Growing up, my mom practiced the art of “everything has a place” and “everything put away in its place,” which in terms of the kitchen, meant the only small appliances on the counter were the toaster and coffee maker. I’ve followed suit with the coffee maker but I’m hard pressed to keep anything else on the counter I don’t use every day. You can see the bar is high. 

Given that standard, you may be surprised that the second small appliance on my counter isn’t a toaster but rather, my Instant Pot. Keep reading to learn why.

THE PERFECT SNACK MADE PERFECTLY

I love hard-boiled eggs; they’re tasty, portable and a great source of high-quality protein. And the Instant Pot is the perfect way to make this perfect snack! A few times a week, I’ll place a dozen eggs in a steamer basket, add 1 cup of water to the inner pot and cook the eggs using the 5-5-5 method. (Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes, allow the Instant Pot to naturally release for 5 minutes and then plunge the eggs into an ice bath for 5 minutes.) This is the fastest and most reliable way I’ve found to achieve easy-to-peel hard-boiled eggs. Tip: The fresher the egg, the harder it is to peel. For hard-boiling, reach for eggs that have been in your fridge for at least a week.

SAUTÉING (AND CLEANUP) MADE SIMPLE

We’re huge fans of grass-fed ground beef in our household. And I’ve been converted to browning all ground meat in my Instant Pot using the sauté setting. Why? The Instant Pot has a removable “inner pot” that’s made of stainless steel, which means I can scrape the bottom without worry of releasing any chemicals into the food. And the inner pot is deep, preventing splattering on nearby surfaces (or me). Lastly, it’s a breeze to clean! Simply remove the inner pot, place it in the dishwasher and voila!—cleanup complete. Tip: I sauté 2-3 pounds of ground meat at a time in my 6-quart Instant Pot. Consider the 8-quart appliance if you have a large family or plan to batch cook larger amounts.

SAVE TIME WITH QUICK COOKING

Last but not least, the Instant Pot allows me to cook—hands off—in a fraction of the time. Whether it’s cooking quinoa, a whole chicken or a big pot of chili, my Instant Pot is a one-stop-shop for getting meals prepped fast. Tip: Remember the Instant Pot takes about 10 minutes to warm up; when planning your recipes, pad the time +10 minutes for a more accurate cook-to-table estimate. 

And there you have it—three [of the many] reasons why I love my Instant Pot. Convinced? Buy yours here: https://amzn.to/49zLWEn

Want more individualized help? Consider signing up for the Food Prep & Planning package! I’d love to help you prep and plan healthful meals for your household (with or without an Instant Pot)!

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