#110: Mastering the Instant Pot — Advanced Pressure Cooking with Nisha Vora
Save time and regain your active life by taking the Instant Pot to the next level. Instant Pot Cookbook author, Nisha Vora, joins us to spill all the Instant Pot beans that you didn’t even know could change your life, including the single item you can get to raise your pressure cooking game!
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Hello friends!
Life is BUSY, but here’s how to get back more time in your day and the tool that will make that happen! You’ve likely heard of or already own an Instant Pot, but have you wondered if you’re taking advantage of all it’s capable of? How can it free you up to live a more active life? We get it, pressure cookers can be intimidating, and even if you’ve mastered the basics and gotten several staple Instant Pot recipes under your belt, figuring out more advanced uses can be overwhelming.
That’s why we brought you Nisha Vora this episode, who literally wrote the book on vegan Instant Pot cooking. to spill all the Instant Pot beans that you didn’t even know could change your life!
You know we love to bring you information that you can use and that will make your life better. Today is no exception with the true Instant Pot guru, Nisha Vora, who is a vegan recipe developer, cookbook author, and founder of Rainbow Plant Life. She went from Harvard Law School and case books to writing cook books, all as part of her mission to change the world.
In this episode, Nisha divulges how she discovered that the Instant Pot was a tool worth writing a book about, and it includes a crazy story of a stove-top pressure cooker catastrophe that left scars and almost turned her off of pressure cooking for good. Nisha shares the safety features of the Instant Pot that relieved her fears and ultimately changed her life’s direction. In this convo, we cover everything from:
- Understanding the functions and settings, and which ones you should be using
- How to transfer traditional cooking principles to Instant Pot cooking, even if the timing is different
- What even is “salting to taste”
- What about other brands and styles of pressure cookers
- What to make to save time on breakfast if you’re tired of oatmeal
Nisha then introduces us to all sorts of ways to use the Instant Pot that many of us have never even considered, much less explored. So if you’re ready to level-up, here’s your chance!
- The single item you can purchase make phenomenal pecan pumpkin mousse tart and Oreo cheesecake (yes, Oreos are vegan!) that taste fresh from the oven without the babysitting
- The trick you may not have tried to keep vegetables from turning mushy
- Caramelized onion jam - need we say more?!
- How to use beets to make hot pink food coloring
- Lasagna and tikka masala without slaving away in a hot kitchen
And listen to the end for the FAQ that will give you the confidence you need to take off into Instant Pot expertise! No more wondering about pressure release or liquid ratios or keeping your Instant Pot (and that sealing ring!) clean.
Don’t wait to listen and turn any Instant Pot intimidation into inspiration! This episode will make you so much more efficient in the kitchen as you gain time back for all the people and things you love most, including the delicious food you’ll be making!
♡ Toni & Michelle
EPISODE SHOW NOTES
- How Nisha went from Harvard Law School and practicing law to writing cook books, all while maintaining her mission to change the world
- How Nisha discovered the Instant Pot was a tool worthy to write a book about
- The stove-top pressure cooking catastrophe that left scars and almost turned Nisha away from pressure cookers entirely
- How the Instant Pot’s safety features have removed Nisha’s worries entirely
- What situations the Instant Pot is useful for, including small kitchens and busy holiday cooking
- Whether stove-top pressure cookers or other electronic brands will work the same
- When to find the Instant Pot on sale
- How to understand the Instant Pot terminology, functions, and settings
- How to apply traditional cooking principles, like layering seasonings, to Instant Pot cooking
- Why it’s so important to deglaze after sautéing in the Instant Pot
- What if you don't know how to salt to taste
- What pantry basics are a breeze to make in the Instant Pot, including broths and sauces
- How to use the Instant Pot to save time on busy mornings, including non-traditional breakfasts like quinoa, to switch up from oatmeal or other grains
- How to make desserts in the Instant Pot, like cake, tarts, and cheesecakes, that are indistinguishable in texture from oven-baked desserts
- The one item you likely need to purchase to make almost any Instant Pot dessert
- How to cook vegetables without them getting mushy and how to use the Instant Pot to enjoy your garden harvest
- A fun tip for turning beets into hot pink food coloring
- Surprising, gourmet restaurant-style dishes you can make in the Instant Pot, like lasagna and tikka masala
- Your Instant Pot FAQ
- What factors determine how long it will take the Instant Pot to come to pressure
- Whether to release pressure naturally or select the quick pressure release, and when to do it
- How much liquid to add and the major factor that may influence that
- How to clean the lid and keep smells out of sealing ring
- The easy tool to keep the tricky parts of your Instant Pot clean
RESOURCES
- Instant Pot on Amazon
INSTANT POT GUIDES
- 30+ Vegan Instant Pot Recipes
- Instant Pot Beans Cooking Guide & Printable Cooking Time Table (print it out and hand it inside a kitchen cabinet!)
INSTANT POT RECIPES
LET'S BE FRIENDS!
CONNECT WITH TONI OKAMOTO:
WEBSITE | YOUTUBE | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | FACEBOOK
CONNECT WITH MICHELLE CEHN:
WEBSITE | YOUTUBE | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | FACEBOOK
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