Friday, January 31, 2020

Instant Pot Cashew Chicken

You guys were so excited this week when I mentioned I would be making a paleo cashew chicken recipe with our instant pot! We made it last night and it was actually pretty easy despite the long list of ingredients. Recipes like this tend to make me nervous because I usually mess something up. I was pleasantly surprised to find it was easy to follow and we all had fun making it. Even Clara joined in! 

For being homemade, it compares well to my favorite take out version, and its FAR healthier. No soy or MSG snuck in. As fun as it was cooking it, I can’t take credit for creating the recipe. I found it on Pinterest! I’ll copy the recipe here and tag the original website it’s from. Enjoy!

Original recipe: https://www.wholekitchensink.com/instant-pot-cashew-chicken/ 

instant pot cashew chicken: whole30, paleo, 30 minutes
This instant pot cashew chicken tastes like the familiar Chinese takeout we all love, but in a better-for-you, Whole30, Paleo, gluten-free version that only takes 30 minutes. No more waiting for your delivery full of MSG!
·       author:bailey
·       prep time:10
·       cook time:12
·       total time:22 minutes
·       yield:serves 4-6 1x
·       category:chicken
·       method:instant pot
·       cuisine:chinese
Ingredients
·       1.5–2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1“-1.5” pieces
·       2 tbsp sesame oil, divided
·       1/2 cup coconut aminos
·       3 tablespoons sugar-free ketchup
·       3 tbsp rice vinegar
·       1 tbsp coconut sugar*
·       1 tbsp honey*
·       1 tbsp minced garlic
·       1 tbsp minced ginger
·       2 tbsp arrowroot flour, divided
·       1/2 tsp Chinese Five Spice powder
·       1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
·       1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
·       1/4 tsp pepper, or to taste
·       2 tbsp water
·       1 cup raw (or lightly salted) cashews
Instructions
1. In a medium bowl, combine 1 tbsp sesame oil, coconut aminos, ketchup, vinegar, coconut sugar, honey, garlic, ginger, Five Spice, and red pepper flakes. Whisk well to combine and set aside.
2. In a bowl or baggie, coat chicken pieces with 1 tbsp of the arrowroot flour, salt and pepper. Add 1 tbsp sesame oil to the bottom of the instant pot and turn it to “sauté”.
3. Allow oil to heat up and then sear chicken for 1-2 minutes. Press “cancel” and pour the sauce into the instant pot. Stir the sauce in with the chicken to evenly distribute. Cover, set the valve to “sealing” and press “manual” and adjust the time to 10 minutes.
4. Right before the instant pot is done, combine 1 tbsp arrowroot flour with 2 tbsp water and stir well to dissolve. Once the instant pot is done, do a quick release and open the lid. Press the “sauté” button and pour the water and flour mixture into the instant pot and whisk into the sauce.
5. Add the cashews and then continue stirring until the sauce has thickened. If you’d like it thicker after 1-2 minutes, add an additional 1/2 tbsp arrowroot dissolved in 1 tbsp water. Once the sauce has thickened, add any additional salt and pepper and serve.
6. Serve over broccoli, cauliflower rice, on it’s own with a side, over spaghetti squash “lo mien” noodles, etc. Garnish with any additional cashews, green onion, or sesame seeds
Notes
·       *Omit for Whole30. Optional substitutions include 3 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice, or 1-2 medjool dates, pitted and pureed in a food processor with 1/4 cup water to help blend.
·       If sauce gets too thick, you can easily thin it back out again by adding a few tablespoons of water. Only do a few at a time until at your desired consistency.



Instant Pot Beef Stew

INSTANT POT BEEF STEW
Serves 8 | Prep Time 10 minutes | Total Time 40 minutes 

INGREDIENTS

1.5 lbs beef (I like to use chuck roast or stew beef)
2-3 carrots, chopped
2-3 celery stalks, chopped
½ yellow onion, chopped
8 oz mini golden potatoes, cut into fourths
2 tsp celery salt
2 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp herbs de province 
2 cups of water

DIRECTIONS


Place all ingredients into instant pot, making sure liquid covers the beef and vegetables. Add more water if they’re not completely covered. Place cover over instant pot and lock it down. Press “stew” option, and let it go. It should take about 30 minutes to pressure cook. Once done, allow it to release pressure and enjoy! 

Beef Bone Broth

BEEF BONE BROTH
Servings 8 | Prep Time 10 minutes | Total Time 18 hours

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs beef bones (preferably with marrow intact)
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 carrots
2 celery stalks
½ yellow onion
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tsp pink Himalayan salt 
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp herbs de province 
6-8 cups of water

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place bones in roasting pan and rub olive oil into the bones. Roast the bones in the oven for 1-1.5 hours. 
As bones are roasting, prepare your vegetables. Chop carrots, celery, onion, and place in slow cooker. Once bones are dark in color but not burnt, remove from oven. Place bones in slow cooker, crush the cloves on garlic and place on top of bones, then add seasonings. Add 6-8 cups of water, until the bones and vegetables are covered. Cover slow cooker and set to low. Allow to cook for 16-18 hours (I like to prep and start this process overnight). 

Once done cooking, remove bones and vegetables. Strain broth 2-3 times with a cheese cloth to collect any small particles. Can be used for cooking or sipping alone. Enjoy! 

Instant Pot Cashew Chicken

You guys were so excited this week when I mentioned I would be making a paleo cashew chicken recipe with our instant pot! We made it last n...