Instant Pot Red Beans & Rice

For the Beans:

• 1 lb. Camellia dried red kidney beans, rinsed & soaked using long-soaking or quick-soaking method
• 4 c. water 
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 celery ribs, chopped
• 4-6 cloves garlic
• 1 T. parsley flakes
• 2 tsp. thyme
• 2 tsp. marjoram
• 2 tsp. salt 
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. liquid smoke
•  1/2 tsp. black pepper
•  4 bay leaves 

For the Rice: 

• 2 c. brown rice (I use Jasmine.)
• 2 c. water 
• 1 tsp. salt

 Toppings or add-ins:

• Frank's Red Hot or desired hot sauce
• Jarred roasted red peppers (optional)
• Greens such as chopped Romaine or Spring Mix (optional)

Pour the soaked & drained beans into the Instant Pot with 4 cups of water.  Place the vegetables and spices on top of the beans. Close the lid and set it to cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.  Let the pressure come down naturally before opening the lid.  Discard the bay leaves, and mince the garlic cloves back into the beans with a garlic press (or smash with a fork on the side of the pot.) If you have two Instant Pots, cook the rice ingredients in the second pot for 30 minutes (high altitude timing) with natural pressure release.  If not, cook the rice separately.  Stir as much of the brown rice as desired into the bean mixture.  In individual bowls, serve the beans and rice over a bed of greens and top with roasted red pepper and hot sauce as desired. 

Note:  I have tried making the recipe with other brands of red kidney beans purchased locally, but Camellia beans are more tender and delicious.  Since my family loves this recipe so much, the extra cost of ordering Camellia beans online is worth it to us.

Plant-based Butternut Bisque (Instant Pot or Stovetop Instructions)

Ingredients:

• 7 cups butternut squash, cut in cubes
• 1 cup sweet potato, cut in cubes
• 1 large sweet onion diced
• 4 cloves of garlic, peeled & smashed
• 1/3 c. water for sauteing
• 1/4 c. roasted red pepper from a jar (may omit if not available)
• 2 tsp. crushed dried rosemary
• 2 tsp. salt (or less to taste)
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. each, onion and garlic powder
• 2 tsp. liquid smoke
• 5 cups vegetable broth (I use water and Seitenbacher vegetable seasoning.)
• 1 to 2 T. cashews (optional)
• 1/2 cup almond or soy milk

Note:  It is easier to peel a butternut squash with a serrated peeler. 

Saute the onion, garlic, and rosemary in the 1/3 cup of water in the Instant Pot or in a 5-6 qt. soup pot on the stove top until the onion is translucent and the water is evaporated, about 5 minutes.  Add the rest of the vegetables, spices, and broth to the pot.  The ingredients should reach no higher than the 10-cup line on the IP liner.  I put the cashews in a small stainless steel strainer on top of the soup, or tie them up in cheesecloth.  In the IP, cook on Manual 10 minutes, then quick pressure release.  On the stove top, simmer the soup for about 25 minutes until the vegetables are very soft. Blend the cooked cashews with some of the broth in a separate container with an immersion blender (stick blender), then add the cashew cream back into the pot with the plant milk, blending with the immersion blender until completely smooth and creamy.  Alternatively, blend the soup ingredients in batches in a regular or high speed blender.

Spinach Enchilada Casserole

Ingredients for enchilada sauce:

• 1 15 oz. can black beans - rinsed & drained
• 1 10 oz. pkg frozen spinach - defrost, drain, squeeze out excess moisture 
• 1 1/2 c. frozen corn
• 3 cups salsa of preferred heat
• 2 tsp. ground cumin

Combine all ingredients in medium saucepan thoroughly.  Bring to a boil then immediately reduce heat, cooking until heated through.  Keep on low heat until ready to assemble casserole.  It is okay for some of the liquid to evaporate.

Ingredients for cheesy sauce, adapted from Jill McKeever:

• 1/2 c. gluten free oats (not processed in the same facility with wheat)
• 1/4 c. nutritional yeast 
• 1  tsp. salt
• 1/4 c. roasted red pepper - drained if from a jar
• 1/4 c. diced onion (red onion is best)
  
• 1 T. lemon juice 
• 4 drops liquid smoke
• 2 cups water

Notes:   I make this in a Nutribullet, adding the water last up to the max fill line, reserving the rest of the water to add after blended. 

Blend all ingredients, then pour into saucepan and heat whisking constantly until just starting to thicken.  Remove from heat.  The sauce will thicken more as it bakes.

Other ingredients:

• 12 corn tortillas 
• Optional toppings to choose from - lettuce, diced fresh tomatoes, black olives, cilantro, guacamole or diced avocado, lime wedges, hot sauce

Layer 6 tortillas in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. (Pan in picture above is actually larger than 9x13). Spoon half of the enchilada sauce over the tortillas. Spread half of the cheesy sauce. Repeat.  Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes. Serve as is, or top as desired.

Black Bean Mango Salsa

I updated a favorite recipe to eliminate the oil, and it tastes great without!


2 15 oz. cans or 1 26.5 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
4 mangoes, diced or 1 jar mangoes or 1 10 oz. (or larger) pkg. frozen mangoes
1 can shoe peg corn, drained
1/4 c. up to 1 c. flat leaf parsley or cilantro chopped
1 c green onions (just the green part) thinly sliced
1 red pepper diced
½ c aquafaba (liquid from cooked beans, canned or homemade; better to use liquid reserved from a light-colored bean for this recipe)
¼ c balsamic vinegar

Mix all the ingredients together and refrigerate for hours to let the flavors mingle before serving.

Instant Pot Curried Vegetable Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

• 1/2 large onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 4 carrots, very thinly sliced 
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 1/3 cup water
• 15 oz. can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 8 cups water
• 1 T.  coconut aminos
• 2 T. vegetable bouillon
• 2 tsp. salt (+/-)
• 1 tsp. curry powder
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1.5 cups small pasta, uncooked (I used Tinkyada brown rice shell pasta.)
• 1 T. peanut butter, almond butter, or sugar-free sun butter
• 2 large handfuls of baby spinach

Saute the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic cloves with 1/3 cup water in the Instant Pot until the water is evaporated and the onion is translucent. Add the beans, water, and seasonings and bring to a boil using the Saute feature adjusted to "More."  (Bring the soup to a boil before adding the pasta to prevent overcooking.) 

Read the stove top cooking instructions on the bag of pasta.  To find the pressure cooking time, take the lowest cooking time listed, divide by 2, and round down to the whole number.  For instance, my pasta instructions said to cook for 13-14 minutes, and I set my Instant Pot to cook on high pressure for 6 minutes.  Add the pasta and close the lid.  

When the cooking time is done, quick release the pressure.  Open the lid and stir in the nut butter and the spinach.  Serve when the spinach is wilted down and the nut butter has melted into the broth.  Sprinkle nutritional yeast on the individual servings if desired.  6-8 servings.

Instant Pot Southwest Vegetable Chili

Ingredients:

• 1/2 onion, finely diced
• 2 large cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
• 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 15 oz. can cannellini or Great Northern beans, undrained
• 15 oz. can corn, drained  (I put in a bit less than a whole can.)
• 14.5 oz. diced fire-roasted tomatoes
• 4 oz. mild diced green chiles
• 3 cups of potato, diced in bite-sized pieces
• 1.5-2 cups of carrots, sliced
• 4 cups vegetable broth or water + bouillon
• 1.5 T ground cumin
• 2 tsp. salt (or to taste)
• 1 bay leaf
• pepper to taste
• 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup freshly-squeezed lime juice
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 tsp. maple or date syrup or other sweetener (optional)

Add all of the ingredients to the pot except for the celery, lime juice, cilantro, and optional sweetener.  Close the lid and set the pot to manual 15 minutes.  When the Instant Pot is finished cooking, quick release the pressure.  Add the celery, close the lid, and pressure cook for 5 more minutes.  After quick-releasing the pressure again, stir in the lime juice, cilantro, and sweetener if desired to adjust acidity.  Serve.  If more heat is desired, sprinkle with red pepper flakes, or add hot sauce.

Instant Pot Creamy Zucchini Soup

Ingredients:

• 10 medium zucchini, cut in thick rounds
• 4 -6 large cloves of garlic, smashed
• 2 tsp. salt (or less)
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 3/4 tsp. ginger powder
• 3/4 tsp. ground coriander
• 4 cups vegetable broth OR water + 1 T. vegetable bouillon (see instructions)
• Red Hot or black pepper to add to individual servings (optional)

  Add 4 cups of broth or water and bouillon to Instant Pot liner and set it cook at high pressure for 15 minutes.  Add the zucchini rounds (I use a paring knife and slice the zucchini directly into the pot), garlic cloves, and dry spices.  The zucchini should mound above the level of the water so that the soup will be thick and creamy.  Close the lid and let it come to pressure. After the cooking time is done, quickly release the pressure, open the lid, and blend all of the contents  with a stick blender until completely smooth.  Alternatively, blend the soup in batches in a regular or high-speed blender.  I like to add some dashes or Red Hot to my bowl of soup, while other family members prefer sprinkling with black pepper.

Stovetop instructions: Simmer the soup covered in a regular pot for 30-45 minutes before blending.

Fast & Frugal Stovetop Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 cups vegetable broth OR water+bouillon
• 14.5 oz can green beans with liquid
• 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes 
• 1 cup frozen corn (or canned)
• 15 oz can garbanzo beans, drained
• 1/2 tsp each: garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and oregano
• 1 tsp. salt (or less)
  

4-6 servings

Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized saucepan and simmer for at least 5 minutes before serving.  I like to put the green beans in first and cut them in half quickly with kitchen shears.  I have 15.25 oz cans of corn in my pantry, but I don't like to put in the whole can. 

Serving Ideas:

• Stir in some leftover rice or mashed potatoes (pictured).
• Use as a gravy over mashed potatoes.

Recommendation:

I like Seitenbacher vegetable bouillon because it is gluten free and soy free (not an affiliate link).  

Instant Pot Calico Bean Soup

Ingredients:

• 15-bean soup mix (1 lb. package, throw out seasoning packet)
• large onion, diced
• 2 large cloves garlic, smashed
• 2-4 stalks celery, sliced
• 1-2 cups carrots, sliced
• 14.5 oz. diced tomatoes
• Vegetable broth, or water and vegetable bouillon (see instructions below for amount)
• 2 TBSP coconut aminos (or other liquid aminos or soy sauce)
• 1.5 tsp liquid smoke
• 2 bay leaves
• 1.5 TBSP dried parsley
• 1 TBSP dried rosemary
• 1.5 tsp thyme
• 1.5 tsp marjoram (or omit and increase thyme to 1 TBSP)
• .5 tsp black pepper
• salt to taste

Pre-soak the beans according to the helpful hipcooking guide.  It is possible to cook this recipe without soaking the beans, but since I live at an elevation over 5,000', I use the quick-soaking method to reduce the cooking time.

Place the diced onions and garlic in the bottom of the pot liner, then add the beans, spices, and liquid seasonings, reserving the diced tomatoes.  Add enough vegetable broth until the liquid reaches the 10-cup line on the pot.  Make sure the silicone gasket is in place, lock the lid, set the valve to sealing, press the bean/chili button (or manual) and adjust the time to 35 minutes.  When the cooking time is finished, let the pressure go down on its own for 10-15 minutes before opening the valve and releasing the rest of the pressure.  Check the beans for preferred tenderness.  If the beans need to cook longer, then close up the cooker and set it for 5 minutes or more.  Stir in the diced tomatoes and serve.

Serving Options:

• Sometimes we like to serve the soup over some salad greens in the bottom of the bowl.  The greens add some crunch and it eliminates the need for salad dressing on the side salad.
• For lunch the next day, serve the soup over baked or mashed potatoes, or...
• Saute greens and mix in some of the soup for a meal of beans 'n greens