Truly a delicious Instant Pot chicken meal to save! I did not top with sesame seeds, but the sesame oil gave this chicken a true honey sesame chicken taste. I ended up tripling the ingredients below, then only using half the honey due to preference. Also, since I had much more chicken I skipped out on sauteing it and just increased the pressure cooking time. No worries if you don't have arrowroot starch to help thicken the sauce either. Putting the pot on saute mode at the end and continuing to mix everything will reduce the sauce plenty enough without it. I actually hardly use arrowroot starch anymore when using the Instant Pot since saute mode reduces the sauce just as well. While the chicken was cooking I heated up some coconut oil and threw frozen plain cauliflower rice and the extra diced green onion together to pair with this chicken. Super simple and easy meal to put together for dinner or meal prep! 

Instant Pot Honey Sesame Chicken
Ingredients:

• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1/4 cup coconut aminos
• 1 Tbsp rice vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar)
• 2 Tbsp homemade ketchup (I used Primal Kitchen Ketchup)
• 1/2 Tbsp ground ginger
• 2 Tbsp arrowroot starch (optional)
• sesame seeds
• fresh green onions, chopped

Directions:

1. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides. Preheat pressure cooking pot using the ‘Saute’ setting. Add olive oil, chopped onion and seasoned chicken to the preheated pot. Saute, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened. Add minced garlic and saute for about 30 seconds.
2. In a small bowl, mix the honey, sesame oil, coconut aminos, rice vinegar, ketchup, and ground ginger. Mix well, and add to the pot. 
3. Lock the lid, seal the valve, and press the ‘Manual’ (or ‘Pressure Cooking’) button, and adjust the time to 4 minutes. When timer beeps, turn pressure cooker off and do a quick pressure release.
4. Remove chicken from the pot, and shred it. Transfer 1/4 cup honey sesame sauce from the pot to a small bowl. Add 2 Tbsp arrowroot starch (optional to help thicken) to the bowl and stir until the sauce is smooth. Return the sauce back to the pot, and saute using the ‘Saute’ function for a couple of minutes until the sauce thickens. Turn off the pot. Add shredded chicken back to the pot and mix well.
5. Serve honey sesame chicken over rice. Sprinkle some sesame seeds and chopped fresh green onion on top.

​Original recipe found here

Holy moly did I really enjoy every part of this meal! I am not sure it's the quickest meal prep recipe, but if you have the time or can prep a few things the day before then this one is definitely a must-try. I already have a couple go-to BBQ chicken recipes that I cycle through every so many weeks, but I decided to give this new homemade one a try. It turned out like no other BBQ I have tried before! I was surprised and really enjoyed the taste. It was not sweet whatsoever, but more light tasting with a very slight kick from the Chipotle and chili spices. I read the note for the Italian dressing swap and used that option instead. Now for making everything easier on myself, I prepped the sauce the night before so I could just throw the chicken in the Instant Pot in the morning. The recipes gives three ways for making the BBQ chicken based on what you have and preference, so don't be steered away if you don't have an Instant Pot. I also prepped the sweet potato the night before, but you can purchase pre-diced sweet potato or frozen diced sweet potato at most stores to help save you time there as well. You can clearly see I skipped out on the pickles, but that is only because I don't like them. Let me know if you try this recipe with them and how they turned out! If you don't have the time to make your own BBQ sauce, a few whole-ingredient ones that I'll purchase off the shelf are Tessemae's or The New Primal, both can be found at Wegman's or Amazon. Now for the coleslaw, what an easy vegetable side to prep. I used Primal Kitchen Chipotle Lime Mayo, but only half of the amount the recipe calls for because we aren't big mayo people. I honestly loved how it turned out and enjoyed eating every crunchy bite. On days that I took this to work I just ate everything cold and still loved it. When I was home I could add the coleslaw after I heated up the chicken and sweet potatoes and enjoy it that way. Once the stay-at-home orders are lifted I'll definitely be making this one for family and friends! 

BBQ Chicken Bowls with Sweet Potatoes, Coleslaw, and Pickles
Ingredients:
BBQ Chicken

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts about 1 1/4 pounds
• 3/4 cup Whole30 BBQ sauce (see recipe below for making your own)
• 2 tablespoons Italian dressing (see note)
• salt to taste
• or about 2 1/2 cups shredded BBQ chicken or pork

Sweet Potatoes

• 2 sweet potatoes peeled and cubed
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• dash of cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon avocado or refined coconut oil

Quick Dill Pickles:

• Sprig fresh dill
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1/4 English cucumber sliced thin
• Pinch yellow mustard seeds
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup white or white wine vinegar
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• OR 1/4 cup sliced cold dill pickles (see note)

Coleslaw:

• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (I used Primal Kitchen Chipotle Lime Mayo)
• 1 1/2 tablespoon white apple cider, or white wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons coconut aminos
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 14- oz bag shredded coleslaw mix (see note)

Garnish:

• Fresh chopped parsley
• Dry BBQ seasoning

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425º F.
2. Make sweet potatoes: On a baking sheet, toss all ingredients and roast for 20 m. After 20 minutes, stir well, then return to oven. Bake another 10-15 minutes or until browning on edges but not too crunchy or crisp.
3. Make BBQ chicken: Next, combine all ingredients in an Instant Pot. Seal and cook at High Pressure for 10 minutes. Quick release when time is up then shred chicken breasts with two forks or use a hand mixer on low speed. Turn on Sauté mode and heat for 5 minutes until chicken is coated in sauce. If you do not have an Instant Pot, see Note for regular shredded chicken or slow cooker directions.
4. Make the pickles: While sweet potatoes roast, combine all pickle ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
5. Make coleslaw: Mix all ingredients besides coleslaw mix in a small bowl. Place coleslaw mix in a medium bowl and pour dressing over. Combine well, using hands if desired.
6. Assemble bowls: Divide sweet potatoes, BBQ chicken, and coleslaw evenly among 4 bowls. Top with a couple pickle slices. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired.

Notes:

• Cooking chicken in a Crockpot: Combine all your BBQ chicken ingredients in the slow cooker. Cook covered on High for 3 hours or Low for 5 hours.
• To make without a slow cooker or Instant Pot: Shred 2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts with two forks, then place in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cover with 3/4 cup of BBQ sauce and stir until chicken is heated through and sauce is absorbed. Add more sauce if desired.
• Whole30: Make sure you are using Whole30-compliant BBQ sauce.
• If you don’t have Italian dressing for BBQ chicken: Substitute 1 1/2 tablespoon oil, 1/2 tablespoon white or white wine vinegar, and a small pinch of Italian seasoning.
• Using store-bought pickles instead of homemade: Use high-quality cold pickles, not the bright yellow sort from the aisles.
• To save extra coleslaw: Drain excess liquid and save for another use in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days.

Original recipe found here

Whole30 BBQ Sauce with Chipotle (Paleo, Vegan)
​Serving: 1 Cup
Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon ghee or coconut oil (use coconut oil for vegan)
• 1 cup Vidalia onion , diced
• 7 tablespoons coconut aminos (1/4 cup + 3 tablespoons)
• 3-4 cloves of garlic , minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1 tablespoon chipotle chili powder
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock if vegan)
• 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, heat ghee or coconut oil over medium heat.
2. Add onion and sauté for 3-5 minutes or until translucent.
3. Add remaining ingredients, stir to combine, and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Notes:
If desired, for a smoother texture, gently transfer sauce to a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Season with salt.

Original recipe found here

This was the most spot on Sweet and Sour tasting and delicious meal ever! Seriously though, I will be making this one again very soon it was that much of a hit in our house. I ended up using the slow cooker option on my Instant Pot for this meal, so I could brown the meat and cook all in one pot. Plus, I was able to put the pot on saute mode at the very end to thicken up the sauce a little more. I definitely recommend doing the same if you have an Instant Pot, but if not this meal will still turn out delicious in the Crockpot - just one more pan to clean when you're done ;-). The only change I made to the recipe is using half the honey, and that was just by preference. The meal still turned out plenty sweet with a little less honey if you want to do the same. If you find ginger at the store definitely add in that fresh grated ginger too! The beef does stay in small 1-2 inch cubes if you properly brown them, but I opted to shred it at the end while I was reducing the sauce. My beef also turned out looking like pork, probably because I diced it up a day before cooking it and exposed it to more oxygen. Oh well it still turned out so good! I heated up some coconut oil and tossed some plain frozen cauliflower rice, salt, and extra green onions to pair with this. Add this recipe to your list of must-trys now! 

​Crockpot Sweet and Sour Hawaiian Beef
Ingredients:
​Sweet and Sour Pineapple Sauce

• 16 ounces (two 8 ounce cans) of crushed pineapple (in juice not syrup) – drained and reserve juice in a small bowl.
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup coconut aminos 
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 2 tbsp honey (I reduced to 1 tbsp and it was still plenty sweet)
• 1 tbsp of fresh grated ginger or pinch of ground ginger (optional but delish!)

For the Slow Cooker/Crockpot

• 2 lbs boneless beef loin cut into 1–2 inch pieces, or you can purchase stew meat precut. Best to trim excess fat for before cooking. See notes for other meat options.
• 2–3 tbsp Oil to brown meat
• black pepper to taste
• kosher salt to taste
• 1–2 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1 cup chopped red onion
• 1 bell pepper – diced, seeds removed. (see notes for substitutes)
• For plating – chopped green onion and/or cilantro to garnish. To serve with rice or cauliflower rice.

Optional Slurry to thicken

• 1 tbsp Arrowroot starch
• 1/2 tbsp cold water

Directions:

1. Drain the canned pineapple and reserve the juice. Place pineapple aside and juice in a small mixing bowl.
2. Next, whisk together the pineapple juice, cider, coconut aminos, garlic, ginger, and honey. Whisk until honey is combined (dissolved) with other ingredients. Set aside.
3. Heat a medium size skillet with 2 tbsp oil. Lightly sprinkle the diced beef cubes with coarse kosher salt and pepper. Place meat in the pan and then brown meat on medium high, turning beef cubes to brown all sides. About 3-4 minutes.
4. Place the browned meat in the slow cooker and sprinkle crushed red pepper flakes on top.
5. Add the chopped onion and sweet and sour pineapple sauce to the crockpot/slow cooker. Mix together.
6. Cover and cook on low setting for 5-6 hours or on HIGH heat for about 3 hours, or until the meat is cooked through and tender.
7. After the meat has been cooked, mix in the crushed pineapple and bell pepper. *Note – if you would like thicken the stew/meat mix, add the arrowroot starch slurry here.  First dissolve the arrowroot starch and cold water in a small bowl to create a slurry then mix into slow cooker.*
8. Cook on high for additional 20-30 minutes or until peppers have softened and juice has thickened.
9. Spoon meat and juice over rice or cauliflower rice. Garnish with chopped green onion and/or cilantro.

Notes:

• Feel free to use pork or turkey stew meat or pork loin as a beef substitute. Cooking times may vary.
• 1 cup diced celery may be used in place of pepper if desired.

Original recipe found here

This one is a must try! It seriously turned out so delicious and will definitely be thrown into the meal rotation in our house. I ended up tripling this recipe to get enough meals, so I bought a couple containers of pre-diced onions, carrots, and celery to make prep even easier. I used cayenne pepper instead of a red chili, which must have been the reason this beef ragu had a slight kick to it. I also opted for using a cup of beef broth instead of the cubes since I couldn't find any that did not have added sugars. Not much to the recipe at all. Just saute the onions, carrots, celery, and chili, then throw the rest of the ingredients in and set the Instant Pot to cook on manual for 30 minutes. The final step revealed a new cooking hack to me as well! Using a potato masher to shred or mash the beef into smaller pieces was a game changer. Pair with pasta, vegetable noodles, or rice and you've got yourself a seriously tasty and nutritious meal. 

Instant Pot Beef Ragu
Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 1 large carrot, diced into small cubes
• 1 celery stick, diced into small cubes
• 1/2 long red chili, diced (or 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes or cayenne pepper)
• 1 + 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
• 3 large cloves of garlic, finely diced
• 1 1/2 lb diced beef steak (stewing steak, chuck steak, rib eye)
• 1 teaspoon black or white pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon paprika powder (mild or sweet)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, thyme or basil
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder (optional, but adds warmth and depth)
• 1 star anise (optional)
• 1 x can chopped tinned tomatoes (400 g/ 1 + 1/2 cups)
• 1 tablespoon coconut aminos 
• 1 cube of beef stock including water (I ended up using 1 Cup Beef Broth instead)

Directions:
In the Instant Pot

1. Turn on the Instant Pot and press the Sauté function key. Add the olive oil, onions, carrots, celery, chili and salt and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring a few times, until softened.
2. Add the beef and the rest of the ingredients and stir through. Press Keep Warm/Cancel.
3. Place the lid and lock. Set to Manual, High pressure, and set for 30 minutes. After three beeps the Instant Pot will begin to build up pressure and start cooking. Once the cooking finishes, release the pressure naturally for 10 minutes before using quick release to let off the rest of the steam.
4. Then open the lid and press the Sauté function again. Use a potato masher (that’s the easiest way) to shred or mash the beef into smaller pieces. You will get something like shredded beef consistency. Cook for 10-15 minutes to thicken the sauce, stirring every 2-3 minutes. Serve with pasta, vegetable noodles or rice.

On the Stove Top

1. Repeat the first two steps as above using a saucepan over medium heat. Once the beef and tomatoes are in, bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered with a lid for 2 hours. After 2 hours, shred the beef, and cook uncovered for 5-10 minutes to thicken the sauce if needed (you might not have as much liquid when cooking on the stove).

Original recipe found here

I hope everyone is staying home and healthy, and also considering trying some new recipes or meal prep with this extra time at home we all have! I am finally going through a list of recipes I had saved to try for quite some time now, including this one that turned out absolutely delicious! This recipe is Instant Pot and Slow Cooker friendly, and did not have much prep to it whatsoever. Although I bought frozen cubed sweet potatoes and pre-cut onions and peppers, which left me with only having to cut the chicken. Either way, this recipe is definitely one of the simpler ones that I have tried. I also loved that there were peppers, green beans, sweet potato, and cauliflower rice with this meal. ALL the colors and nutrients! I had to almost quadruple the ingredients below to get enough meals for our house, so I also increased the cooking time in the Instant Pot to around 30 minutes. This was definitely over kill and my sweet potatoes paid the price, unfortunately. Just pointing this out in case you enjoy eating those chunks of potatoes instead of it getting cooked into the sauce. I would also suggest removing the potatoes and chicken while you saute the sauce at the end. Paired with some cauliflower rice and topped with raw cashews and this meal was a hit all week long. Let me know if you give it a try! 

Sweet Potato Chicken Curry (​Instant Pot or Slow Cooker)
Ingredients:

• 2 tsp. ghee or coconut oil
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 ½ lbs. chicken breast, cubed
• 1 medium-large sweet potato, cubed (~2 cups)
• 1 red pepper, sliced or diced
• 2/3 cup chicken broth
• 3 Tbsp. curry powder
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. ground turmeric
• ½ tsp. cayenne
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1 can (14 oz.) full fat coconut milk
• 2 cups frozen green beans
• Cashews, cilantro & cauliflower rice for serving

Directions:
For Instant Pot

1. Set your Instant pot to the saute setting. Add the ghee, onion, and garlic and saute until onions are translucent.
2. Then turn to manual setting and set temp to high. Add the chicken, sweet potatoes, red pepper, broth, curry, cumin, turmeric, cayenne and sea salt. Seal the instant pot and set time for 12 minutes.
3. Once time is up, release the pressure by switching from seal to vent. Once pressure is released, remove lid and turn Instant Pot to saute setting. Stir in the coconut milk and frozen green beans and let cook for an additional 2-3 minute or until the green beans are heated through.
4. Meanwhile, saute cauliflower rice in a skillet on medium heat with 1-2 tsp. of ghee. Saute until warm and cooked through. Length of time to saute cauliflower rice will depend on if it is in a fresh or frozen state.
5. Serve over cauliflower rice and top with cashews and fresh cilantro.

For Slow Cooker:

1. In a slow cooker, add the sautéed onions and garlic, chicken, sweet potatoes, red pepper, green beans, chicken broth (1¼ cups), spices, salt, and pepper. Cook on high for 3-4 hours. Add coconut milk and cook on low for an additional 30-60 minutes or until hot.

Notes:
For a thicker curry – mix together 2 Tbsp. of water with 1 Tbsp. tapioca starch. While instant pot is on the saute setting, stir into curry after the coconut milk is heated through and let set for a few minutes to thicken.

Original recipe found here

Another great Instant Pot recipe to add to the collection. What I enjoyed most about this recipe was that it tasted nothing like other cilantro lime chicken meals that I've made before. There was not a huge cilantro or lime bite whatsoever, but a delicious subtle hint of flavors that paired well with the Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice. I ended up tripling the recipe below and using significantly less olive oil and ghee, but other then that made the recipe as. My only note was there was a ton of sauce to thicken up at the end, so I did throw in some arrowroot powder to help thicken it up faster. Since I did this with the chicken in the pot still, my nice chicken thighs turned into a shredded chicken real quick. I don't mind this at all, but if you want the full thigh in your meal, definitely don't throw them back in the pot until you are done thickening the sauce up and the saute mode is off. I lied, one more note is for the coconut cream all you need to purchase is a can of full fat coconut milk. You can use the thick condensed part at the top of the can for the coconut cream. A little easier and cheaper then using a can of coconut cream. Overall, we really enjoyed eating this meal all week long!​

Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Chicken
Ingredients:

• 6-8 boneless chicken thighs skinless or with skin*
• sea salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon chili powder or to taste
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2-3 Tablespoons ghee
• 1/2 small onion chopped
• 4 garlic cloves sliced or minced
• Juice of 1 lime
• zest of half a lime
• 1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/3 cup homemade or low sodium chicken broth **
• 2 Tablespoons coconut cream
• Chopped fresh parsley and lime slices for garnish if desired

Directions:

1. Season the chicken with salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin and chili powder.

To cook in the Instant Pot:

1. Press the Sauté function (Normal setting) on the Instant Pot and add the olive oil to the pot. 
2. Place chicken in the Instant Pot and cook on each side for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown. This helps to seal in the juices and keep it tender. (You may have to work in batches depending on the size and amount of chicken you are using). Once browned, remove from Instant Pot and set aside.
3. Melt ghee in Instant Pot and stir in the onions and garlic. Add lime juice to deglaze pan and cook for 1 minute. Add Italian seasoning, lime zest, cilantro and chicken broth.
4. Place the chicken back into the Instant Pot, lock the lid, and turn the valve to SEALING.
5. Select the Manual (older models) or Pressure Cook (newer models) button and adjust the timer to 7 minutes.
6. It will take about 5-10 minutes to come to pressure and start counting down.
7. When done, release the pressure after 2 minutes, then remove your Instant Pot lid.
8. Remove chicken from Instant Pot using tongs and set aside on a large serving plate. Stir in coconut cream into the Instant Pot. If you like your sauce thicker - you can thicken with arrowroot starch slurry by mixing 1 teaspoon arrowroot starch mixed with 1 teaspoon cold water. Press off and turn Instant Pot to SAUTE function. Cook and allow the sauce to bubble and thicken. Turn off and add chicken back to the Instant Pot to coat with sauce. Spoon sauce over chicken and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve with your favorite sides and garnish with lime slices, if desired.

To cook on the stove:

1. In a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat add olive and cook for 4-5 on each side, or until chicken reaches 165 degrees. Transfer browned chicken to plate and set aside.
2. Return pan back to heat and melt ghee. Stir in onion and garlic. Add lime juice to deglaze the pan and cook for 1 minute. Add Italian seasoning, lime zest, cilantro and chicken broth. Stir in coconut cream [If you like your sauce thicker - you can thicken with arrowroot starch slurry by mixing 1 teaspoon arrowroot starch mixed with 1 teaspoon cold water.
3. Once the sauce has bubbled and thickened up slightly, add the chicken back into the pan until hot. Spoon sauce over chicken and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve with your favorite sides and garnish with lime slices, if desired.

Notes:
*For chicken breasts: use 3 breasts, sliced horizontally in half.
**I use ⅓ cup of broth combined with the juice from the lemon in a 6 Quart Instant Pot DUO with no problems or *burning sign - if needed you can increase the amount of liquid if this combination doesn't work for your Instant Pot model

Original recipe found here

This chicken turned out super flavorful and unlike any pineapple chicken recipe that I've tried before! I ended up tripling most of the ingredients below, with the exception of using 2 tsp cinnamon and just one can of full-fat coconut milk. Check out the note on the coconut cream below, but basically you can just use the thick part from a can of full-fat coconut milk, or dump the whole can in if you want. No need to let that ingredient stop you from giving this one a try. This recipe was extremely hands-off after cutting the pineapple and throwing everything into the Instant Pot. When it was done cooking, there was plenty of extra sauce. I followed the recipe below and added a Tbsp of arrowroot starch mixed with a Tbsp of water, and set the Instant pot to saute mode to help thicken up the sauce some. You can also just put the pot on Saute mode without adding the arrowroot starch, and continuously stir until the sauce reduces. The arrowroot starch just speeds the process up slightly. I also really enjoyed the green onions topped on this meal, so don't skip out on that if you can! With plenty of flavor and sauce, this paired perfectly with plain frozen cauliflower rice, which made for the easiest meal prep. Definitely a recipe that I will be throwing into the meal prep rotation going forward! 
​
Instant Pot Pina Colada Chicken
Ingredients:

• 2 pounds chicken thighs
• 1 cup fresh or frozen pineapple chunks
• 1/2 cup full fat coconut cream (see note to make your own)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
• 1/2 cup chopped green onion (garnish)

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients, except green onions, into Instant Pot. Close lid. Press Poultry button.
2. Pot will automatically set itself for 15 minutes, high pressure.
3. Once cooking has stopped, turn off Instant Pot. Let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
4. Carefully open lid and remove from pot and stir.
5. If you’d like to thicken the sauce a bit, simply stir in a tablespoon of arrowroot starch mixed with a tablespoon of water. Then, press the Saute button. Cook until sauce thickens to your liking.
6. Turn off Instant Pot and serve with green onion garnish

Notes:
To make your own coconut cream, simply place a can of full fat coconut milk in the fridge overnight. When ready to use, open can from bottom and drain out coconut water ( you can drink it or discard it). You will be left with pure coconut cream in the can.

Original recipe found here

Two seriously tasty recipes with this meal! The Chicken Yum Yum truly turned out absolutely yum yum, and the Easy Roasted Vegetables is the most simple and tasty way to make your next side of vegetables. All you need to do for the chicken is mix the ingredients together, throw in the Instant Pot, then saute the sauce down when done. Love those easy one pot meals! I used Primal Kitchen Organic Unsweetened Ketchup, which I found at Wegman's for like $4.99. You can check out their store locator to find a location near you that sells this ketchup. You can also make your own homemade one, or just check out your local grocery store and find a higher quality ketchup (check out the ingredients and look for one with only whole food ingredients, and no added sugar if possible). I used a little less ghee and honey then the recipe calls for and thought the chicken still turned out pretty sweet and delicious, so don't be afraid to adjust those ingredients as well if you prefer. For the roasted vegetables you can adjust and use whatever vegetables you want. I used tri-colored carrots, a red onion, and shaved brussels sprouts. I also used 4 tsp of Herbs de Provence from Trader Joe's, instead of the rosemary, thyme, and basil since I did not have all of those spices in the pantry. Just throwing that note out as an option for others, plus it's totally worth getting that Herbs de Provence for this reason. Once your vegetables are cut, throw everything on a sheet pan with some olive oil and those spices listed, and just remember to flip halfway through baking. This was a very simple and easy way to quickly roast and make a delicious side dish of vegetables for any meal. From someone who usually roasts vegetables with just some sea salt and olive oil, this was a great reminder that I can easily (literally) spice it up from time-to-time. Overall, this meal was sweet, savory, and comforting. I will definitely be throwing both recipes into the meal prep rotation going forward! 

Instant Pot Chicken Yum Yum
Ingredients:

• 2 pounds boneless chicken thighs (frozen or fresh)
• 3 tablespoons homemade or high quality store-bought ketchup (I used Primal Kitchen Organic Unsweetened Ketchup)
• 1.5 teaspoons sea salt
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder (or minced)
• 1/4 cup ghee
• 1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons gluten free organic tamari or 1/4 cup coconut aminos
• 1/4 cup local honey

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in your Instant Pot
2. Stir to combine and coat the chicken
3. Secure the lid, close the pressure valve and press “Manual”
4. If using frozen chicken, press the “+” button until 40 is displayed
5. If using fresh chicken, press the “-” button until 18 minutes is displayed (this could vary slightly)
6. Allow the chicken to cook then quick release the pressure valve once complete
7. Remove the lid when safe to do so and shred the chicken slightly with two forks (this is a suggestion not a requirement)
8. Now remove the chicken from the stainless steel basin and press the “Cancel” button followed by pressing the “Saute” button
9. Allow the sauce to reduce by allowing it to saute for 5 minutes
10. Serve over vegetable of your choice, we ate ours on roasted cauliflower. Or if you can eat rice, do it up starchy style!

Original recipe found here

​
Easy Roasted Vegetables
Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (you may need a bit more)
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1 - 1-1/2 inch chunks
• 1/2 pound (about 1-1/2 cups) large Brussels sprouts, outer leaves removed and halved
• 1 pound (about 4-1/2 cups) baby red potatoes, halved or quartered
• 1 large red onion, halved and cut into thick 1-inch pieces
• 1 pound (about 1-1/4 cup) sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch thick slices
• 3/4 tablespoon dried oregano
• 3/4 tablespoon dried crushed rosemary
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• Freshly cracked pepper and sea salt
• Optional: fresh herbs (such as thyme or parsley) to garnish with

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grab a large (11x17-inch) or 2 smaller sheet pans and set aside. Prepare the veggies: peel the carrots and cut into large chunks (if they are thick do 1 inch chunks if they are thinner do 1-1/2 inch chunks), remove the outer leaves of the brussels and halve them, halve the baby red potatoes (quarter especially large ones), halve the red onion and cut into thick 1-inch pieces, peel the sweet potato(s) and cut into large 1-1/2 inch chunks/slices.
2. Place all the prepared vegetables in one even layer (do NOT overlap or you'll steam the veggies instead of roasting them) on the prepared baking sheet(s) and add the oregano, rosemary, thyme, and basil. Add salt and pepper to taste (I add about 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and about 3/4 teaspoon pepper). Add the olive oil and toss well, evenly coating all the vegetables with the seasonings and oil. (Add 1-2 more tablespoons of oil if the vegetables seem dry.)
3. Place on middle rack in oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, flipping the veggies 20 minutes into baking time.
4. Remove from the oven and enjoy immediately. 

Original recipe found here

After hearing from a couple of good friends that this recipe is their favorite, I'm bringing this one back from when I last posted it in 2016. However, for some reason my sauce looks way darker then it did the last time I made it. The only difference this time around was I used my trusty Instant Pot to saute and slow cook in instead of a crock pot, and I left out the Arrowroot Flour. Which now that I write this out, I am sure that Arrowroot Flour would have lightened up the sauce color for sure. I am getting side tracked though. This meal still turned out delicious! I recommend using a can of full fat coconut milk for the most flavor. Garam Masala and Arrowroot Flour are the only ingredients that you may not have in your pantry already. Garam Masala is just a spice that you can find at most grocery stores. You can even search my site for recipes that use the spice to make sure you put it to good use! The Arrowroot Flour is just a thickening agent, which you can totally omit or swap for another thickening agent if you want. I skipped using it this time since the saute mode on the Instant Pot helps reduce/thicken the sauce up. I love these saucey recipes because I can easily heat up or microwave frozen plain cauliflower rice to pair with this, and be done with meal prep. Super easy, super quick, and super delicious! ​

​Slow Cooker Butter Chicken
Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp Organic Coconut Oil
• 3 - 4 whole Garlic, crushed
• 1 whole Onion, diced
• 1 3/4 cup Coconut Milk
• 3/4 cup Tomato Paste
• 2 Tbsp Arrowroot Flour
• 2 tsp Garam Masala
• 1 tsp Curry Powder
• 1/2 tsp ground Ginger
• 1/2 tsp Chili Powder, Add more if you like it hotter
• 1 pinch Sea Salt
• 1 pinch Black Pepper
• 2 1/5 lb Skinless Chicken Breast

Directions:

1. Heat coconut oil in a large saucepan on medium high heat
2. Add onion and garlic, cook, stirring frequently for approximately 3 minutes or until the onions have become translucent.
3. Add coconut milk, tomato paste, arrowroot flour, garam masala, curry powder, ginger powder, and chili powder, stirring until well combined and the sauce has started to thicken. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Add chicken to the slow cooker, then add the sauce and mix through the chicken
5. Cover and cook on low heat for 5 hours. Cover and cook on low heat for 5 hours.
6. Serve with coriander and your favorite side.

Original recipe found here

My coworker was telling me about her sausage and peppers she made for dinner and I knew immediately what I was making for meal prep the following week. You are probably thrown off by the zucchini noddles and sweet potato glass noodles, but over top of all that is the Crock Pot Sausage and Peppers recipe below. I thought this entire meal turned out absolutely delicious and I seriously looked forward to eating it all week. I usually cut up the sausage more, but I was happy with cutting it into thirds for this meal - it made it extremely easy making sure I got an entire sausage serving in each meal. I found some Italian Chicken Sausages at BJ's and opted to use three bell peppers instead of two, but other then those minor tweaks I made the recipe as is. I sliced the onions and peppers the night before, so that I could wake up Sunday morning and quickly get this meal in the crockpot. The only prep left to do after that was brown the sausages and saute the onions, then everything went into the crock pot on low for 6 hours. Later in the day I spiralized about 7-8 zucchinis (this got me about 3 oz of cooked noodles in 10 meals), and I heated it on the stove top until they were soft. Besides adding some salt, I didn't flavor them with anything since I knew the sausage and peppers would have plenty of sauce. I also boiled up some Sweet Potato Glass Noodles (found at Wegman's) as my carb source in this meal. Those are just the vegetable and carb pairs I chose for this meal though. Feel free to use another spiralized or riced vegetable, whole wheat pasta, or rice instead. Of note, zucchinis are by far the easiest vegetable to spiralize yourself, so totally worth saving the extra money and skipping out on the pre-made zoodles. The two spiralizers that I own are the Veggetti (really only usable for Zucchini though) and this 5-Blade Vegetable Slicer (great for all vegetables, including potatoes). Anyways, the recipe itself was super easy to throw together and turned out tasting amazing. If you are looking for a new slow cooker recipe to make then I definitely recommend giving this one a try! 

Crock Pot Sausage and Peppers
Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil — divided
• 2 1/2 pounds Italian turkey sausage links — uncooked, in their casing, cut into thirds (sweet or spicy both work here, depending upon your preference)
• 1 large yellow onion — halved and cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 cloves garlic — chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes — plus additional to taste
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 large red, yellow, or orange bell pepper — cored and cut into 1/4-inch strips
• 1 large green bell pepper — cored and cut into 1/4-inch strips
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

For Serving:

• Cooked whole wheat pasta
• Zucchini noodles

Directions:

1. Lightly coat a 6-quart or larger slow cooker with nonstick spray. Heat a large skillet over medium high. Add 1/2 tablespoon oil. Once the oil is hot, add half of the sausages in a single layer (do not crowd the pan or the sausages will not brown properly). Cook for 1 to 2 minutes on all four sides, or until the outsides are golden brown (the sausages do not need to be cooked all the way through.) Transfer to the slow cooker. Add the next 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and repeat with remaining sausages.
2. Increase the heat slightly. Add the final 1/2 tablespoon oil, then the onions, 1 tablespoon water, salt, and pepper. Cook until the onions are starting to brown and become tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 1 additional minute, then add the wine. Let cook until the wine evaporates, scraping up any bits that have stuck on to the bottom of the pan. Transfer the onions and any pan juices to the slow cooker with the sausages.
3. Add the bell peppers and crushed tomatoes to the slow cooker. Cover and cook for 5 to 6 hours on low or 2 to 3 hours on high, or until sausages are cooked through and tender. (I prefer and recommend the low, long cooking time, as it makes the sausages more tender, but high works if you are in a hurry.) Serve over pasta or zucchini noodles.

Original recipe found here