I’m not usually an early adopter when it comes to electronics so I followed the same philosophy with the Instant Pot in its infancy. I feared that it would end up in the attic waiting for the next yard sale like so many other kitchen electronics in my lifetime.

So, I held out until last year. Four years of saved Pinterest posts and hours of perusing Instant Pot cookbooks later, I decided to take the Instant Pot plunge. I am so glad I did!

Since many of you joined this craze long before me, this blog will not be about the “How To’s” of the Instant Pot. But, I have included links to some good resources you might enjoy. I’ve also included a collection of 7 healthy and delicious recipes I’ve gathered from friends (thanks Sarah A., Carmen H., Cari F., Gale A.) and my own saved collections. Not every Instant Pot recipe I’ve tried in my journey is a winner, but these are keepers.

If you’ve just received your first Instant Pot and are still in the “fear” stage, just do it! Once you try your first recipe, you’ll get over your cold feet. To help you gain some confidence, check out these Cook Smart links by Jess Dang that cover some Instant Pot basics.

IN CASE YOU HAVEN’T NOTICED THIS NEAT TRICK

Through all my Instant Pot (IP) video watching, one of my biggest takeaways has been this tip about what to do with the ginormous IP lid while you’re preparing your recipe. The IP lid has a small rectangular “fin” that sticks out of each side. The side handles on the IP base each have a rectangular cut out. When you need the IP lid out of your way, slide one of the fins on the top into one of the rectangular cutouts in the base handle. Voila - a storage spot for the lid.

Kudos to the IP engineer who came up with this brilliant idea!

INSTANT POT RESOURCES YOU MIGHT ENJOY

Whether you’re a seasoned Instant Pot user or a newbie, here are a few other things you might like to know about.

LINKS TO QUICK RECIPES FOR PANTRY STAPLES

CONVERTING YOUR FAVORITE RECIPES TO INSTANT POT RECIPES

DEEP CLEANING YOUR INSTANT POT

How to Deep Clean Your Instant Pot and Keep It Like New

NATURAL PRESSURE RELEASE VS. QUICK PRESSURE RELEASE

A HEALTHY AND DELICIOUS INSTANT POT RECIPE FOR EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK

Some Instant Pot (IP) recipes are truly “Instant” while others take a bit longer depending on the steps and contents of the recipe. Remember that with each recipe, it will take 10 – 15 minutes to bring the IP up to pressure before the actual cooking time begins. Then, some recipes require Natural Pressure Release (NPR) after the cooking time is complete. NPR can add 10 – 40 minutes to your total cooking time depending on how full the IP is and how dense the recipe is (for instance, it takes longer to NPR a large piece of meat compared to a recipe with slices of meat). Either way, you will determine which recipes are good for quick week night meals and which ones are best for weekends when you have a little more time. One of the best features of the IP is that once you lock and seal it, you can walk away and forget it while it cooks.

Need help with your dinnertime meals? Here’s a healthy #InstantPot recipe for every night of the week. #saslife Click To Tweet

Here are 7 new recipes to help you on your journey to IP success while providing healthy meals for you and your family.