Get dinner on the table quickly without a lot of fuss and muss by using a

If you aren’t already part of the initiated who use a pressure cooker, you probably think pressure cookers are unsafe and are only for the pros.

Am I right? I thought so.

That’s because that’s what I thought before I decided to take up the challenge to use a pressure cooker as part of my regular cooking routine. I got acquainted with the idea of pressure cooking after reading a few specialty recipe books for various anti-inflammatory diets (that’s a subject for another post). I started following some Facebook groups devoted to pressure cooking and even downloaded a couple of cookbooks exclusively filled with pressure cooker recipes before jumping in.

A point of clarification about pressure cooking is needed. Mainly, the pressure cookers of today are nothing like the ones your grandmother used and about which she filled you full of horror stories about the red sauce on the ceiling. Today’s cookers are third-generation cookers and include enhanced safety and programmable features that make them not only super easy to use but completely safe when used in coordination with the directions. Third-generation cookers are electric plug-in devices that look very similar to a crockpot–but instead of taking all day to cook a meal, can cook one in as little as ten minutes!

These cookers are fitted with a microprocessor to control for accurate pressure and temperature readings from pressure and temperature sensors are just about magical, as far as I am concerned.

The beauty of pressure cooking is that it’s possible to make a wholesome meal in the evenings without spending three hours in the kitchen. For example, if you wanted to make a whole chicken, instead of the normal rule of thirty minutes per pound, it would be possible to cook by pressure cooking in 15-25 minutes depending on the size. Cook soaked black beans in ten minutes flat. Make lentil soup in 15 minutes and rice in only four (FOUR!) minutes. If you can use a microwave, then you can use a third-generation pressure cooker.

Here are a few pressure cooker recipes to get you started.

Pressure Cooker Recipes for Beginners

1. Fall Off the Bone Whole Chicken

2. Black Bean Soup

3. Chicken Noodle Soup

4. Colombian Vegetable Soup

5. Indian Butter Chicken

6. Thai Red Curry

7. Pork Carnitas

8. 10 Minute Lentil Soup

9. Chili Mac

I do highly recommend the 7-in-1 InstantPot, which is not only a pressure cooker but also functions as a slow cooker and can be used to saute foods before slow or pressure cooking. It can also be used as a rice cooker and to make homemade yogurt and more. If you are going to add another appliance to your kitchen, this is the one to add.

Pressure cookers are great for both meat-eaters and vegetarians alike. The one downside  is that it is yet another appliance cluttering up the kitchen and they are somewhat pricey–most are on the other side of $100. In my experience, though, it’s money well spent. Look at it this way, if you can cook dinner in 15 minutes there is no excuse for ordering take-out!

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The post Pressure Cooker Cooking is About to Change Your Life appeared first on EcoSalon.

Call it the mid-winter doldrums. If you’re tired of returning home after work in darkness, and lacking both energy and inspiration to cook a nourishing meal, how about a warming, healthy, and quick one-dish meal using common (and comforting) ingredients that you might already have in your kitchen?

No special shopping necessary. Just good, simple food that you can prepare quickly so you can move onto what you really want to do like draping yourself in a blanket and reading a book.

Read on for 7 easy, customizable ideas to serve up to two people.

1. Smashed Potatoes and Garlicky Kale with an Egg on Top

20 minutes

1 large or two medium potatoes

2 – 4 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 bunch kale, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Grated Parmesan or Pecorino (optional)

1 over-easy egg (optional)

Put the potatoes whole into a steamer basket and steam until tender. Meanwhile heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet, add the garlic and sauté gently. Add the kale and stir to coat. Add a little water, cover, lower heat and cook kale until tender, stirring occasionally. Add the potatoes to the skillet with the kale and smash them together with a potato masher. Add olive oil, salt and paper, and grated cheese to taste. Serve hot with an egg on top (if desired).

2. Spinach and Rice Soup

20 minutes

2 tablespoons olive oil or butter

1/2 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

1/3 cup white rice

1 bunch spinach, washed

1 quart broth (chicken or vegetable or bouillon based)

Salt and pepper to taste

Grated Parmesan or Pecorino (optional)

In a soup pot, warm the olive oil or butter. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft and fragrant. Add the rice and stir to coat. Add the spinach and sauté until soft. Add the broth and lower heat to a simmer. Cook until rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with grated cheese on top, if desired.

3. Warm Chickpea Salad with Salmon

15 minutes

This one is free form. Add any selection of vegetables you like in your salads. Use any dressing you like, or make this one as directed. Stir in Harissa paste or pesto if you have it, or not if you don’t.

1 can chickpeas, drained

1 can wild Alaskan salmon

2 generous handfuls of salad greens or arugula

1/2 cup of sliced radish, grated carrot, avocado, roasted peppers, or any other vegetable you have (optional)

1 garlic clove, smashed with a mortar and pestle

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Gently warm the chickpeas in a small saucepan as you prepare the rest of the ingredients. Make a quick dressing with the garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil. Combine the warmed chickpeas, salmon, salad greens, and vegetables in a medium bowl. Toss with the dressing and season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Lentils and Sausage with Greens

45 minutes

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 of an onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup lentils

2 cooked or smoked sausages, sliced

1 bunch kale, chard, or spinach, washed and chopped

Paprika or smoked paprika to taste

Lemon juice to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

Warm the olive oil in a medium pot. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft and fragrant. Add the lentils and water to cover by one inch. Bring to a boil, lower heat to a slow simmer and cook until the lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. Add the sausages, greens, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until everything is warmed through and the greens are tender. Add the lemon juice just before serving and correct seasonings.

5. Seasonal Vegetable Coconut Curry Stew

30-40 minutes

2 tablespoons vegetable or coconut oil

1/2 onion, chopped

2-3 cups cubed orange squash, root vegetables, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, mushrooms, or combination of any

1 can coconut milk

Good quality red or green Thai curry paste to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

Cilantro for garnish

Heat the oil in a large soup pot, add the onion and cook, stirring until tender and fragrant. Add the vegetables and the coconut milk and enough water to cover. Bring to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are nearly tender. Add the curry paste and salt and pepper to taste. Continue to cook to blend flavors and until vegetables are the desired softness. Serve over white rice garnished with chopped cilantro.

6. Warm Roasted Sweet Potato and Sausage Salad

20 minutes

1 large or 2 medium garnet sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces

2 to 4 tablespoons olive oil

1 or 2 cooked sausages

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

2 teaspoons pure maple syrup

1 teaspoon grainy mustard

2 green onions, sliced thinly on the diagonal

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Salt & Freshly ground pepper

Toss the sweet potatoes in 1 tablespoon olive oil with a little salt, and put them on a baking sheet. Roast in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 15-20 minutes or until soft and beginning to crisp and brown. Halfway through the cooking time, slide a spatula underneath the potatoes to loosen them and flip them over gently so they don’t break apart.

Meanwhile, cut the sausages into bite-sized pieces and brown and warm them in a skillet with a little bit of oil. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, and a tablespoon or two of olive oil.

Toss the cooked sweet potatoes and sausages together in a medium bowl. Add the green onions, parsley, and dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve warm.

7. Chilaquiles

10 minutes

2 eggs

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1/2 a red onion, peeled and sliced

3 or 4 corn tortillas

3/4 cup of your favorite red or green salsa

Leftover beans, shredded chicken, beef or pork (optional)

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Sprigs of cilantro, crumbled cheese, diced avocado for serving

In a large bowl, beat the eggs until smooth and add salt and pepper.

Stack the tortillas and cut them into eight wedges.

In a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat, warm the 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add the onion, and cook until soft. Increase heat to medium high and add the tortillas. Cook, stirring occasionally, until brown and crispy. Pour in the salsa, and stir to blend. Add leftover meats or beans (if using). With a wooden spoon or spatula, move the tortillas and salsa to one side of the pan, add the teaspoon of oil to the other side and pour in the eggs. Scramble the eggs for a few moments until nearly cooked. Stir them into the tortillas and mix together. Serve immediately garnished with cilantro, cheese, and avocado.

Images: Vanessa Barrington, JoeFoodie

Recipe Copyright Vanessa Barrington 2012

The post 7 Simple, Seasonal, (Nearly) One-Pot Meals appeared first on EcoSalon.