Instant Pot

For those questions and discussions on the McDougall program that don’t seem to fit in any other forum.

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Re: Instant Pot

Postby Risto » Wed Jul 13, 2016 1:44 am

patty wrote:Hope this helps, patty


Yes, thanks!
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Re: Instant Pot

Postby VeggieSue » Wed Jul 13, 2016 3:44 am

roundcoconut wrote:I might be hallucinating, but I almost want to say that I heard her mention that she''ll have the InstantPot version of NRBB soup in her upcoming book? I might be wrong, but I feel like I've heard that. In any event, I'll be making SOME lovely creation or other in the InstantPot in a week!


I've been hearing her talk about this mysterious new book for a few years now. The first time she mentioned it years ago it was another cookbook. The latest incarnation is that the subject is about her struggles, the dawning of UWL, and may or may not contain recipes. A few weeks ago she did say she has an editor and they're working on it, so maybe it really will be done in my lifetime. :) I do know another "program" is being filmed with John Pierre next month, and if it follows the schedule of the original UWL, the new DVD set will come out late winter/early Spring 2017, most likely before any book is released.

As for that soup, I didn't see that 4th cooking party so have no idea if she scaled it down for the IP or not. I've seen it cooked and read about it a number of times and noticed that the 6 cup of water version *is* a scaled down one - the original started with 12 cups:
http://www.torrancememorial.org/News_Center/Nutrition/2013/Rich_Black_Bean_Soup.aspx

I'm sure it could be scaled down even more, but one of the selling points AJ always brings up when demonstrating it is that nothing needs to be cut - just toss whole bok choy, whole onions, whole sweet potatoes. To fit in an IP things will definitely need to be chopped. My point was, roundcoconut doesn't have to wait for the IP to make the soup.
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Re: Instant Pot

Postby roundcoconut » Wed Jul 13, 2016 8:55 am

VeggieSue wrote:I've been hearing her talk about this mysterious new book for a few years now.


I know what you mean! Perhaps she is building up the suspense. Will it happen? Will it have a title? Will my InstantPot be delivered and go out of style before its publication? Will it be published posthumously?

Chaotic, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants types should always work with a co-author! I think this is the problem.

Anyways, I dug a little further and no, Cooking Party #4 does NOT have the IP version of her black bean soup. But red lentil chili is always an option when the IP arrives! I'll figure something out.

I'm thinking that the InstantPot will be a good thing for me, because I live in a teeny tiny space without a kitchen. Can you believe I actually don't have a stove? I have a crockpot, but I think it's going back to the thrift store from which it came. I can't seem to put food in the crockpot when it could just go in my mouth instead. (What does this SAY about me!!!).

On the other hand, I use my recently purchased rice cooker often, and can easily wait 20 to 30 minutes for my food to be ready. So, I'm thinking the IP will function in the same way for me -- I can handle 20 to 30 min of delayed gratification, but definitely I am not accustomed to seeing / smelling food for longer periods but not eating it.
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Re: Instant Pot

Postby VeggieSue » Wed Jul 13, 2016 9:07 am

roundcoconut wrote:But red lentil chili is always an option when the IP arrives!


Any of her chili meals would be fine. We love them all and have one or 2 weekly in this house.

But I hope you have a big refrigerator and/or freezer - they each make a LOT of food! That red lentil one makes 14 cups. The mushroom chili makes so much you can't even add the corn until after it cooks, there's just no more room in the 6 quart pot.

She likes her recipes to make a lot so people *can* freeze them for future no-cook meals. She, herself, uses gallon sized zipock type bags because you can lay them flat to freeze to save room. One bag makes one meal for her and her husband. I usually just plan my weekly menu to serve it twice in one week, with leftovers going for lunches.
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Re: Instant Pot

Postby Vegankit » Wed Jul 13, 2016 4:34 pm

BroccoliForever wrote:
AlwaysAgnes wrote: One of these days I'll try the congee setting.


Last week I tried the congee setting using 1/4 cup steel cut oats and 3 cups water. I cooked it for 20 minutes because I hadn't soaked the oats overnight. I think regular oats would be fine in the auto time set of 10 minutes. I like oat congee better than rice. It was actually really fantastic. I skimmed just the most watery top off and it made a great morning hot beverage. I know oats in the IP can be dicey because they foam, but I used so little that it wasn't a problem. It had come down in pressure quite a bit by the time I started to open the lid.
BroccoliForever, I've been cooking steelcut oatmeal in my instantpot without any problems and I've never seen any foam. There is a recipe for quick cooking steelcut in the recipe section of the book - I follow those instructions. 2 cuts of steel cut oatmeal and 8 cups of water. Set on "Manual" for 3 minutes then let it sit until the pressure has dropped and you can easily open the lid (about 15 minutes). This makes a thick oatmeal which is easy to store in the fridge or freeze in zip lock bags. For breakfast I add water to my oatmeal to thin it.
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Re: Instant Pot

Postby BroccoliForever » Sun Jul 17, 2016 12:42 pm

Vegankit wrote:BroccoliForever, I've been cooking steelcut oatmeal in my instantpot without any problems and I've never seen any foam. There is a recipe for quick cooking steelcut in the recipe section of the book - I follow those instructions. 2 cuts of steel cut oatmeal and 8 cups of water. Set on "Manual" for 3 minutes then let it sit until the pressure has dropped and you can easily open the lid (about 15 minutes). This makes a thick oatmeal which is easy to store in the fridge or freeze in zip lock bags. For breakfast I add water to my oatmeal to thin it.


Wow! Thanks! I didn't realize that. :-D
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Re: Instant Pot

Postby MINNIE » Sun Jul 17, 2016 1:34 pm

Just wondering couldn't some of those large volume recipes be cut by half or a fourth and made in the IP?

I don't use recipes very often, but when I do I usually make half the amount.
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Re: Instant Pot

Postby pundit999 » Mon Jul 18, 2016 8:30 am

MINNIE wrote:Just wondering couldn't some of those large volume recipes be cut by half or a fourth and made in the IP?

I don't use recipes very often, but when I do I usually make half the amount.


Sure. But for most recipes the time in the Instant Pot will remain the same regardless of the amount cooked,
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Re: Instant Pot

Postby patty » Mon Jul 18, 2016 12:33 pm

MINNIE wrote:Just wondering couldn't some of those large volume recipes be cut by half or a fourth and made in the IP?

I don't use recipes very often, but when I do I usually make half the amount.


In listening to Dr. Fuhrman's "The End of Heart Disease" I was reminded Dr. Fuhrman shares preparation if half of the battle. Every so often I still get caught up into it. The Instant Pressure and the Cuisiart Pressure cooker are large machines. I was on Dr. Fuhrman's site and someone posted about Jeff Novick's Fast Food dvd, where meals are not only made in 10 minutes, the cost could be as little as 3 dollars a day. I made the switch to Dr. McDougall. I was exhausted. That is where I realized I was projecting my addiction/unrequited hunger, to purchasing, storing, preparing, cooking and freezing. We equate time to money. I still slip back though. I am just grateful I don't have a full freezer:) Even though normally I only cook for myself, the void is still endless:) Mahalo for the reminder.

Aloha, patty
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Re: Instant Pot

Postby Dougalling » Wed Jul 20, 2016 12:22 pm

Hello

For those considering buying a pre-owned Instant Pot Smart, please note that there was a recall in 2015
http://instantpot.com/instant-pot-smart-recall/
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Re: Instant Pot

Postby StarchHEFP » Wed Jul 20, 2016 3:23 pm

cuddles wrote:Has anyone used an instant pot? I am considering buying one and would like to have some input on how other people like it. What are the pros and cons of the instant pot? Which model instant pot did everyone buy?

Cuddles


I just wanted to post that I have 2 stovetop Fagor pressure cookers, one is 5 quarts and the other is 8 quarts. I use mostly the 5 quart one and occasionally the 8-quart one. It's really not that hard. The Duo has a setting for high and low pressure. I did once purchase a cuisinart electric pressure cooker, but before opening it took it back because I don't have any more room in the kitchen! Anyone who cooks legumes and veggie stews absolutely needs a pressure cooker. Fagor also makes electric models, as does Cuisinart, and Instant Pot even has one you can set with your smartphone. Many times I come home to put the stuff in and turn it on, and then shut off the stove once the pressure builds up for a few minutes (or longer depends what you're cooking), and then turn it off, by the time the pressure is released the food is done.

Here is their recipe guide:
http://www.fagoramerica.com/my_fagor/recipe_library/pressure_cooker

And here is a nice model I wish I had bought - it would be more useful. Currently mine include the Splendid and the Duo models. They do last forever, will never break down, and can work on any type of cooktop. Of course they involve a little more watching and work, but a beautiful purchase anyway.

http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/fagor-elite-5-piece-pressure-cooker-set-only-at-macys?ID=593482&CategoryID=7552
Last edited by StarchHEFP on Thu Jul 21, 2016 7:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Instant Pot

Postby Katydid » Thu Jul 21, 2016 9:44 am

I use my IP to make steel-cut and whole oat groats using the "porridge" button. The only thing with oats is that you need to let the pressure release on its own. If you vent it manually, you risk having "oat juice" spit out the top and all over the counter.
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Re: Instant Pot

Postby Timaca » Thu Jul 21, 2016 11:54 am

I am NOT a fan of oat juice! Or any other kind of food juice spewing out of my IP! ;-)

Lima beans and split peas don't work well in my IP (cooking wise) unless I use 2 tsp oil (not McDougall compliant..but it is what it is). They foam up too much and spew out the top too. So, I either use my crock pot (which I do most often for Lima beans) or I use the 2 teaspoons of oil when I cook the split peas (as they often don't soften in the crock pot). I don't know if it my elevation (7000 feet) or what but....I have that problem....

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Re: Instant Pot

Postby VeggieSue » Thu Jul 21, 2016 12:11 pm

I cook split peas and lentils a few times a week, filled pretty high in the pot when making a Chef AJ recipe, and I've never had a problem and NEVER use oil.
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Re: Instant Pot

Postby Timaca » Thu Jul 21, 2016 12:26 pm

I'm jealous of your non spewing IP!! I 've tried it enough times without oil and ended up with a mess..... :(
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