forks.
8. Store them in containers. Refrigerate or freeze. 

What do you do do with a big stash of shredded chicken? I fortify my noodle soups and lentil soups with the extra protein and make delicious salads and stir-fries with it.

Get the recipe of Asian Sesame Chicken Salad here

Read this article from Jen Reviews about Pressure Cooker vs Slow Cooker

Buy an Instant Pot here