It’s simple to grasp the recognition of high-pressure cookers and multi-cookers offered underneath model names resembling Immediate Pot. Meals ready with excessive stress are prepared faster than these cooked in an oven or on a stovetop. That is a assist to folks juggling busy schedules whereas making an attempt to eat healthful meals.
Stress cookers additionally make meals eco-friendly. They use about 70% much less electrical energy than a standard oven or range.
Stress cookers and multi-cookers are particularly good for cooking dried beans or different legumes. The legume household, which incorporates lentils, beans (black, cannellini, kidney, navy and extra), soybeans, peas and chickpeas, supplies plant protein in a extremely nourishing package deal. Legumes are additionally stuffed with fiber and vitamins like folate, zinc, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and iron. They’re comparatively low in energy, cholesterol-free and practically freed from fats and sodium. Maybe better of all, they’re cheap.
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About these vitamins: Folate, a B-vitamin, is vital for formation of crimson blood cells and wanted for wholesome cell development and performance. Potassium helps decrease blood stress by countering the consequences of an excessive amount of salt. Iron is important for making hemoglobin, a protein in crimson blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to all components of your physique.
At present’s recipe makes use of lentils, tiny disk-shaped legumes that are available in a wide range of colours. Brown or inexperienced lentils work finest on this stew. Purple lentils don’t maintain their form as nicely and work finest in purees. When getting ready dried legumes, unfold them out on a white kitchen towel earlier than cooking, so you may simply see any filth or particles to take away. Choose over the lentils and discard any which might be broken as nicely.
Lentils prepare dinner shortly and don’t want any soaking. This vegan-friendly lentil stew cooks in lower than half an hour, however it’s so stuffed with taste you’d suppose it simmered all day.
Bethany Thayer is a registered dietitian nutritionist with Henry Ford Well being System. For extra recipes and well being info, go to henryford.com/weblog and for questions on as we speak’s recipe e-mail HenryFordLiveWell@hfhs.org.
Lentil Stew for Excessive-Stress Cookers
Serves: 6 servings/ Prep time: 20 minutes / Complete time: 45 minutes
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 1/2 cups lentils
2 candy potatoes, unpeeled, diced
1 can (15-ounce) diced tomatoes
4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
¼ teaspoon salt
Freshly floor black pepper, to style
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons dried thyme
½ teaspoon every cumin and coriander
Utilizing the sauté mode in your high-pressure cooker, warmth oil and prepare dinner the onion for about 5 minutes. Add in garlic and celery and prepare dinner one other 5 minutes, stirring sometimes, or till onion is browned. Push cancel and add remaining substances. Stir, safe lid and prepare dinner on soup mode 10-Quarter-hour. Use the quick-release choice in keeping with producer’s directions.
From Henry Ford LiveWell.
254 energy (12% from fats), 4 grams fats (0 grams sat. fats), 44 grams carbohydrates, 12 grams protein, 342 mg sodium, 0 mg ldl cholesterol, 97 mg calcium, 11 grams fiber. Meals exchanges: 9 greens, 1 fats.
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