Instant Pot Jambalaya

Seems like the perfect excuse to make this with the Super Bowl in New Orleans.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon canola oil

• 1/2 pound smoked sausage, sliced into 1/4-in.-thick rounds (1 3/4 cups slices)

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 4), cut into 1-in. pieces (1 1/2 cups pieces)

• 2 1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (such as Slap Ya Mama), divided

• 3/4 cup chopped yellow onion (from 1 medium onion)

• 1/2 cup chopped celery (from 1 large stalk)

• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper (from 1 small bell pepper)

• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper (from 1 small bell pepper)

• 2 teaspoons minced garlic (from 1 large garlic clove)

• 3 cups chicken broth

• 1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes

• 2 cups uncooked long-grain rice

• 2 dried bay leaves

• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

• 1 pound medium peeled, deveined raw shrimp

• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

• Chopped scallions

Instructions

1. Select SAUTÉ setting on a programmable pressure multicooker (such as Instant Pot). (Time, instructions, and settings may vary according to cooker brand or model.) Select HIGH temperature setting, and allow to preheat 5 to 8 minutes.

2. Add oil, and stir in smoked sausage. Cook sausage, stirring often, until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, and set aside.

3. Add chicken to cooker, and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of the Cajun seasoning. Cook, stirring often, until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon, and set aside.

4. Add onion, celery, green bell pepper, and red bell pepper to cooker, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, about 4 minutes.

5. Add garlic, and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute.

6. Add broth, diced tomatoes, rice, bay leaves, thyme, sausage, chicken, and remaining 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning, stirring well to combine ingredients.

7. Press CANCEL on multicooker. Cover cooker with lid, and lock in place. Turn steam release handle to SEALING position. Select MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK setting. Select HIGH pressure for 7 minutes. (It will take 10 to 15 minutes to come up to pressure before cooking begins.)

8. Meanwhile, toss together shrimp, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl. Set aside.

9. When cooking has stopped, carefully turn steam release handle to VENTING position, and let steam fully escape (float valve will drop). This will take 3 to 4 minutes.

10. Remove lid from cooker, and stir in shrimp. Return lid to cooker, and let stand until shrimp are pink and have cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.

11. Stir in parsley. Garnish with scallions.

Thank you to Southern Living for this recipe. Make sure you check out the original recipe for cooking tips and leads on other amazing recipes.

Autumn Wild Rice Soup

Photo: Gimme Some Oven

Sweater weather means it’s time to fire up the stove.

Ingredients

• 6 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock)

• 1 cup uncooked wild rice*

• 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 medium carrots, diced

• 2 ribs celery, diced

• 1 large (about 1 pound) sweet potato, peeled and diced

• 1 small white onion, peeled and diced

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 1/2 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning

• 1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk (or see cream sauce option below*)

• 2 large handfuls of kale, roughly chopped with thick stems removed

• fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper

Directions

• Sauté the veggies. Heat (an extra) 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat.  Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent.  Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant.

• Add base ingredients. Add in the vegetable stock, wild rice, mushrooms, carrots, celery, sweet potato, bay leaf and Old Bay seasoning.  Stir to combine.

• Simmer. Continue cooking until the soup reaches a simmer.  Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes until the rice is tender, stirring occasionally.

• Add final ingredients. Add the coconut milk and kale to the soup and stir gently until combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper (plus any extra Old Bay seasoning, if you would like) as needed.

• Serve. Serve warm and enjoy!

We LOVE the recipes from Gimme Some Oven. (Also, how clever is that name)? You can find more amazing recipes just like this one on their website.

PS: The original recipe also has an Instant Pot option. Click here for that.

Lasagna Soup

Photo: Skinny Taste

A twist on a classic.

Ingredients

• 14 oz sweet Italian chicken sausage, casing removed

• 1/2 onion, chopped

• 2 crushed cloves garlic

• 4 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, divided

• 3 cups low-sodium, fat-free chicken broth

• 2 1/2 cups water

• 2 cups marinara sauce

• 2 bay leaves

• Fresh cracked black pepper

• 6 oz broken lasagna noodles, whole wheat or gluten-free

  FOR THE TOPPING

• 6 tbsp part skim shredded mozzarella cheese

• 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

• 3 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

• 1/4 cup fresh basil chiffonade

Instructions

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, spray with oil and add the sausage; cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks with a wooden spoon about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chopped onion and crushed garlic and cook until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Transfer to the slow cooker and add the parsley, broth, water, marinara sauce, bay leaves and fresh black pepper. Cover and set the slow cooker to low 8 hours or high 4 hours.

3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine the ricotta, parmesan, and 2 tablespoons of the parsley and mix well; set aside until the soup is ready.

4. About 30 minutes before the soup is ready, remove the bay leaves and add the broken pasta, cover and cook until the pasta is cooked, about 30 minutes. Divide between 6 bowls and top each with 2 tbsp ricotta cheese mixture, mozzarella, fresh cracked pepper and fresh basil on top.

We love everything that Gina at Skinnytaste makes. Head over to her website for this recipe in an instant pot or on the stovetop and to check out her other amazing (and easy) recipes.

Simple Tips For A Quick Meal

Photo: Unsplash

The need for speed isn’t reserved only for Tom Cruise. A true talent is the ability to throw together a dinner (that’s not cereal) that people will actually want to eat.

Here are some of our favorite tips to make your life easier:

• Use frozen fish sticks for fish tacos vs. breading and baking/frying the fish yourself. 

• Double a recipe and freeze the leftovers. The night before, put the frozen portion in the refrigerator so it’s ready to go when you get home after work. You can even order an extra pizza on takeout night, put it in the freezer and then reheat it in your oven later. 

• Use what you have for a “kitchen sink” dinner like stir fry or this thai curry. 

• Wash and prep your veggies, etc when you get home from the store to save prep time on weeknights. 

• Your broiler is your BFF. From English muffin pizzas to quick quesadillas to fast-cooking fish, a thin cut will cook quickly without burning. 

• Keep your pantry stocked with the essentials like beans, rice, pasta and canned tomatoes for quick dinners. (Full list here).  

• Invest in a pressure cooker that can have dinner ready in under 30 minutes or a slow cooker where you can toss everything in before work and it’ll be ready when you get home.