EGG-cellent Pressure Cooker Eggs!

I love eating eggs, but the hassle of boiling and peeling them is so annoying! No, it's not the most complicated task, but my peeled eggs often look like Freddy Kreuger peeled them. I found myself buying bags of pre-boiled/peeled eggs, and cringe at how expensive they were when compared to a carton of eggs.

Well, like with many other kitchen tasks, the Instant Pot is a game changer! Even Alton Brown (my culinary hero) says steamed eggs are the best.

There are many, many, many egg recipes for the Instant Pot. This is what worked for me and the texture we like to eat.

I added 1 cup of water to my Instant Pot. Then, I put a metal steamer down in the pot.

 I loaded it up with 2 dozen eggs. Note the manual cook time of 4 minutes.

Now, this is where the main 'boiled' egg recipes differ. You may find some recipes that say to cook your eggs for 12-16 minutes - that's because they do a quick release and straight into an ice bath. I continued to cook them in a natural pressure release. I did 5 minutes, but honestly - 4 would have been better.

Some of my eggs cracked. There are theories that eggs touching the side will crack (my cracked ones go counter to that theory), and others that you should let your eggs get to room-temp before cooking. Not the end of the world.

Three on the bottom were awesome explosions! Only one yolk ruptured, the others were just odd oblong shapes. All the eggs went into a bowl with lots of ice to instantly stop them from cooking.

I was looking for the right-sized tupperware to store them in but realized I had the perfect plastic carton!! I washed it out with soap/water first and dried it before loading up the boiled eggs. See the lovely 'odd' eggs in the back left? They still taste the same!!

So, in Instant Pot terms, I do 'boiled' eggs for 4/4/5: 4 minutes pressure, 4 minutes natural pressure release (NPR), and 5 minutes in an icy, icy, icy bath.

With Easter coming up, who's making deviled eggs?!

I have egg poaching pods... I'm thrilled to try that next!!

Instant Pot Freezer Meal Trial

Y'all... I'm obsessed with the Instant Pot - you can find it HERE  on Amazon!! It's my new favorite kitchen gadget. Technically it's 7 gadgets - pressure cooker, rice cooker, steamer, sauté pan, slow cooker, warmer, and yogurt maker. I've used the first 5, and I got the smaller one with no yogurt. In hindsight, I should have gotten the larger one. Not just for the volume of food, but for the ability to stack protein/steamed veggies, or layers of cake (yes - this thing makes desserts, too!!).

Why do I love the Instant Pot so much? First, I have poor time management skills, so being able to put frozen chicken into the pot, and set it to 13 minutes is a major game changer! Second, eggs - game changer. Post on eggs alone will be coming. The meat comes out more juicy than any other cooking method. We weren't in the market for a new kitchen gadget, but when our rice cooker bit the dust the Instant Pot joined the family.

I found this awesome site that has a boot camp plan for 30 meals. I didn't feel like doing an 8 hour prep, nor do I have space for 30 meals. So, I picked my 3 favorites and gave it a go.

I went to Dollar Tree and got these 9 cup Betty Crocker plastic containers. They sell them online, with a minimum of 24 - so if you're up for the whole plan, go for it! Otherwise swing by Dollar Tree and pick a few up. Side note - they have some awesome stuff there!! Helium balloons for $1! Birthdays just got a whole lot cheaper around here.

 

 The three recipes I chose were Hawaiian Chicken, Zuppa Toscana (Olive Garden copy), and Turkey & Sweet Potato Chili. We tend to eat ground turkey most, with chicken as a close second. The Zuppa's italian sausage fits right into our tastes.

Here's my tiny helper adding a tablespoon of diced garlic for the Hawaiian Chicken freezer meal.

Another helper shot - helping wash the potatoes for the Zuppa Toscana.

It only took me about 2 hours to make 10 meals. I had a giant 10lb bag of individual frozen chicken breasts from Costco that I wanted to use up, so I just split the remaining ones into 2 tubs and added teriyaki sauce to one, and ginger rosemary citrus sauce to the other. The 3 bagged ones and rice are being dropped off to support a friend.

*I added the heavy cream to the bagged Zuppa, but left it out of our 'pot' because the Instant Pot doesn't do well with milk, and neither does our son. I'll add it afterwards to our individual bowls.  

See on the right - that's one of the tubs propped up in the Instant Pot (on top of a coffee pot - otherwise it wouldn't be visible). It can go from freezer right into the pot! How cool is that?! No frozen bag brick all wonky in the pot! 

  

Here's 5 freezer meals in our basement freezer.

And the other two meals in our main freezer. 

I'll be back to post reviews of the recipes, but based on the ingredients, I don't know how they wouldn't be absolutely delicious!! 

To drop a bit of science on you, the Instant Pot (pressure cooking) is one of the healthiest cooking methods. A friend shared this article with me - to summarize: pressure cookers cook at a lower temperature and retain 90-95% of nutrients!

Also, there's some level of nervousness (dare I say fear) about pressure cookers. This isn't your mom's (or grandmother's) stove-top pressure cooker. It has many safety features and you have to really try hard to make it malfunction.

Expect many more Instant Pot posts - including some more freezer meals! My goal over the next few months is to be more mindful and purposeful with our meals.

The InstantPot link above is an Amazon affiliate link. If you buy one I'll get a few cents. Getting rich over here!! 

Have an absolutely wonderful day!! ~Langley

Shopping with Allergies

A friend recently asked for some help navigating allergens for her son. Shopping has become second nature for me, as I've lived with food allergies for 30 years. I would love to take everyone on a shopping adventure, but I figured a virtual shopping trip would be the next best thing!!

This is by no means an inclusive list, but it's a good set of staples and snacks to help open your mind to allergy friendly items. It's also a good idea to ALWAYS read the labels before they go into your basket. Companies change formulas often and don't often advertise the changes.

The first thing to look at is the label itself. There are three ways manufacturers identify the top 8 allergens (milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soy). 
1) The first (and becoming most popular) is to list all allergens in bold as a summary at the end of the ingredients. CONTAINS:MILK, SOY, EGG. This is the easiest to read, but you can't assume you're safe if you don't see this.
2) Some companies will bold/italicize the allergen in the list of the ingredients. This sometimes helps, but at size 4 font it all often looks the same.
3) Unfortunately, many companies don't identify allergens at all
The red/white label here has CONTAINS: SOY and the yellow one overlaid just has cream/milk listed with no identification. 

So, without further ado, here's my milk/peanut/tree nut list of favorites...

Our first stop is Target:

Sunbutter is my favorite peanut butter alternative. From peanut eaters I've heard it's closer than soy butter. Also, they have single-serve packs (new) to add to lunch boxes if you have a peanut-free school! If you're a crunchy fan, they sell it at HyVee or online.

GoGo Squeez apple sauce pouches are a great easy snack. Remember, all fruits and veggies are safe, as long as you aren't eating the allergen itself!

Our house loves cottage bread. Not all cottage bread is milk free, but the Village Heath brand is!

It blew my mind when I realized Oreos don't have milk… nothing in this picture has any dairy!! It's a chemical storm, but allergy friendly. (Peanut butter Oreos are not safe)

Wheat Thins are one of our grab and go snacks!

Most cereals are milk-free. Even the frosted kinds! 

No milk in any of these!

Popcorn and pretzels are a great allergy-free snack! Just be sure to avoid the cheddar version of both.

Breakfast on the go? Milk free!

Van waffles have organic and gluten free options, and have no milk!! They are kosher, don't contain artificial colors, cholesterol, egg or soy/corn. It's one of the most allergen friendly buys! Blueberry is our favorite, but the apple cinnamon is yummy as well.

Compared to Eggos that have all sorts of other allergens (and 7 grams of sugar to Van's 3):

You have to keep a close eye on things; these turkey meatballs are safe (and delish) but the italian style and beef versions contain milk.

The Immaculate brand and Annie's are mostly milk free. Seriously; fudge brownie cookies have NO DAIRY!!! Everything in this picture is safe.

Most margarines are safe because they're just oil. Earth balance was what we use for the kids (there's a soy free option).

I have a love/hate relationship with soy milk. Silk has lots of options, but is really high in sugar.  17 grams of sugar in chocolate soy milk!! Since we are a nut and milk free house, Almond & Cashew milk are out. Rice milk is super watery and also high in sugar. Some kids can handle goat's milk, but it's harder to find and you'll want to run it by your doctor.

I forgot to take a picture, but in their freezer section they have the So Delicious fudge mini bars and ice cream. A great dairy-free treat! I haven't tried the yogurts yet, but they're a great alternative if your kids are used to yogurt. 

 

Now some Trader Joe favorites:

We eat their Mandarin Orange Chicken at least once a week. It bakes on a sheet pan in the oven and we pair it with rice and veggies! The Beef on the left is also safe and yummy.

Their Cherry Chocolate Chip soy ice cream is sooooo yummy, but really bad for you. My kids inhale the tiny ice cream sandwiches. There used to be a chocolate kind, but our store stopped carrying them. They have a good coconut milk ice cream selection as well!

These are the best school snack! Free of all major allergens and delicious. There isn't much in the box though… so not an economical buy. 

Costco:

Our kids live on these. They are always so gummy and have a fresh flavor. The sugar content is also less than most other gummies (with a shorter ingredient list). I saw them at Sam's Club last time I was there, too.

We buy our soy milk by the case. They used to have a plain kind, but the vanilla actually has less sugar. They store at room temperature, so they're great to throw in a backpack for the day until we have to open them. 

HyVee:

Many of the treats at Target are also here (and I get fuel rewards - wahoo!!). These 'fudge' bars are the current favorite treat:

Bonus for HyVee is grocery delivery (with the option for no substitutions) so you can have all your allergy free goodness delivered to your doorstep!

Remember, this is just a partial list. We also eat pasta, meat/chicken and lots of fresh fruits & veggies. It's just a starting place with some of our favorites!!

Good luck, and happy eating!

Detox - The Food Kind

Sorry for the hiatus; is March nuts for other people?

The no buying thing is still working out. Unfortunately, I've replaced my buying stuff errands with buying food errands. So, I've gained back almost 1/2 of the weight I lost last year. So, it's time to detox.

I'm not a doctor, and I can't tell you if my plan is healthy for everyone, but I hope it works for me! I have a sugar monster… and the Easter grocery store mania doesn't help. A friend posted that they were doing a Whole30 detox which got me on the kick. I've done the 21 day sugar detox before, and it was AMAZING! Click here for the book. 

I wanted to do something a bit different this time, and I wanted to do something focused on resetting my gut. I did some shopping, and here is my plan:

Each day will start with a detox drink. 1/4 cup no-sugar-added cranberry juice and a tablespoon each of apple cider vinegar and lemon juice. You can dilute it if you want, but the lemon cancels out the ACV and the cranberry juice is just really tart. 

Why these ingredients? Cranberry is great for the lymphatic system and cleaning the kidneys. Apple cider vinegar helps decrease inflammation, detox the liver and improve circulation. Lemon juice helps the immune system and aids digestion. 

I plan to almost exclusively eat chicken, so to help with boredom, I cooked a variety of flavors. 

Herb, balsamic, and lemon pepper to be exact. I always cook chicken with low-sodium organic broth in the oven at 325 degrees for 45 minutes. I did all 3 at the same time, so I increased the time to an hour.

I LOVE cooking in my Pyrex dishes. I threw away most of my plastic storage a while ago, for chemical issues, and replaced it with this set. I like that they can go from oven to fridge:

I'll also have one of my favorite protein drinks each day. I get these from the Vitamin Shoppe, but they sell them online, too. I like the Orange best, but the Alpine Punch and Grape are also good. For 160 calories, 40g of protein, and no sugar, you can't beat it!

**If you purchase anything from any of the links in my post, I may receive small financial compensation from the selling company. I haven't been paid to post or use any of the products, I just want to share what I love with all of you!

Cheesecake Wontons

I couldn't decide what I wanted to bring to a recent potluck. I was really craving something sweet, but I wasn't sure what to make. So, I went rogue and made something up! Luckily, it turned out really yummy.

Without further ado, meet my cheesecake wontons:

It was super easy to make, and was a healthier version than it could have been.

8oz reduced fat brick of cream cheese
1 cup Splenda 
wonton wrappers
Sugar Free Strawberry Jam
Reduced Sugar Grape Jelly
Cup of water
Lemon Grapeseed Oil
Powdered Sugar

Mix the cream cheese and Splenda in a blender.
Pipe the mix into the wrappers.
Add the jam/jelly to the wrappers
Dip a finger in the water and seal the wrappers
Fry in oil for 4 minutes
Cool & sprinkle with powdered sugar

I tried some in different folds. The envelope worked best because each bite had some filling. 

They were a hit and have been added to my recipe rotation!

It's a Pumpkin time of Year

It seems everyone goes pumpkin crazy mid-October. I can't complain, because I love pumpkin!

If you haven't seen John Oliver's rant on Pumpkin Spice, you'll get a good laugh:

Every autumn, my first 'to do' is to create pumpkin muffins. They are one of the easiest recipes you'll ever come across and are delicious!

Ready? You don't even need a pencil!! 

1 box cake mix (any kind!)
1 can pumpkin
1 can water
bake per box directions

That's right. 1 box 1 can (emptied of pumpkin and filled with water) and that's it!! No eggs, no oil, nothing else needed.

My favorite is using carrot cake or spice cake, but you can do chocolate or yellow cake too.

The muffins are a bit more dense than normal. If you want more 'fluffy' muffins with a cake consistency, add 5-7 minutes to the cook time. 

If you want to get fancy you can make mini-pumpkin loafs and make a quick royal icing to top them with!

Watermelon Jigglers - Vodka optional

This yummy recipe kept showing up online, so I decided to make it for our block party as an 'adult' treat. You can certainly make the recipe kid-friendly by leaving out the booze. 

Ingredients:

1 Melon

4 3oz boxes of flavored jello

2 1oz boxes of plain gelatin 

4 cups boiling water

1 cup fresh juice

4.5 cups booze

Here's my take on things:

I cut a gorgeous watermelon in half with the flattest side down (where it grew on the ground) and then melon-balled out layers to have useable melon for a side dish.

 I used a spoon to scrape out most of the inside (be sure to get all seeds). You want to be sure to leave some of the flesh and be sure not to poke through the rind. 

Unfortunately, it seems everyone was in the mood for watermelon jello… 3 stores I visited were out of watermelon jello. So, I kept it red and mixed up some options so there wasn't the mental confusion of biting into a cherry watermelon! The only melon flavoring was some water infusion, so I gave a few squirts of that in hopes for a melon essence. 

I boiled my water and mixed in all of the jello powders and whisked until everything was dissolved. Then, I added 1 cup of juice from my melon castoffs and 4.5 cups of vodka (mix up the ratio to make weaker/stronger slices, but you'll want at least 3 cups of water for them to harden).

Here is the mixture pored back into the melons (note: if there isn't a really good flat side, you'll want to prop them into bowls to set).

I left the melons in the fridge overnight - it should take about 4 or 5 hours to set up. Then, I sliced those puppies!

Each slice was then cut into 3 smaller slices (and I trimmed off the edges).

On the second half I found it easier to cut from the bottom.

The jello sticks to the remaining red flesh left - another reason you don't scrape too much out of the inside.

This made a TON of slices. In hindsight, I would have made 1/2 kid friendly by just leaving out the vodka (substituting more juice or water). The kiddos were certainly intrigued by them. I made little label cards that said 'Adults only - 21+' so even if I wasn't watching the dish, parents would know.

I've seen it made with oranges/lemons - but that's a lot of work for each small fruit. I like how quickly and easily a giant melon came together. 

The guys over at QITC made a variation they posted to Facebook using cantaloupe, lime jello and tequila to make 'margarita wedges'! There are endless possibilities!!