Instant Pot Barbacoa

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup beer or water
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 chipotles in adobo sauce (or more, to taste)
• 1 small white onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles or dried chilis
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano (or regular oregano)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 pounds beef chuck roast* (fat trimmed), cut into 2-inch chunks
• 3 bay leaves

Directions:

1. Combine beer, garlic, chipotles, onion, green chiles, lime juice, vinegar, cumin, oregano, salt, pepper and cloves in a blender or food processor.  Purée for 30 seconds, or until completely smooth.  Set aside.
2. Press the “Sauté” setting on the Instant Pot.  Add oil.  Then once it is heated and shimmering, add the roast and sear — turning every 45-60 seconds or so — until the roast is browned on all sides.  Press “Cancel” to turn off the heat.
3. Add the bay leaves and pureed sauce, and briefly toss everything until the roast is evenly coated in the sauce.  Close lid securely and set vent to “Sealing”.
4. Press “Manual”, then press “Pressure” until the light on “High Pressure” lights up, then adjust the +/- buttons until time reads 60 minutes.  Cook.  Then very carefully, turn the vent to “Venting” for quick release, and wait until all of the steam has released and the valve has dropped.
5. Remove the lid, and discard the bay leaves.
6. Using two forks, shred the beef into bite-sized pieces.  Give the beef one more good toss in all of those juices so that it can soak them up.
7. Serve warm, or refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Chocolate chip banana bars

Ingredients:
5 ripe bananas
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
1. oven to 350
2. mash bananas.  stir in sugar, oil, milk and eggs.
3. add dry ingredients and stir.  fold in chocolate chips
4. spread the batter in 8x10 pan.  Bake for 18-22 min.

Blueberry Oatmeal muffins

Ingredients:
2.5 cups oats
1.5 cups almond milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 Tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup blueberries

Directions:
1. Combine oats and milk in large bowl.  Cover and let soak in refridgerator for 8-12 hours.
2. Preheat oven 375
3. Stir remaining ingredients into bowl of oats.
4.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, until they spring back when touched.

Chicken curry with green beans

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp oil
• 2 lbs chicken thighs
• 1.5 tsp salt, divided
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced into half moons
• 1 inch ginger, grated
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp curry powder
• 1/2 crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 28 oz. diced tomatoes
• 1 lb green beans, trimmed
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Directions
1. Heat oil in pot with a lid.  Season the chicken with 1/2 tsp salt and pepper.  Place half the chicken in the pot and cook until lightly golden,  3 min per side.  Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken.
2. Lower the heat to medium, add onion and cook until translucent.  Add ginger, garlic, curry, red pepper flakes and remaining salt.  Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 min
3. Add broth and coconut milk and stir to loosen any browned bits.  Return the chicken to the pot, add tomatoes with juice and green beans and bring to a boil.  lower the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until chicken is tender and cooked through, stirring once or twice, about 45 minutes.  garnish with cilantro.

Dark chocolate avacado brownies

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour, optional almond flour for a GF recipe
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1 egg
• 1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and mashed smooth
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips, recommend Enjoy Life

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly spray an 8X8 inch pan with non stick spray.
2. In a small bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg, avocado, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and maple syrup. Mix well until smooth. Gradually add the flour mixture to the avocado mixture and blend well, Gently fold in chocolate chips and pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before cutting. Store refrigerated in an airtight container.

Baked Apples

Ingredients:
5 apples
2 Tbsp Coconut oil
1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
Dice apples and mix with oil.  Sprinkle cinnamon over.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Turkey Meatballs with Dill Sauce

Ingredients

MEATBALLS

• 1 pound lean ground turkey
• 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
• 2 garlic cloves , minced
• 3 tablespoons finely diced yellow onion
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• fresh ground pepper , to taste

FOR THE GARLIC DILL YOGURT SAUCE

• 3 garlic cloves , minced
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt , or to taste
• fresh ground pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon fresh dill , chopped + more for garnish
• 1 cup non-fat plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400F.
  2. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine chicken, panko bread crumbs, garlic, onion, thyme, oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper; mix and stir until thoroughly combined.
  4. Form the mixture into 1-1/2 inch meatballs.
  5. Transfer the meatballs to previously prepared baking sheet.
  6. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until meatballs are cooked through.
  7. In the meantime prepare the yogurt sauce.
  8. In a small mixing bowl, combine garlic, salt, ground pepper, dill, yogurt, and olive oil; mix until thoroughly incorporated.
  9. Taste for seasonings and adjust accordingly. I always find that it needs a tad bit more salt.
  10. Remove chicken meatballs from the oven and let stand couple minutes.
  11. Transfer to a serving bowl and top spoon yogurt sauce over the meatballs.
  12. Garnish with chopped fresh dill and serve.
   

Pressure Cooker Baked Beans

Ingredients:

• 1 pound dried navy beans
• 8 cups water
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 10-ounces (8 slices) thick-sliced bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Rinse beans in a colander and sort through the beans to remove any debris. Soak beans overnight in the pressure cooking pot with 8 cups water mixed with 1 tablespoon salt. * Drain and rinse the beans; discard the soaking liquid. 
2. Select Browning (or Saute) and add bacon to pressure cooking pot. Cook until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove bacon to a plate lined with paper towels. Cook the onion in bacon drippings until tender, about 3 minutes. Scrap up brown bits on the bottom of the pot as the onions cook.
3. Add 2 1/2 cups water, molasses, ketchup, brown sugar, dry mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to the onions in the pot and stir to combine. Stir in the soaked beans.
4. Select high pressure and 35 minutes cook time. When timer beeps, turn pressure cooker off and wait for 10 minutes, after 10 minutes use a quick pressure release to release any remaining pressure. Discard any beans that are floating, Check several beans to see if they’re tender. If not, pressure cooker for a few minutes longer.
5. Stir in cooked bacon. Select Simmer and simmer beans uncovered, stirring occasionally so the bottom doesn’t burn, until the sauce is the desired consistency.

*If you don’t have time for an overnight soak, use the Browning setting to bring the salted water to a boil. Boil beans for two minutes. Turn pressure cooker off and let beans soak one hour. Proceed with the recipe as directed.