Name: Eggplant Parmesan
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 small eggplant, sliced thin; 2 cups vegetable broth; 2 cups marinara sauce; 1 cup mozzarella, for serving; fresh basil, for serving

Instant Pot Eggplant Parmesan

January 15, 2020 By Kristi

Today, I'm tackling homemade instant pot eggplant Parmesan. Cheesy, saucy, delicious Italian classic eggplant Parmesan made simple in the instant pot!

I'm so excited. Every year on my birthday, I order eggplant Parmesan from a local restaurant that has a complimentary birthday meal.

Why? Because it's kind of a pain to make eggplant Parmesan myself and, I really shouldn't have the wheat (I skip the noodles, but it's still lightly breaded). And, because I love eggplant Parmesan!

I'm a superfan of risotto, too. It's a toss-up between those two for all-time favorite Italian dish. And what's up with most everyday Italian places not having risotto on the menu anymore? Sad. So, for the 364 (or sometimes 365) in between my birthdays) I need to come up with an easier way to make a gluten-free version at home.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my eggplant tian. It's delicious and it's pretty close to eggplant parm, so it nearly satisfies that desire, but if I really want parm it's not quite right. And my more recent discovery of chickpea Parmesan is absolutely fantastic. And so simple!

But again, it's not the same. So, today, we're doing it. We're going full eggplant parm. Well, minus the breading. Because, honestly, to me, that's not the important part. I do have a recipe coming up in the future for eggplant parm bites that are breaded and are more like nuggets. But for now, we're going with thin slivers of eggplant, marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.

Instant Pot Eggplant Parmesan

Ingredients

1 small eggplant, sliced thin

2 cups vegetable broth

2 cups marinara sauce

1 cup mozzarella, for serving

fresh basil, for serving

Instant Pot Method

Place all ingredients except mozzarella and basil in instant pot and cook on low pressure for 30 minutes.

Note: If your marinara is thicker, you can also use the pot-in-pot method to prevent the burn warning. Use a smaller oven-safe dish, or the inner pot for a 3-quart instant pot for your food. Then, pour 1 cup of water in your larger instant pot. Place the trivet in the bottom and the smaller pot with the food inside on top before cooking.

Top with cheese and basil.

Serve over noodles.

Slow Cooker Method

Place all ingredients except mozzarella and basil in slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours.

Top with cheese and basil.

Serve over noodles.

Yield: 8

Eggplant Parmesan

Today, I'm tackling homemade instant pot eggplant Parmesan. Cheesy, saucy, delicious Italian classic eggplant Parmesan made simple in the instant pot!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Additional Time 10 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 small eggplant, sliced thin
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups marinara sauce
1 cup mozzarella, for serving
fresh basil, for serving

Instructions

Place all ingredients except mozzarella and basil in instant pot and cook on low pressure for 30 minutes.
Top with cheese and basil. (Cover and switch to saute mode or pop under your oven broiler for 5 minutes if you want to melt the cheese.)
Serve over noodles.

30 Meatless Instant Pot Freezer Meals

January 9, 2020 By Kristi

Check out these 30 meatless instant pot freezer meals to start the year out right, especially if you just got a new instant pot for the holidays!

They're all vegetarian, and if they're not already vegan, I've included vegan options. Most of the recipes are gluten-free so your family can enjoy these meals with multiple restrictions. I'll also let you know a few of my tips and tricks for using your instant pot if you haven't used one before or you just want to learn a bit more about this mystery machine.

Can I still use my slow cooker?

Yes! All of the recipes include the OG slow cooker method or, in some cases, even stove-top cooking method. Oh my! As a rule of thumb, if you want to convert your own slow cooker recipes, here's how I roll:

8 hours on low, slow cooker: 30 minutes on high pressure, instant pot
4 hours on low, slow cooker: 15 minutes on high pressure, instant pot

Generally, that works out pretty well, and I allow the pressure to naturally release on those times.

How do I freeze and reheat these recipes?

For freezing, I highly recommend using these super cool reusable silicone freezer bags and making sure they lie flat when you first freeze them to save space so you can stack them up in your freezer.

But you can also use freezer-friendly canning jars and these reusable lids. The handy thing about the jar method is that this way freezes the meals into cylinders, which means once you defrost it enough to slide it out of the jar, you can just plop that dinner popsicle right into your instant pot to reheat! Win!

So, reheating. You can reheat however you like, really. Stove top, oven, toaster oven. I don't own a microwave, so I don't use that. But, if you want to use your instant pot, here's what to do in most cases.

Leave your freezer bag in the refrigerator overnight to thaw. Use your SAUTE MODE to warm the meal through. It usually takes about 5 to 10 minutes. If necessary, complete the dairy portion of the meal. This will be necessary if there was dairy involved and you froze the meal prior to the dairy step. I really recommend this because adding the dairy isn't a big step and you have to warm up the meal anyway, so Win-Win.

In case you're wondering why you don't pressurize the dairy, it splits under pressure and sorta curdles, it's super gross looking. Ask me how I know! I totally thought a little cream would be fine. I worked it out and reheated it and made it less gross, but still, don't do it!

TL;DR

So, to sum up, cook the pressurized portion of the instant pot meal, freeze (pro tip: write the dairy instructions on a card taped to the bag). Thaw it in the fridge overnight. Reheat and add your dairy on the saute function of your instant pot. Make rice or pasta if necessary to serve.

Why is this thing so scary?

I know, right? It's like, pressurized and you can't peek at your food and internet horror stories and such. I'll admit it, when I first got it, I made Mr. Meaty run it for me for a while. I was scared of it. I let it own me.

But you know, I got over it. Just like I eventually got over the same fear of my pressure canner. I did this, you can do this. I am a naturally (VERY) clumsy person. I am not dead. So, it will not kill you either. You should totally not do dumb things like open it while it's running or let little kids open it and such. Use sound judgement. And check out these safety tips.

But, it works and it's safe and it's totally worth it. It's amazing at beans and rice and boiled eggs for one thing. Seriously amazing. For those three staples alone all vegetarians should consider owning one. I now own two after taking literally years to be talked into one because I genuinely thought they were primarily for cooking meat.

So, don't be stubborn like I was, embrace this puppy and be happy cooking your dry beans in an hour. It's awesome.

30 Meatless Instant Pot Freezer Meals

SOUPS, STEWS & CHOWDERS

Vegetable Chowder — **VEGETABLE CHOWDER**
Vegetable chowder is one of our all-time favorite meals. And now we're doing it Paleo-style, so it's gluten-free and grain-free Paleo vegetable chowder. I've given you vegan alternatives if you need them as well as freezer instructions.

CURRIES & SAUCES

DESSERTS

**HOMEMADE APPLESAUCE**
Homemade applesauce is stupid easy. I mean, seriously. I know, I know. You hear that a lot on the internet. But this is easy for real!

GET RECIPE

Cranberry Sauce IP — **CRANBERRY SAUCE**
Canned cranberry sauce is chock full of high fructose corn syrup and other nasty stuff. So make your own delicious homemade sauce in your instant pot!

GET RECIPE

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7 New Year good luck recipes

December 31, 2019 By Kristi

Ring in the new year in style with these 7 New Year good luck recipes that will bring you abundance. And, they'll be tasty, too! While the southern tradition is to have black-eyed peas and collard greens, New Year's traditions from around the world vary from 12 grapes at midnight (Spain) to tasty tamales (Mexico), so expand your New Year's day menu to include a few of these tasty treats.

Check out these 7 New Year good luck recipes

1. Black-Eyed Pea Minestrone

Trade out some of the beans for black-eyed peas in this masterpiece, which can be made with all sorts of leftovers. It's a great crisper-cleaner-outer in my experience. So use it for all of your new year's needs, throw those collards in, too! Why not!

2. Tamales

Hello! I love these corn and black bean tamales and they'd be a great way to celebrate the Mexican New Year tradition. And, if you wanted to get super into it, you could combine two traditions and replace part of the black beans with black-eyed peas! Bonus.

3. Black-Eyed Black Bean Soup

Swap out about one-fourth of your black beans for black-eyed peas in this delicious black bean soup for a black-eyed pea dish that, you know, still tastes delicious. Win.

4. Vegan Chili with Black-Eyed Peas

Third verse same as the first. Just mix in some black-eyed peas instead of using all black beans in this delicious vegan slow cooker chili and you'll be all set for the new year. I've chosen my top three favorite black bean recipes, but you can really pick any black bean recipe to swap in black-eyed peas! I think it'd be great in a 7-layer dip, too.

5. Dal Makhani

OK, this might be a stretch. But, Italians celebrate with a lentil stew called cotechino con lenticchie, and well, Dal Makhani is one of my favorite lentil dishes. So good and it's kind of a stew. I skip the sausage that the Italians serve alongside the lentil stew, but you do you. The lentils represent money and good fortune. You can also find a yummy red lentil soup in my Super Easy Vegetarian Slow Cooker Cookbook. It's a delicious, light Mediterranean-inspired soup.

6. Chicken Soba Noodle Soup

Sub in some buckwheat soba noodles for the rice noodles and have yourself a merry little new year with this delicious chicken noodle soup (use chickpeas for a vegan version). The Japanese tradition of eating soba noodles at midnight on New Year's Eve dates back to the 17th century, and the long noodles symbolize longevity and prosperity.

7. Hoppin John Sliders

My traditional favorite meal is a burger that incorporates slow cooker hoppin' john, made of creamy black-eyed peas, with collard greens mixed in. You mix them with gluten-free breadcrumbs and mold the hoppin' john into sliders or nuggets for a tasty, easy-to-eat good luck meal.

Note: Soak and Cook Dry Beans

If you're starting out with dry black-eyed peas, here's how to cook them in your slow cooker.

And don't forget to follow the Spanish tradition on New Year's Eve and eat your 12 grapes at midnight! Enjoy!

Chickpea Parmesan

December 26, 2019 By Kristi

Instant pot chickpea parmesan is one of my new favorites. It's so incredibly simple. If you use premade sauce, it's stupid easy. You can even use already cooked chickpeas and reduce the cooking time. I absolutely love this dish, which is a riff on chicken parmesan, so you could also call this vegetarian "chicken" parmesan if you like.

My first parmesan love is eggplant parmesan, an Italian restaurant classic. I enjoy it every year on my birthday at a local restaurant that has a free birthday meal and it's so tasty. The full breaded and baked version is kind of a lot of work to make yourself, but it's worth it.

I have a few versions of eggplant parmesan and its related culinary adventures here on the site like eggplant tian and eggplant caponata. But man, I'm cheating on my eggplant and I'm loving it. I'll have to try an eggplant version in the instant pot now that I've figured this out though. I love how easy this is to throw together!

I hope you love this as much as I do. You can easily make this recipe vegan by using nondairy cheese or a "cheesy" vegan topping in lieu of the mozzarella.

Chickpea Parmesan

Ingredients

1/2 cup dry chickpeas

2 cups vegetable broth

2 cups marinara sauce

1 cup mozzarella, for serving

fresh basil, for serving

Instant Pot Method

Place all ingredients except mozzarella and basil in instant pot and cook on low pressure for 30 minutes.

Top with cheese and basil.

Serve over noodles.

Note: If you use precooked chickpeas, reduce your cook time to 15 minutes.

Slow Cooker Method

Place all ingredients except mozzarella and basil in slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours.

Top with cheese and basil.

Serve over noodles.

Note: If you use precooked chickpeas, reduce your cook time to 4 hours.

Yield: 4

Chickpea Parmesan

Instant pot chickpea parmesan is one of my new favorites. It's so incredibly simple. If you use premade sauce, it's stupid easy.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Additional Time 10 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 cup dry chickpeas
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups marinara sauce
1 cup mozzarella, for serving
fresh basil, for serving

Instructions

Place all ingredients except mozzarella and basil in instant pot and cook on low pressure for 30 minutes.
Top with cheese and basil.
Serve over noodles.

Instant Pot Cream of Mushroom Soup

December 11, 2019 By Kristi

Cream of mushroom soup is one of those cans that's in every slow cooker recipe known to man. OK, I exaggerate...a tad. But, you don't have to use the canned stuff to enjoy the slow cooker recipes you've come to know and love! You can make preservative-free versions of your favorite cream of whatever soups at home right in your instant pot in no time!

Don't have an instant pot? No worries. Use the slow cooker method.

And the best part? If you want to make it vegan or gluten-free or keto or whatever dietary concerns you have, you can adjust the recipe accordingly. To change the cream of mushroom to cream of chickpea (chicken) or celery or broccoli, just swap in an equal amount of that ingredient.

Instant Pot Cream of Mushroom Soup

Ingredients

24 ounces baby portabella mushrooms, sliced

1 onion, sliced

1/4 cup butter (or coconut oil if vegan)

1 tablespoon

1/4 cup gluten-free flour

5 cups vegetable broth

2 teaspoons thyme

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon salt

1 cup heavy cream (or coconut cream if vegan)

Instant Pot Method

Use the instant pot saute mode on high to melt butter.

Add mushrooms and stir to coat.

Cook for 5 minutes.

Add vinegar.

Cook for 5 more minutes.

Reserve about a cup of mushrooms, set aside.

Add onions and cook for about 5 minutes.

Add flour and coat mushrooms and onions.

Add broth, thyme, and garlic.

Stir and switch to high pressure for 5 minutes.

Quick-release when finished.

Use an immersion blender to blend the soup.

Add reserved mushrooms back in and stir well.

Serve or use in recipes as directed.

Slow Cooker Method

On your stovetop, saute mushrooms in butter and stir to coat.

Cook for 5 minutes.

Add vinegar.

Cook for 5 more minutes.

Reserve about a cup of mushrooms, set aside.

Add onions and cook for about 5 minutes.

Add flour and coat mushrooms and onions.

Add broth, thyme, and garlic.

Stir and place all but reserved mushrooms in a 4-quart slow cooker.

Cook on low for 4 hours

Use an immersion blender to blend the soup.

Add reserved mushrooms back in and stir well.

Serve or use in recipes as directed.

Use your homemade cream of mushroom soup in...

Green Bean Casserole

Chickpea Broccoli Rice Casserole

Slow Cooker Potato Soup

Yield: 12

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Instant pot cream of mushroom soup: You can make preservative-free versions of your favorite cream of whatever soups at home in no time!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

24 ounces baby portabella mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, sliced
1/4 cup butter
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup gluten-free flour
5 cups vegetable broth
2 teaspoons thyme
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup heavy cream

Instructions

Use the saute mode on high to melt butter.

Add mushrooms and stir to coat.

Cook for 5 minutes.

Add vinegar.

Cook for 5 more minutes.

Reserve about a cup of mushrooms, set aside.

Add onions and cook for about 5 minutes.

Add flour and coat mushrooms and onions.

Add broth, thyme, and garlic.

Stir and switch to high pressure for 5 minutes.

Quick-release when finished.

Use an immersion blender to blend the soup.

Add reserved mushrooms back in and stir well.

Serve or use in recipes as directed.

Tikka Masala Mash Pie

November 30, 2019 By Kristi

Tikka Masala Mash Pie is a dream creation of sorts. I was having a conversation with Mr. Meaty on our way to Costco and I dreamed up a dish...Tikka Masala Pot Pie or Shepherd's Pie. My first thought was to put it all inside a samosa shell. But I decided that, while delicious, was a little much on the carbtastic side for a weeknight for me. Maybe for Sunday dinner later.

So, I went with Shepherd's pie style instead.

I'm offering this baby in several versions. My personal favorite is paneer tikka with Bombay potato mash. But if you're keto, you'll want to try the chicken tikka a la Two Sleevers with cauliflower mash. It's fantastic, too, but, of course, not vegetarian. 🙂 Whatever meal plan you follow, enjoy, and eat heartily!

You can also use the fabulous butter chickpeas recipe from my new cookbook. Or, if you have leftover turkey from thanksgiving, use it up instead of chicken by making Turkey Tikka Masala with Urvashi's Tikka Masala recipe.

If you have leftover mashed potatoes, use those, too. It's a great way to use leftovers without getting tired of the same old flavors. And if you're looking for more uses for leftovers, check out this Thanksgiving leftovers post!

So, the end result of my dream is a Tikka Masala Mash Pie, which is a Shepherd's pie style pie, a tikka topped with Bombay potato mash. It has turkey, chicken, paneer and chickpea options.

Check Out My New Cookbook...

You can find more recipes like Butter Chickpeas in my new cookbook. Whether you are a dedicated vegan, a moderate vegetarian, or just a weekend herbivore, The Super Easy Vegetarian Slow Cooker Cookbook is your simple source for recipes that fit into your busy life. With 115 delicious, hands-off recipes, it proves you can spend minutes in the kitchen and still have a delicious end result.

The Super Easy Vegetarian Slow Cooker Cookbook is filled with simple dishes that involve no pre-cooking and that rarely exceed 10 minutes of prep time. Simply load your slow cooker (or Instant Pot) with raw ingredients, go about your day, and return to a ready-to-serve meal.

Tikka Masala Mash Pie

Serves 8

Ingredients

Tikka

Chicken Tikka Masala OR

Butter Chickpeas OR

*Turkey Tikka Masala use turkey in place of chicken OR

Paneer Tikka use 6 ounces Paneer in place of chicken in the Tikka Masala

Bombay Mash

4 Yukon gold potatoes, cubed OR 1 Cauliflower

1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 tablespoon garam masala

1/2 tablespoon coriander

1 tablespoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 tablespoon dried fenugreek

1/2 tablespoon ginger paste

1/4 teaspoon amchur (dried mango powder, optional)

1/4 teaspoon chaat masala (optional)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 small carrots, diced small

1/2 green pepper, diced small

1/2 cup peas

1/2 cup heavy cream

Fresh cilantro and naan for serving.

Sunday samosa pot pie option

2 cups maida flour (or gluten-free flour)

2 tablespoons oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup water

Method

Bake potato or cauliflower for 1 hour at 350 degrees Fahrenheit with remaining ingredients except for carrots, pepper, peas, and cream.

Mash.

Add cream.

Parboil carrots and bell pepper for 5 minutes.

Stir carrots, bell pepper, and peas into the mash.

Layer tikka in serving dish.

Top with mash.

Broil on high in the oven for about 5 minutes.

Garnish with cilantro if desired and serve with naan.

For Sunday pot pie, mix flour with oil until it looks like breadcrumbs. Add water and knead into a firm dough. Add a bit more water if needed. Roll out dough to the size of your pot or pie dish.

For bubbly samosa crust, fry in hot oil until golden brown and bubbly. Then place the fried crust on top of your pie. Alternatively, you can place the raw dough on top and bake the whole pie at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 to 25 minutes. It won't be bubbly, but there is less risk of breakage.

Instant Pot Method

Cook Indian butter chickpeas or tikka masala or paneer via instant pot method.

Add your potatoes and the spices and lemon juice to your instant pot along with 1/2 cup of water.

Cook on high pressure for 4 minutes.

Allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes.

Add cream and switch to saute mode.

Mash and add peas, peppers and carrots.

Place tikka in a cast iron or other oven-safe dish. Top with bombay potatoes. Broil for about 5 minutes until potatoes are golden brown.

*For leftover turkey and mashed potatoes method. Prepare masala sauce in blender. Mix turkey with masala sauce in your dish (I use a cast iron pot), skip marinade and add about 1/2 to a cup of cream or yogurt to the sauce instead.

Add the previously cooked mash on top with the carrots and all. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. Switch to broil for 5 minutes to brown the top of the potatoes.

Serve.

The Super Easy Vegetarian Slow Cooker Cookbook

Want more vegetarian and vegan recipes you'll love? Check out my first cookbook! I'm so excited about it and I hope you'll love it. You can find more information about it right HERE.

Indian Butter Chickpeas, an option in this Tikka Mash Pie, is updated and featured as just one of 115+ yummy vegetarian recipes in the cookbook!

Recipe card

Yield: 8

Tikka Masala Mash Pie

Tikka Masala Mash Pie is a dream creation of Shepherd's pie style tikka topped with bombay potato mash. It has turkey, chicken, paneer & chickpea options!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

TIKKA:
Chicken Tikka Masala OR
Butter Chickpeas recipe from Super Easy Vegetarian Slow Cooker (recipe card below) OR
*Turkey Tikka Masala use turkey in place of chicken OR
Paneer Tikka use 6 ounces Paneer in place of chicken in the Tikka Masala
BOMBAY MASH:
4 Yukon gold potatoes, cubed OR 1 Cauliflower
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon garam masala
1/2 tablespoon coriander
1 tablespoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon dried fenugreek
1/2 tablespoon ginger paste
1/4 teaspoon amchur (dried mango powder, optional)
1/4 teaspoon chaat masala (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 small carrots, diced small
1/2 green pepper, diced small
1/2 cup peas
1/2 cup heavy cream
Fresh cilantro and naan for serving.
SUNDAY SAMOSA PIE CRUST (OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS)
2 cups maida flour (or gluten-free flour)
2 tablespoons oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water

Instructions

Instant Pot Method

Cook Indian butter chickpeas or tikka masala or paneer via instant pot method.

Add your potatoes and the spices and lemon juice to your instant pot along with 1/2 cup of water.

Cook on high pressure for 4 minutes.

Allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes.

Add cream and switch to saute mode.

Mash and add peas, peppers and carrots.

Place tikka in a cast iron or other oven-safe dish. Top with bombay potatoes. Broil for about 5 minutes until potatoes are golden brown.

The Super Easy Vegetarian Slow Cooker Cookbook

November 17, 2019 By Kristi

Fill slow cooker with delicious vegetarian ingredients. Walk away. That simple.

Whether you are a dedicated vegan, a moderate vegetarian, or just a weekend herbivore, The Super Easy Vegetarian Slow Cooker Cookbook is your simple source for recipes that fit into your busy life. With more than 115 delicious, hands-off recipes, it proves you can spend minutes in the kitchen and still have a delicious end result.

A vegetarian slow cooker cookbook this good contains:

Clutter-free―You’ll be shocked at how much time you save after you declutter and organize your kitchen.
At arm’s length―This slow cooker cookbook has a full list of staple ingredients for your pantry and refrigerator so recipes like Indian Butter Chickpeas and Mushroom and Pepper Fajitas are always ready to go.
Homemade ketchup?―The long unanswered question, “Why would I make my own ketchup?” is finally answered in this slow cooker cookbook, along with many other household staples you may never buy again.

Make The Super Easy Vegetarian Slow Cooker Cookbook resource for tasty vegetarian recipes so easy to prepare, they almost make themselves.

Endorsements of The Super Easy Vegetarian Slow Cooker Cookbook...

"Kristi Arnold vanquishes the stress of the 'what’s for dinner' conundrum once and for all with a tempting collection of vegetarian recipes the whole family will be able to enjoy together. From store-cupboard staples to vegetarian versions of kitchen classics like Irish Stew and Butter Chicken, Kristi’s Super Easy Vegetarian Slow Cooker Cookbook has recipes for every occasion. Her friendly writing style and common sense approach make this the perfect cookbook for any busy family, whether they have been vegetarian for years or just want to reduce the amount of meat they eat."

April J Harris

Writer, speaker and founder of AprilJHarris.com

"Kristi gives you all the details and recipes you need to make almost effortless vegetarian food right in your slow cooker. There are recipes for staples like yogurt, how to make your own sourdough starter, and so much more - you need this book!"

Kathy Hester

author Vegan Cooking in Your Air Fryer and Gluten-free Vegan Cooking in Your Instant Pot

Take a peek inside...

Preorder freebies!!

And, if you PREORDER before the book is officially released. I have some free goodies for you! Just enter your name, email address and receipt number (Amazon calls it an order number) in the boxes. Head to the preorder form at the top of the page to enter your information.

You'll receive instructions on how to get your awesome freebies. Thank you so much to all of you who preorder the book. Preorders are super important for book sales (I'm no expert, but my publisher tells me this) so I'm incredibly grateful for every single order. Thank you!!

Here are the freebies you'll receive:

Baby Steps to Clean, Healthy Eating mini ebook
Cooking with Essential Oils mini ebook &
Cooking with Essential Oils printable
Converting fresh herbs to dry herbs printable

If you haven't preordered yet and would like to, please head HERE to learn more about the cookbook and order.

Don't see the preorder form above? Head HERE to enter your email and shoot me an email with the receipt information at [email protected]

KRISTI ARNOLD is a former newspaper reporter and editor who developed a love of vegetarian slow cooking over the course of her "blended-eater" family's journey into a healthy, toxin-free lifestyle. She is the creator of VeggieConverter.com, a website that transforms traditional recipe favorites into easy, organic, and (mostly) vegetarian meals that any family can enjoy together.

Black Bean Tortilla Soup

March 21, 2017 By Kristi

Tortilla soup is one of those Tex-Mex favorites that I've always wanted to love. I mean, how can you go wrong with a soup topped with avocado and pico de gallo?

But, alas, I don't really dig chicken and it's almost always a chicken soup.

So, I crafted this easy peasy Black Bean Tortilla Soup that's vegan and delicious.

It's pretty much a dump the cans and rice into the VitaClay or slow cooker recipe. But, in spite of that, it's actually healthy since it doesn't include any junky cans.

If you want to go fully homemade, you can also swap in soaked and cooked black beans and diced fresh tomatoes and green chiles for the canned variety when they're in season. Just shy of two cups per can is about the right amount.

I added a little hot sauce and a bit of lime juice to mine to give it more punch and the standard recipe was the perfect spiciness temperature for the kiddos. They added shredded cheese and crushed tortilla chips to their bowls.

Black Bean Tortilla Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 can black beans
1 can fire roasted tomatoes with green chiles
2 cans vegetable broth
1-2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix
2/3 cup dry rice

optional toppings: avocado, tortilla chips, lime wedges, cheese, pico de gallo or hot sauce

Slow Cooker Method

Place primary ingredients in VitaClay cooker and cook on SOUP setting for 1 hour.

OR, in a slow cooker, place all ingredients EXCEPT the rice in slow cooker and cook on LOW setting for 2 hours. In the last 20 minutes, add the dry rice and continue to cook.

Serve with desired toppings.

Instant Pot Method

Place all ingredients, except rice, in the instant pot.

Cook on high pressure for 7 minutes.

Add rice. Cook on rice setting until complete.

The Results

Bug, our 8-year-old, loves the chicken version of this soup at restaurants. So it was no surprise that she loved this version, too. I loved it also.

Goose, our 6-year-old, was horrified. Why, you ask? I'll quote her on this one. "Mom, why would you put rice in soup? That's disgusting."

No, she could not explain why it's disgusting. But the rest of the family really enjoyed it. So take that with a grain of Goose-is-sometimes-a-weirdo...ness.

Love it? Pin it, please!

Black Bean Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

1 can black beans
1 can fire roasted tomatoes with green chiles
2 cans vegetable broth
1-2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix
2/3 cup dry rice
optional toppings: avocado, tortilla chips, lime wedges, cheese, pico de gallo or hot sauce

Instructions

Place primary ingredients in VitaClay cooker.
Cook on soup setting for 1 hour or in a slow cooker on LOW setting for 2 hours.
Serve with desired toppings.

Slow Cooker Dal Makhani

February 11, 2016 By Kristi

Slow Cooker Dal Makhani and it's just as delicious (if not better) than the restaurant variety? Yes, please!

We're doing the War on Debt still so we're on a restaurant moratorium. I'm missing Indian food. Even though I've made a few Indian dishes at home, it's never quite the same. So I thought about what was in my pantry (after all, we're STILL doing that pantry challenge...oy, it's gonna be months) and decided, hey, it'd be pretty hard to muck up Dal Makhani, right?

But instead of doing my standard use what's in my kitchen tinker with it technique, I went with (nearly) the exact recipe. Other than swapping out dairy items and switching one type of lentils for another and one type of beans for another, I stuck to it. That's good for me, right? Hah. I cannot be more pleased with how it turned out. It was a HUGE hit with everyone. Even Goose! Who isn't a fan of "spicy" things? She added cream to hers to cool it down (believe me, it's not REALLY that spicy, but it is to her delicate palate).

Dal Makhani

Adapted from Slow Cooker Dal Makhani
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

1 cup dry red lentils
1/2 cup dry black beans
2 tablespoon dry channa dal
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste
4 cups water
GRIND TO PASTE
2 dry, whole red chillies
1 inch piece ginger
6-8 flakes garlic
1 cup tomato puree or sauce
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
2 tablespoons kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
1/2 teaspoon Indian chili powder
1/2 teaspoon aamchoor powder (raw mango powder- can be found in Indian grocery stores)
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
2-3 tablespoons fresh cilantro/coriander, finely chopped

Method

Wash the lentils, beans and channa dal properly and add them to the slow cooker with 4 cups of water. Cook on your VitaClay's SOUP setting for 4 hours (or 8 hours on LOW in a slow cooker) with salt, coconut oil and the ginger-garlic-chilli paste added to the lentils and water.

Mash the lentils a bit and add the tomato puree, kasoori methi, red chilli powder, roasted cumin powder, nutmeg powder, aamchoor, coriander powder, onion powder, and let cook on VitaClay's STEW setting for another 2-3 hours (or 4-6 hours on LOW in a slow cooker).

Add the chopped cilantro and serve with rice, naan or roti.

This was absolutely delicious!! Definitely a new regular at our house.

Instant Pot Method

Add ingredients to instant pot and cook on high pressure for 30 minutes.

Add the chopped cilantro and serve with rice, naan or roti.

Dal Makhani

Ingredients

1 cup dry red lentils
1/2 cup dry black beans
2 tablespoon dry channa dal
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste
4 cups water
GRIND TO PASTE
-2 dry, whole red chillies
-1 inch piece ginger
-6-8 flakes garlic
1 cup tomato puree or sauce
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
2 tablespoons kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
1/2 teaspoon Indian chili powder
1/2 teaspoon aamchoor powder (raw mango powder- can be found in Indian grocery stores)
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
2-3 tablespoons fresh cilantro/coriander, finely chopped

Instructions

Wash the lentils, beans and channa dal properly and add them to the slow cooker with 4 cups of water. Cook on your VitaClay's SOUP setting for 4 hours (or 8 hours on LOW in a slow cooker) with salt, coconut oil and the ginger-garlic-chilli paste added to the lentils and water.
Mash the lentils a bit and add the tomato puree, kasoori methi, red chilli powder, roasted cumin powder, nutmeg powder, aamchoor, coriander powder, black salt, onion powder, and let cook on VitaClay's STEW setting for another 2-3 hours (or 4-6 hours on LOW in a slow cooker).
Add the chopped cilantro and serve with rice, naan or roti.
This was absolutely delicious!! Definitely a new regular at our house.

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Paleo Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

January 6, 2016 By Kristi

We love soup, but our food intolerances and dislikes have made most soups difficult to share. This old fashioned Paleo chicken noodle soup recipe is delicious. I didn't use to like the actual chicken part of the soup, but it's grown on me.

If you're gluten-free, you can use rice noodles. Skip the noodles or use zucchini noodles instead. We have made this soup in various iterations over the past five or six years and it's always delicious. Make it your own by switching out the meat and the veggies to what you like. The broth is the most important part. The balsamic vinegar really gives it a tasty flavor.

Paleo Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

Adapted from CrockPot 365

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds raw ground organic chicken (sub chickpeas for a vegan version)

6 cups bone broth or Easy Slow Cooker Vegetable Broth

1 or 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chunked

1 cup chopped vegetables (we used okra this time, but use zucchini, broccoli, whatever we have on hand)

1 small onion, diced

1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

kosher salt to taste

50-cent piece size, or so, a handful of raw zucchini (or rice noodles if you're not grain-free) to add at the end

1 large handful of raw spinach leaves to add at the end

Method

Start with a VitaClay. or slow cooker with broth and add chicken.

Add all vegetables except for the spinach leaves.

Stir in the vinegar.

Salt to taste.

Cover and cook on VitaClay SOUP setting for 3 hours or for CrockPot on LOW for 7-8 hours, or until sweet potatoes are tender and the onion is translucent.

15 minutes before serving, put in raw noodles and a large handful of spinach.

Cover and continue to cook.

Instant Pot Method

Add all ingredients except noodles spinach to the instant pot.

Cook on high pressure for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook noodles on the stovetop.

Allow pressure to release naturally.

Add spinach and turn on saute mode, medium. Cook until wilted.

Stir in cooked noodles.

Serve.

Need a vegan sick day soup? Check out our Chickpea Root Vegetable Stew.

Paleo Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds raw ground organic chicken (we buy a pack of chicken breasts and send them through a grinder)
6 cups bone broth or Easy Slow Cooker Vegetable Broth
1 or 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chunked
1 cup chopped vegetables (we used okra this time, but use zucchini, broccoli, whatever we have on hand)
1 small onion, diced
1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
kosher salt to taste
50-cent piece size, or so, handful of raw zucchini or rice noodles to add at the end
1 large handful raw spinach leaves to add at the end

Instructions

Start with a VitaClay. or slow cooker with broth and add chicken. Add all vegetables except for the spinach leaves. Stir in the vinegar. Salt to taste. Cover and cook on VitaClay SOUP setting for 3 hours or for CrockPot on LOW for 7-8 hours, or until sweet potatoes are tender and the onion is translucent.
minutes before serving, put in raw noodles and a large handful of spinach. Cover continue to cook.

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Instant Pot Eggplant Parmesan

Ingredients

Instant Pot Method

Slow Cooker Method

Ingredients

Instructions

Can I still use my slow cooker?

How do I freeze and reheat these recipes?

TL;DR

Why is this thing so scary?

30 Meatless Instant Pot Freezer Meals

Recipe Index

SOUPS, STEWS & CHOWDERS

CURRIES & SAUCES

DESSERTS

SOUPS, STEWS & CHOWDERS

CURRIES & SAUCES

DESSERTS

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Check out these 7 New Year good luck recipes

1. Black-Eyed Pea Minestrone

2. Tamales

3. Black-Eyed Black Bean Soup

4. Vegan Chili with Black-Eyed Peas

5. Dal Makhani

6. Chicken Soba Noodle Soup

7. Hoppin John Sliders

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The Super Easy Vegetarian Slow Cooker Cookbook

Recipe card

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Instant Pot Method

Fill slow cooker with delicious vegetarian ingredients. Walk away. That simple.

A vegetarian slow cooker cookbook this good contains:

Endorsements of The Super Easy Vegetarian Slow Cooker Cookbook...

Take a peek inside...

Preorder freebies!!

Here are the freebies you'll receive:

Baby Steps to Clean, Healthy Eating mini ebook

Cooking with Essential Oils mini ebook &

Cooking with Essential Oils printable

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Instant Pot Method

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