At some point in your college career, you most likely have had to cook your own meal. Preparing food for yourself can be daunting. Will you undercook the chicken? Will you burn the vegetables? These fears can steer you away from cooking yourself a well-rounded meal and instead cause you to rely on the infamous Ramen Noodles. However, cooking does not have to be hard!
Going into my sophomore year, my mom decided to buy me an Instant Pot, and boy, my life has changed for the better. Before this year I had minimal experience in the kitchen. With the Instant Pot, I am able to cook my meals in a short time and ensure it is being fully cooked. Being involved on campus makes dinner a hassle for me. Having to spend time thawing my meat, cooking it and cooking a side dish can prevent me from accomplishing more important things on my schedule. However, with my personal holy grail, I can plop my frozen salmon into the pot, add some water, and it will be ready in 15 minutes. One of my favorite go-to dishes is a salad with salmon over it. It’s both delicious and healthy.
I honestly do not know where I would be without this product. Think of almost anything, and you can make it. Vegetables, chicken, rice— even yogurt can be made with this pressurized cooker! Since I enjoy meal prepping my breakfast so that I can have optimal amounts of sleep, one really great breakfast choice is egg bites. I like to make these the week of and then freeze them until I am ready to microwave them for breakfast. What can be fun about this recipe is all of the different combinations you can make with different mix-ins (bacon, broccoli, cheese, etc.). While this recipe requires the egg bites mold, it is definitely worth the purchase. If you care for a sweeter treat, the Instant Pot can help you with this, too. With fall quickly approaching, a warm apple crisp sounds like the perfect dessert to test out in your Instant Pot.
Prefer to eat vegan or vegetarian? The Instant Pot can take your meals to the next level. Try cooking black bean burrito bowls. Not only are they full of flavor, but they are filling as well. This recipe can be fun because you are able to customize it with any taco toppings that you please. Personally, I like to throw in some corn, avocado, and salsa.
Now, this whole article may sound like an ad for Instant Pot, but I can assure you that this article is solely created due to my love for this simple cooking device. (However, if Instant Pot wanted to sponsor me, I would never say no to that!) I hope that you find your passion for cooking during this upcoming school year, just like I have, with the Instant Pot!