Yucatan Green Chile Saute ~ Instant Pot

Chile is often on the menu at our home and this Yucatan Green Chili Saute from Melissa Joulwan's book Well Fed Weekends, has become a favorite!  We love that this is a quick onepot meal which includes protein and vegetables.  Even better, it's delicious freshly made or as leftovers.  Of course in our home, no good recipe can be left as found so we tweaked this one to our taste by mostly amping up the heat.  We also made this in the Instant Pot instead of on the stovetop.  Both are easy but we're in love with our Instant Pot and use is whenever possible. Great thing about chili, it's easily tweaked to your individual taste.  Check out both Melissa's original recipe and our adaption and make one or both, you won't be disappointed.

Yucatan Green Chile Saute ~ Instant Pot (Adapted from Well Fed Weekends)

• 1/2 TBS. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 lbs. ground beef
• 1 tsp. Himalayan salt
• 1 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 1/4 tsp. sweet smoked paprika
• 2/3 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves
• 6 oz. tomato paste
• 2 TBS. red wine vinegar
• 1/3 c. raisins
• 1 head cauliflower, shredded or riced
• 8 oz. roasted hatch chilies (We use fresh but can use canned.  Can also use diced green chilies)
• 1/4 c. dry roasted pumpkin seeds (shelled) when serving

Cumin - lime sauce  (have all ingredients at room temperature)

• 1 egg yolk 
• 3 TBS. fresh lime juice
• 1/4 tsp. Himalayan salt
• 1/3 cup avacado oil or light tasting olive oil
• 2 large garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro leaves
• 1-2 small fresh jalapenos, (seeds and ribs removed if you want less heat)

Set the Instant Pot to saute and add the olive oil, heat until warmed.  Add the onion and saute until golden.  Add the garlic and saute until fragrant.  Add the ground beef, salt, cumin, paprkika, pepper and oregano and brown the meat, breaking it up as it cooks.  Once browned, add the tomato paste and red wine, mix well.  Add the raisins, cauliflower and chilies.  Mix well. Lock the lid on the Instant Pot, close valve and set high pressure for 10 minutes.  Use natural pressure release.

While the chili is cooking, prepare the cumin-lime sauce.  

Place all the ingredients in a flask, and using an immersion blender, blend until thick and creamy.  Or, place all ingredients in a blender and blend till smooth and thick.

Serve the chili with a drizzle of the cumin-lime sauce and sprinke on some pumpkin seeds for a little crunch.

Enjoy~~

Creamy Tomato Soup ~ Instant Pot

It's a snowy day here in Georgia and nothing is better than a hot delicious bowl of soup.  Maisie put in her request for Creamy Tomato Soup.  As we had all the necessary ingredients in the house, her wish was granted.  This recipe was made in our 8-qt Instant Pot but could easily be made in any pressure cooker or even in just a pot on the stove.  We enjoy the soup with a bit of added heavy whipping cream, just for some extra creaminess, but even without the cream the soup is creamy delicious!

Creamy Tomato Soup ~ Instant Pot

• 4 Tbsp. ghee or butter
• 1 med. onion, large dice
• 2 small potatos, peeled and large dice
• 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper 
• 1/3 cup sundried tomatoes
• 1 - 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 1 - 14.5 oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 -  6 oz. can tomato paste
• 4 cups water
• 2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (optional)

Heat pressure cooker and add the ghee.  Once metled, add the diced onion and sautee until tender.  Add the potato, garlic & black pepper.  Mix well and saute until the garlic is fragrant.  Add the sundried tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, and salt.  Close the pressure cooker and steam release valve.  Set high pressure for 10 minutes.  When time is up, allow for 10 minutes of natural release and then release any remaining pressure with quick release.  Use an immersion blender to blend the soup smooth.  Add additional salt and pepper to taste.  If using the cream, stir in before serving.  

Enjoy

Sweet & Sour Un-Stuffed Cabbage Soup

We adore stuffed cabbage but making it can be awfully time consuming. Enter Un-Stuffed Cabbage Soup, tastes just as delicious and takes just a fraction of the work and time to make.  We make this for a quick hearty meal in the pressure cooker which cuts the time even more, but it’s just as easily made in a pot on the stovetop.
Sweet & Sour Un-Stuffed Cabbage Soup 

• olive oil
• 1/2 lb chuck steak, 1/2-inch dice, seasoned with salt & pepper
• 1 lg onion, diced
• 8-10 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 2 medjool dates, chopped
• 1/4 cup raisins
• juice of one lemon
• 1 tsp. sour salt
• 28 oz. can whole plum tomatoes
• 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 4 c. chicken or beef stock
• 1 small head green cabbage, roughly chopped
• salt & pepper to taste

(I make this in a pressure cooker but you can use a soup pot.)
Heat the olive oil and then sear the chuck steak cubes on all sides until browned. Remove the steak from the pot and set aside.  To the same pot add the onions and sauté until they begin to caramelize.  Add the garlic and ground beef and cook until the beef is browned.  Return the steak to the pot and add all the remaining ingredients.  Cook until the cabbage is tender. (I use a pressure cooker, 15 minutes at high pressure and then I let it cool to reduce the pressure instead of just releasing the valve)  Salt and pepper to to taste.  This is good the first day but gets better after it sits a day or two.
Enjoy!

Pressure Cooker Balsamic Collard Greens

I totally admit that I have no earthly clue on how to make a big ol’ bowl of collards look beautiful in a picture, but what I do know is how to make them taste amazing!  This recipe takes five minutes of hands on work, 20 minutes in the pressure cooker and then you’ll be eating some of the most delicious collards you’ve ever tried.  Though I do love me some southern collards rich with bacon, ham hocks and butter, this recipe is much more diet friendly and so packed with delicious flavor, I don’t even for a moment miss those other ingredients.  I hope that you’ll give this recipe a try and trust me, you’ll be licking the bowl.

Pressure Cooker Balsamic Collard Greens

• 1 lb. fresh collard greens, washed & cut into 2-inch wide pieces (I used a bag of washed and cut ~ ready to go)
• 1/2 cup chicken stock, can use beef stock or vegetable stock
• 1 TBS. olive oil, or oil of your choice
• 1 1/2 TBS. tomato paste 
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 
• 1 TBS. Whey Low Gold or brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt 
• 1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
• 1 cup medium diced sweet onion
• 6 large garlic cloves, minced

Add the stock, olive oil, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, Whey Low Gold, salt & pepper to the pressure cooker and stir to mix.  Stir in the onion and garlic.  Add the collard greens and seal the pressure cooker.  Over high heat bring to full pressure and then reduce temperature to low.  Cook for 20 minutes.  Remove the pressure cooker from the heat and either run it under cold water or release the steam via the valve.   Open and stir to coat all the collards with the sauce. 

Enjoy!