Jane Bonacci and Sara De Leeuw Help You Become an Instant Pot® Pro

Chances are that by now you’ve at least heard of the Instant Pot if you haven’t already tried cooking with one. Chances are you might have even received one as a gift for your birthday or some holiday that just passed. Whether you’re the person still figuring out how to turn the thing on, or the latter, where you may belong to more than one Instant Pot fan club on Facebook, chances are this cookbook is for you – especially if you or someone in your family is trying to avoid gluten.

Living Gluten-Free With Your Ingredients

As you may know, several commercially processed foods have managed to add gluten in some way. Because of this conundrum, you end up making a lot of meals at home, which can be time-consuming when you think of all the times you get hungry in a day.

This is where Instant Pots become your new best friend in the kitchen. Jane Bonacci and Sara De Leeuw can vouch for this with their newly revised cookbook, “The Gluten-Free Instant Pot® Cookbook: 100 Fast to Fix and Nourishing Recipes for All Kinds of Electric Pressure Cookers.” In this book, Sara and Jane answer all of your questions, like how do you find the perfect pressure cooker? How do these things work, anyway? What equipment do I need? How do I become gluten-free? How should I stock my gluten-free pantry? What the heck is psyllium husk powder and how do I use it?!

These ladies have thought of each and every question you could think of and addresses them before you dive into the recipes. You’re positioned in such a way that you can operate your machine with confidence effortlessly.

Breakfast

Using your Instant Pot for breakfast makes brunch-mode menus a possibility even during the week. Steel cut oats happen in a snap, Cheesy Poblano Frittatas are cooked to soufflé-like texture every time, and grits become a repeat throughout the week once you try them in the Instant Pot.

“Frittatas are a quick and easy breakfast, brunch, or midweek dinner option. The cumin and peppers add flavor and a little heat, which takes this in a Southwestern direction. You can pass hot sauce at the table if you have guests who like spicier foods. Serving a tossed green salad alongside makes a healthy, light meal.”

Great Grains and Rice

Sara and Jane help you reimagine the grain category by introducing new-to-you grains like sorghum, millet and Melissa’s Cooked Quinoa, while also deepening your love for rice. The Millet and Chicken Greek Salad is one of our favorite recipes!

“Millet is a gluten-free grain that is similar to couscous or quinoa, with a touch of nuttiness in every bite. When combined with these Greek-inspired ingredients, it makes a delightful salad that wakes up your taste buds and is perfect for summer picnics or potlucks all year long.”

Your Melissa’s Produce Shopping List

Masterful Main Dishes

I think this section of the book highlights the Instant Pot the best. Recipes that would usually take multiple pots and pans and long cook times get reinvented with this cooking device. Proteins get cooked to perfection in half the time! Their BBQ Baby Back Ribs is a must-try!

“Trying to control live fire can be challenging. But if you put those same ribs in an electric pressure cooker, you get perfectly cooked ribs every time with no worry that the weather will interfere and no need to stand watch for hours at the grill.”

Asian Favorites

This section made those of us with gluten sensitivities extra happy. If you didn’t know, soy sauce has gluten in it, often resulting in having to take a pass on Asian favorites. In this section of the book, Sara and Jane have revamped our favorites. Our current obsession: The Vegetable Pad Thai.

Delightful Desserts

OMG, the dessert section! This book finishes strong in the dessert department. We were blown away by the sheer volume of recipes in this section of the cookbook. Eating gluten-free definitely does not mean that you can’t indulge your sweet tooth, and this cookbook is proof. The double chocolate fudge cheesecake is absolutely divine.

Believe it or not, we’ve only scratched the surface of all the benefits that you can gain from purchasing this cookbook. These authors are so thoughtful in setting you up for success, not just for using the Instant Pot, but also for navigating tough scenarios while living gluten-free. We cannot say enough great things about this book. So, what are you waiting for? It’s add-to-cart online shopping time!

Millet and Chicken Greek Salad

This Greek salad recipe is a crowd favorite for its ability to cater to a vast variety of dietary restrictions; gluten-free, dairy-free option, soy free, eggs free and nut free!

For the salad

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup Melissa’s boiler onions (finely chopped)
1 Melissa’s Enjoya Pepper (cored, seeded, and finely chopped)
1 cup millet (rinsed well and drained)
1/2 teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 cup water
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 cups Melissa’s organic spinach (rinsed well, shaken dry)
1 Melissa’s mini cucumber (finely chopped)
1/3 cup Kalamata olives (chopped)
1/3 cup Melissa’s heirloom black cherry tomatoes (quartered)
1/2 Melissa’s Italian sweet red onion (thinly sliced)
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken (cubed or shredded)

For the dressing

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed )
1 tablespoons Red wine vinegar (to taste)
1/2 teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For topping

2 tablespoons Melissa’s parsley (finely chopped)
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)

Salad

1. Press Sauté and heat the vegetable oil in the inner pot of your electric pressure cooker. When it is shimmering, add the chopped onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring, for 4 minutes, or until the onion is slightly softened. Add the millet. Sprinkle with the salt, pepper, and oregano, then pour in the water and stock, stirring to be sure nothing is stuck to the bottom of the pot. Press Cancel.
Close and lock the lid, making sure the steam release handle is in the sealing position. Cook on high pressure for 9 minutes. When it is ¬finished, release the pressure naturally for 8 minutes, then turn the steam release handle to venting, releasing any remaining steam. Unlock the lid and open it carefully.
Remove the lid, rake the grains with a fork, and transfer to a large bowl. Add the spinach to the bowl, stir it into the millet, and let the steam wilt the greens. Set aside to cool to room temperature, tossing occasionally with forks to help keep the millet from clumping. When cooled, stir in the cucumber, olives, tomatoes, red onion, and chicken.

Dressing

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Pour half the dressing over the salad, tossing to coat all the ingredients. Taste and adjust the seasonings; add the remaining dressing if desired and toss again. Sprinkle the parsley and feta over the top and serve.

Photography and recipe excerpted with permission from “The Gluten-Free Instant Pot® Cookbook: 100 Fast to Fix and Nourishing Recipes for All Kinds of Electric Pressure Cookers” by Jane Bonacci and Sara De Leeuw, published by Quarto Publishing Group.