Instant Pot Cioppino

When the weather starts to cool, I crave warming foods, soups and stews are always a go to. With the help of an Instant Pot, this super flavorful Cioppino comes together in about an hour. I used some of my pre-packaged SizzleFish scallops, wild gulf shrimp, and sable fish, which made it super easy. If any of you are looking to supplement more seafood into your diet, I cannot recommend SizzleFish enough! Everything comes pre-packaged single serving. So you're not having to defrost a ton of seafood at one time. Anyway, feel free to substitute or omit whatever seafood you prefer. I also added some clams and crab legs for that extra "umph." 

What you'll need:

For the soup base:

• 3 tbsp grassfed butter (i.e. Kerrygold unsalted)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, small diced
• 2 medium carrots, small diced
• 2-3 celery stalks, small diced
• 1/2 green bell pepper, small diced
• 1 small fennel bulb, small diced
• 5-6 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 14oz cans of crushed tomatoes
• 2 8oz bottles of clam juice
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tsp Worchestershire (I used a glutenfree brand)
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp cayenne powder
• salt and black pepper to taste
• a handful of parsley, chopped

For the seafood:

• 8 large scallops 
• 1/2 lb peeled and deveined shrimp
• 1/4 lb white fish (I used Sablefish), cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1-2 lbs crab legs
• 1-2 tbsp potato starch
• pinch of salt
• pinch of paprika
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 2 lbs manila clams, scrubbed

What to do:

For the soup base:

1. Using the SAUTE function of the instant pot, heat the butter and olive oil until melted. Add the onions into the pot and saute for 2-3 minutes, until fragrant. Add the carrots, celery, bell pepper, fennel and garlic. Saute for about 5 minutes until the veggies have softened. Add the dried thyme, dried parsley, dried oregano, and cayenne powder. Stir to coat the veggies. Season with a pinch of salt and black pepper. 
2. Add the crushed tomatoes, clam juice, tomato paste and Worchestershire. Stir. Cover and set the Instant Pot to cook for 30 minutes on HIGH pressure. In the meantime, prepare the seafood. 
3. Allow the Instant Pot to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes after it finishes. 

For the seafood:

1. In a cast iron skillet, heat 3 tbsp olive oil or butter over medium high heat. Working in batches, dredge the scallops, fish, and shrimp in the potato flour, paprika, and salt. Shake off excess flour and fry (in batches), until just starting to brown (about 45 seconds to a minute each side). Remove seafood with a slotted spoon. Repeat until all the scallops, fish and shrimp are cooked. Set aside. Fry the crab legs for a minute on each side. Remove and set aside. 
2. Deglaze the pan with 1/4 cup white wine, scrapping up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the clams and cover. Steam for about 5 minutes or until the the clams have all opened. Discard any that are not open. Remove from heat. 
3. After a 10 minute natural release, manually release the pressure. Open the lid and add all the seafood except the clams. Close the lid and set the Instant Pot to cook on HIGH for 5 minutes. 
4. Manually release pressure after it completes, open the lid and add the clams and all the juices. Stir. 
5. Serve with chopped parsley and toasted bread. 

Instant Pot Garlic Pepper Spare Ribs

I live in a small one bedroom apartment with a tiny kitchen. I do not have any open counter space because I own a million kitchen appliances. You name it, I probably have it. And currently, my new favorite is the Instant Pot! I recently upgraded to the newest model, well, because it has a pretty blue LCD screen and a fancy turn dial. But new model or not, it's awesome. I've been pretty busy the last few months with work travel and fun travel that I've been neglecting my normal weekend meal prep. That's where this Instant Pot comes in! It cuts down my cook time so much that I'm able to prep everything all before the sun goes down. I've only ever made stew and braises in my Instant Pot and I wanted to give ribs a whirl. Well, they came out amazingly tender and so flavorful! 

Instant Pot Garlic Pepper Spare Ribs

What you'll need:

• 1.5-2 lbs pork spare ribs, trimmed
• 1/4 cup coconut aminos or gluten free tamari
• 2 tbsp fish sauce (I used Red Boat)
• 3 tbsp whole black peppercorns
• 7-10 garlic cloves, peeled
• small handful cilantro
• 2 stalks scallions, roughly chopped

What to do: 

1. In a food processor, combine, the coconut aminos (or tamari), fish sauce, black peppercorns, garlic cloves, cilantro, and scallions. Pulse until a thick paste - like mixture forms. 
2. Place the spare ribs in the Instant Pot and pour the marinade over the ribs. Massage the marinade into the pork. Flip the pork so it's meaty side down. 
3. Replace the lid of the Instant Pot and manually set it to 22 minutes on High pressure. Allow the Instant Pot to do it's thing. 
4. Once it's finished cooking, allow the Instant Pot to naturally release (allow the valve to depress on its own). Preheat the oven to 450F. 
5. Carefully, remove the ribs from the Instant Pot and place on a silicone lined baking sheet. Brush some of the juices onto the ribs. Roast for 6 minutes. Allow the ribs to rest before serving.
6. The remaining juices can be reduced and used as a dipping sauce. 

Spicy Bacon Chili Meatloaf

Every week, I like to plan my meals. I pick one or two different types of protein and make enough of it to last the entire week. This week, while visiting home for Mother's Day and feeling a little uninspired in the kitchen, I asked my sister for what I could make with some of the items in my freezer. I had ground beef and chuck roast. Sister suggested chili. That's when a got that tingle in my toes and a light bulb went off, "what if I combined chili and meatloaf into one?!" And BAM! My Spicy Bacon Chili lost a little sauce, but made up for in looks! How yummy does this meatloaf look? So anyway, Thanks Sister! You The Best!

Spicy Bacon Chili Meatloaf

What you'll need:

• 1 lb ground beef (or ground turkey)
• 1/2 large onion (softball size), roughly chopped
• 1 small - medium green bell pepper, roughly chopped
• 6 oz white button mushrooms
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1.5 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp cayenne
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 4-6 oz bacon, fried and roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp gluten free Worcestershire (or coconut aminos)
• 1/3 cup salsa (I used 505 Southwestern hatch chili salsa, found at Costco!) 
• 1 egg
• 1 cup chunky pico de gallo (homemade or storebought)

What to do:

1. Preheat your oven to 350F. Add the ground beef/turkey to a large bowl. Add the chopped onions, bell pepper, and garlic cloves to a food processor and pulse until finely minced. Drain the juices using a fine mesh sieve, get out as much water from the onion mixture. Add to the large bowl with the ground meat.
2. Clean and remove the mushroom stems and add to the food processor. Pulse until it resembles ground meat. Add the ground mushrooms to the large bowl with the onion mixture. Add the spices, Worcestershire, 1/3 cup salsa, egg and bacon. Using clean hands or a spatula, mix the meatloaf mixture until just combined. 
3. Pour the meat mixture to a loaf pan and roughly shape into an even sized loaf. Pour the chunky pico de gallo over the top and bake the meatloaf at 350F for 60 minutes. 
4. Remove from oven and allow to cool before serving. 

Spaghetti Squash Tacos

If I had to pick one food to eat for the rest of my life, I think I might choose tacos. I LOVE tacos. I mean, you can pretty much put anything into a tortilla and call it a taco. You can even use lettuce as the tortilla and call it a taco. Wait, does that still count as a taco? Anyway, these spaghetti squash tacos were posted to my Instagram awhile ago, but these were so tasty I had to memorialize them on the blog. Not only are they delicious and healthy, they're also low carb! So my friends who count macros, go ahead an enjoy your tacos. 

Spaghetti Squash Tacos

What you'll need:

• 1.5 - 2 lb spaghetti squash
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt + 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 large egg, whisked
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 oregano
• favorite taco ingredients: pulled pork, carne asada, avocados, guacamole, salsa, fresh cilantro, etc

What to do:

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Split the spaghetti squash length wise. Season each half with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Rub the seasoning into the squash for even coverage. Roast the squash for 40-45 minutes at 400F. 
2. Remove from the oven and allow to cool (about 8-10 minutes). Use two forks to shread the squash into a large bowl and season with the garlic power and oregano. Stir in the whisked egg until evenly coated. 
3. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, divide the squash into rounds and flatten each round into a flattened tortilla shape, about 1/4 inch or less thick. Repeat for remaining squash mixture.
4. Bake at 400F for 12-15 minutes or until edges have browned.
5. Remove from oven and cool slightly. Prepare tacos using your favorite toppings. Enjoy!

Easy Chia Seed Pudding

Chia seed puddings are one of my favorite go to desserts to make. They require minimal time in the kitchen and are easily customizable! Since it's Valentine's Day, I thought I'd share how I put together some of my favorite chia seed pudding combinations. Any of these ingredients can be substituted for another fruit or flavor; if you like raspberries, use in place of the strawberries, etc! If you're treating your love to a home cooked meal, these would be a great after dinner dessert!

Chia Seed Pudding (Base Recipe)
What you'll need:

• 1 cup dairy or non-dairy milk 
• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tbsp liquid sweetener (maple syrup, honey, or agave), optional

Top Left- Black Forest

• Chia Seed Base Recipe
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 oz dark chocolate, melted 
• 1/2 cup pitted cherries
• 2 tbsp water
• coconut flakes

Top Right- Neopolitan

• Chia Seed Base Recipe
• Strawberry Yogurt (store bought or homemade)
• Chocolate Pudding (store bought or homemade)

Bottom Left- Pitaya 

• Chia Seed Base Recipe
• Pureed Pitaya or Acai (frozen packs)
• sweetener or frozen fruit of choice
• sliced almonds
• coconut shreds

Bottom Right - Chocolate Covered Strawberry

• Chia Seed Base Recipe
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 oz dark chocolate 
• 2 tbsp strawberry compote
• Strawberries
• Chocolate sauce

What do do: 

1. To make the Chia Seed Pudding Base, heat the milk over medium low heat until it just begins to steam. Remove from heat and stir in the chia seeds, vanilla, and liquid sweetener. Pour the chia seed mixture into a container, cover and let it cool and thicken in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or overnight. 
2. To make the Black Forest pudding, stir in the cocoa powder and melted chocolate into the chia seed mixture before storing it in the fridge to cool. Cover and allow to thicken. Make the cherry compote by heating the pitted cherries and water over medium heat until the cherries have softened, about 10 minutes. Layer the puddings with the compote, coconut flakes, and chia seed pudding.
3. To make the Pitaya pudding, puree the frozen pitaya or acai packs with sweetener of choice or frozen fruit. Layer the puddings with the pureed pitaya/acai mixture and chia seed pudding. Top with sliced almonds (or other nuts) and coconut shreds.
4.  To make the Chocolate Covered Strawberry pudding, divide the chia mixture into two separate bowls. In one bowl, stir in the cocoa powder and melted chocolate into the chia seed mixture before storing it in the fridge to cool. Cover and allow to thicken. With the other half, stir in the strawberry compote before storing it in the fridge to cool. Cover and allow to thicken. Layer the puddings with the chocolate mixture, then the strawberry mixture. Top with chocolate sauce and fresh strawberries. 

Crab Cake Salad

The other day, while strolling the aisles of my local Trader Joe's, I came across lump crab meat in the freezer section. Without a lick of hesitation, I grabbed a box and headed straight for checkout (I already had way too many unnecessary items in my basket). I can't say no to a good crab cake. One of my favorite brunch menu items are Crab Cake Benedicts, if a restaurant has got them, I'm ordering them. Anyway, I threw together a bunch of seasonings and a few binders and voila! I made myself some crab cakes. I had some leftover potato wedges from the night before, so I warmed those up in a pan and threw those on top of my salad. If you've never had a warm potato salad, I must insist you try it! You won't be disappointed. 

Crab Cake Salad

What you'll need:

• 8 oz lump crab meat
• 1 whole egg
• 1 heaping tbsp mayonnaise (I used Chosen Food's new Harissa Avocado Mayo)
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 1/2 tsp dried dill
• 3/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp dried parsley
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tbsp green bell pepper, finely minced
• 1/3 cup almond flour
• 1/4 tsp salt + 1/4 tsp black pepper
• salad greens
• potato wedges or cubes, or even tator tots
• feta cheese (optional)

What to do: 

1. In a bowl, whisk together the egg, mayo, lemon juice, dijon mustard, chili powder, cayenne, dill, parsley, and garlic until combined. Stir in the lump crab meat, bell pepper, and cilantro until just coated. Add the almond flour and salt and pepper. Stir to combine. 
2. Use an ice cream scoop to evenly divide the crab mixture. Roll into a ball and carefully flatten into a disk (use a light touch). Set them aside on a plate. I was able to make four 2.5-3 inch crab cakes. Heat a cast iron or other heavy bottom pan with olive oil (or ghee!) over medium heat. 
3. Carefully place the crab cakes into the pan and let them cook about 8-10 minutes on medium low. Cover the pan after about 4-5 minutes. Remove the lid and flip. Cook for another 8-10 minutes or until the cakes have browned. 
4. Serve atop a bed of salad greens, with warmed potatoes and feta cheese. Toss with your favorite dressing, or just a lemon wedge!

Chicken Enchiladas (Instant Pot)

Lately, I've been feeling rather uninspired in the kitchen. Maybe it's all this rain we've been getting in California that makes me not want to do anything but, Netflix and Chill. But anyway, I can't blame the rain, I actually like it. So the other day, I was rummaging through my freezer (I have one of those fridge/freezers with the freezer on the bottom where things just get lost in the abyss, so to speak), and I found a half full container of red tomatillo salsa I had made for this recipe I guest posted over at my friend, Steph's website, Stupid Easy Paleo. Then I thought to myself, enchiladas! They're relatively simple to whip up and always delicious. I was also able to scrap together enough frozen chicken thighs to make a decent sized meal. BUT, they were frozen. And I was hungry, like yesterday.

Since I was in a pinch, I remembered that my Instant Pot can pretty much cook a whole meal in about 30 minutes or less. This was my first time actually cooking with it; I've only ever made bone broth with it. First time for everything, Am I Right? Anyway, feel free to use your own enchilada sauce in place of the tomatillo salsa.

Chicken Enchiladas

What you'll need:

• 2 lbs chicken thighs/breast (I used thighs and trimmed the excess fat)
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1/2 cup red tomatillo salsa (recipe below) + additional 1/2 cup for layering
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 chipote peppers in adobo sauce, roughly chopped
• pinch of salt and fresh cracked black pepper
• 1/4 cup water or broth
• tortillas (homemade or storebought)
• smoked mozzarella, crumbled feta (optional, or use your favorite cheese)
• chopped cilantro, for garnish
  
  Ingredients for red tomatillo salsa
• 1/2 lbs tomatillos, husked removed and rinsed
• 5 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 2 dried Guajillo chili peppers, seeds removed
• 2 dried California or New Mexico Chile peppers, seeds removed 
• 1 cup hot water
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp oregano, preferably Mexican oregano
• 1-2 tsp honey, optional

What to do:

To make the red tomatillo salsa

1. Place the tomatillos, garlic, and onions on a baking tray. Drizzle with a little olive oil and broil for 10 minutes. In the meantime, toast the dried chili until they start to blacken. Remove from heat and place the dried chilies in a bowl of hot water. Allow the chilies to rehydrate in the hot water for 30 minutes. Using the same pan, toast the cumin seeds and dried oregano until fragrant (approximately 2-3 minutes), remove from pan and add to a blender/food processor. 
2. Check the tomatillos after the 10 minutes and flip to broil the other side for an additional 5-7 minutes. Remove the tomatillos, onions and garlic from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Peel the garlic cloves. Add to the same blender/food processor as the toasted spices. To the blender, add the cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper, rehydrated chilies, and 1/4 cup of the pepper water (water that was used to rehydrate the chilies). Pulse to combine. Taste, and season if needed. Stir in honey if it's too tart.

To make the enchiladas

1. Set the Instant Pot to, "Saute" Allow the pot to heat up for about 3-5 minutes, with the lid off. Add 1 tbsp of oil along with the onions, garlic, and shallots. Saute until fragrant, about 8-10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and chopped chipotle peppers and stir to coat. Add the chicken in a single layer and top with 1/2 cup of salsa (or enchilada sauce) and 1/4 cup water or broth. Replace the lid and turn to lock. Set the Instant Pot to "Poultry" and let it work it's magic (about 15 minutes actual cook time, but give the Instant Pot time to build up pressure).
2. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 400F. Make your tortillas (I used Steph's recipe) or prepare storebought ones. Assemble your enchilada toppings, cheese, sauce, etc in a manageable line. Once the chicken is done cooking, release the vent of your instant pot. Remove the lid once it has completed venting and shred the chicken. 
3. Spread 1/4 cup sauce/salsa on the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. Place some shredded chicken and cheese in the center of the tortilla. Roll up to contain the filling. Place the tortilla, seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas (I rolled about 8). Pour the remaining 1/4 cup sauce/salsa  over the top. Sprinkle top with cheese and bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes. Or until it is bubbly and cheese is melted and browned. Garnish with chopped cilantro.