Healthy Instant Pot Recipes– There’s no denying it, the Instant Pot pressure cooker trend is here to stay. I’ve pulled together my favorite healthy Instant Pot recipes for you to bookmark and make at home.

Here’s a funny secret, I’ve had a pressure cooker for years. Way before the Instant Pot became the “cool kid” in the kitchen. One of my earlier recipes on the blog is proof of how long we have been using ours. This is my Shrimp Risotto pressure cooker recipe…it cooks so fast and is a hands-off risotto. I made this when I had toddlers and they all loved it! I would note to use grass-fed butter nowadays, and try some nutritional yeast instead of the parmesan cheese. (Thank goodness my food pictures have improved right?!)

I now own not one, but two pressure cookers. I have no excuse for not meal prepping like a boss on the weekends. Well, except for that thing called life and kids getting in way. But seriously, the Instant Pot is so handy for prepping some easy things to keep ready in the fridge for the week ahead. Here’s a quick list of prep ideas:

• Hard Boiled Eggs
• Sweet Potatoes
• Brown Rice (always shop for Lundberg rice as it has the least amount of arsenic.)
• Chickpeas (for my  hummus recipes, including a chocolate and edible cookie dough version)
• Bone Broth (I alternate between my slow cooker version, and my Instant Pot, depending on my schedule. Read this story about why I drink bone broth every morning.)

TIPS FOR MAKING HEALTHY INSTANT POT MEALS

One of the best cooking tips I can give you about the Instant Pot is that size matters. Many recipes you read are tested for the 6 Quart pots. If you have an 8 Qt pot like I do, I often take a few minutes off the timing. It takes longer for the pot to get pressurized because of the additional space. This is still a part of the cooking time, and it can dry out meats if you are not careful. For recipes that are 5 minutes or less (like eggs) I don’t change the timing.

Most slow cooker recipes can be adapted to Instant Pot cooking. If you have a family favorite slow cooker recipe, look for a similar one online with Instant Pot timing and use that as a guideline. I’ll be doing this when I make corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick’s Day.

MEAT MATTERS

The quality of meat matters in these recipes. Opt for grass-fed beef, pastured chickens, and wild salmon. A recipe is no longer healthy if you opt for conventional meat, which drives up inflammation in your body. If you don’t have a farm local to you, Butcher Box grass fed meat is a great option with at home delivery.

Your goal is to nourish your body with the best possible sources of meat (if you are a carnivore,) as it’s long-term inflammation in the body that causes disease.  Let’s skip that part, okay?

MY FAVORITE HEALTHY INSTANT POT RECIPES

1. Instant Pot 5 Ingredient Enchilada Chicken
2. Paleo Chicken Tikka Masala
3. Mexican Stuffed Sweet Potatoes (2 part recipe, I suggest making the potatoes ahead of time)
4. Chili Lime Salmon– make the salmon and keep plain for kids, or share the spicy sauce for the brave ones!
5. Instant Pot Hamburger Soup– this is a very kid-friendly soup. I will often strain out the broth to serve to my youngest. 
6. Instant Pot (or slow cooker) Chicken Pot Pie– so comforting on a cold day. 
7. Healthy Instant Pot Lamb Stew
8. Grain free Instant Pot Porridge– this is from the Paleo Cooking with your Instant Pot Cookbook. 

Do you have a healthy Instant Pot Recipe you love? Head over to our Facebook group and share it in the community.  Join all the other moms there trying to put healthy meals on the table, using all of my culinary nutrition guidance.