Instant Pot - Review and GIVEAWAY!!

I’ve wanted a pressure cooker for a long time now.  However, they also scared me.  I’ve heard stories of them blowing up and other things!  Also, I already have a couple of slow cookers and a rice steamer.  Did I really want another large appliance to store?  That’s why I was really intrigued when I found out about the Instant Pot.  Not only is it a pressure cooker, but it’s also a rice cooker, steamer, and slow cooker too!  

When they agreed to not only let me review the Instant Pot but give one away as well, I was so excited! 

The first time I used the Instant Pot, I used it as a pressure cooker to cook black beans.  Previously, I always cooked beans in the slow cooker and it was an all day affair.  I’d soak them for a few hours in the morning and then set them up in the slow cooker, where they would cook for the rest of the day.  This meant that making dishes with beans required some preplanning.   I was amazed at how quickly things went when using the pressure cooker!  I soaked the beans for a few hours in the morning and then put them in the cooker before I ate lunch.  By the time I was done with lunch, my beans were done too.  

Black Beans cooked in the Instant Pot

The hardest part was getting the cover off.  I let it cool down and vent for a while, but it still released a ton of hot steam when I took the lid off.  At the time, I didn’t realize that there is a “handle” on top of the lid, so I was holding it at the sides – don’t do that!  My hands were right in line with the steam.  I’m sure next time it will go much better.  I was amazed at how well the beans held up.  They quick cooking of the pressure cooking ensures that the beans don’t break down like they do sometimes in the slow cooker. 

Rice in the Instant Pot - Look at all the room - you could have a beans and rice party!

I tried out the rice feature next.  I have a rice steamer that works great, but it has a plastic basket that the rice is cooked in.  The plastic has been wearing down, and I’ve been concerned lately about what kinds of chemicals may be getting into my rice.  The Instant Pot has a stainless bowl, so you don’t have to worry about chemicals!  I’m used to the rice cooker taking an hour to cook the rice, so I put it in before I headed to the grocery store.  When I got back, the rice was a little dry because it had gotten done so quickly and was sitting on the warm function.  However, I just threw some extra water in the bowl and the residual heat let the rice instantly soak up the water and the texture was great.  I think next time I’ll be sure to cook the rice when I’ll be home.  Since it doesn’t take long at all, this shouldn’t be a problem!  You can use the Instant Pot as a steamer as well.  I haven’t tried that function yet, but I definitely will in the future!

Easy slow cooker soup

After that, I tried the slow cooker function.  I had a soup packet that I got for Christmas, so I threw it in and pressed the slow cooker button.  It immediately gives you 4 hours of cook time, but this can be adjusted as needed.  This was the perfect amount of time, and my soup turned out great.  Since you leave the vent open when using the slow cooker, you can remove the cover to check on things and add additional ingredients if needed. 

If you’re looking for an appliance that can be used in multiple ways, the Instant Pot® is for you!  This would be a great gift for someone going off to college or just moving out on their own, since it performs so many different tasks well.  This would also be great for someone who, like me, does a lot of cooking from scratch (or would like too), or people who work out of the home during the day and need quick and healthy meal solutions. 

Pros:

• Several different functions from one appliance:  pressure cooking, rice cooking, steaming and slow cooking.
• Cooking is as simple as pushing a button – there are preset functions for almost everything!  There is also a delay timer. 
• Saves energy and time. 
• Preserves more nutrients since it cooks faster. 
• Stainless steel interior that is easy to clean – no worries about toxins leaking into your food!
• Keeps the kitchen cool – I’ll appreciate that this summer! 
• Quiet and not messy – no worries about beans exploding everywhere!
• Versatile – cooks a little or a lot.  Holds up to 10 cups of cooked rice.

Cons:

• The lid gets very hot – this is true with all pressure cookers, but will take some getting used to on my end. 
• Slightly large – the Instant Pot is a fairly large appliance, but when you consider that it is replacing several other appliances, it doesn’t seem as bad.  
• They don't give you very many recipes, so you'll have to search for some online.  

BUY IT:  You can buy it directly from Instant Pot, or you can order it from Amazon.

Congratulations to the winning comment - #158! 

Don't forget to check out my other giveaways here!

**I received an Instant Pot for review purposes. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.  The winning comment will be chosen by random.org.**

Guest Post - What I Love About Photography

Today I am thrilled to have Patti, the owner of P.S. Portraits and a Gulf Coast Photographer doing a guest post for me!  Patti is not only an amazing photographer, but an amazing person as well.  If you're vacationing on the Coast and want to get some great photos done while having fun at the same time give her a call!

Hi! My name is Patti and I am a local photographer, specializing in families and lifestyle portraits.  

I met April (Frugally Green Mom) last fall when she found me on Craig’s List. My husband had been putting my site on the “List” without my knowledge... I was mad when he told me, but now I am glad it brought April and her wonderful family to me...

When April asked me to do a guest blog post to explain some of the buttons on the digital camera, or give advice on what is a good picture vs. a bad picture, I accepted whole heartedly... Wanting to do my best and share with you a little camera know-how.

Well... I agonized over what to say, how to say it and struggled with coming off as snooty or as a know it all... I wrote this a million times in my head, and three times on the computer... I tried several angles from the technical side of “know your camera” to how to “FEEEEEEL” the shot... Ya know what???!! It was horrible! All of it! So I made the choice to share with you, why I love photography and how the camera is not only a business tool, but also a window to life. 

Why do I love photography? Photography has helped me live the best life I can live...I have anxiety. Sometimes its crippling.. Being in a crowd makes me nervous, Going to new places make me nervous, Meeting new people make me nervous, BUT when I have a camera in my hand, I can do anything. I feel like I have a mission, I can focus (no pun intended) on getting the perfect shot. I can smile at a new face and say Hi, I am Patti your photographer. I love being able to give other people confidence when I take their picture.

One of the most rewarding photo shoots for me was of a little pre-teen girl, who was very self conscious, she was nervous to have my camera pointed at her. 

I understood how she felt, I feel that way too! I told her, you’re beautiful. Lets play Model. Pretend you are in a magazine photo shoot. I acted like the photographers she has seen on T.V. and movies, telling her “work it” “move it” yeah! Yeah! Like that!  Before we knew it, we were laughing up and having a great time, and we got this shot 

Being able to capture real smiles..

or real tired babies 

is what gives me the motivation to get over my anxiety, and get out into the world. 

Photography has been a window to success as well. I spent many years in a profession that rarely had any good news or happy people. It got to be too much for me. I was always in a crabby mood or upset. When I thought I was at a breaking point, my husband gave me the best gift in the world, photography lessons. I spent one on one time with a private teacher, learning the in’s and out’s of “What makes a good picture”.  I spent all my time swimming the world of photographs, soaking up as much as I could. It was wonderful. I started doing photos for friends, then they would tell their friends, and before I knew it, I was happy and excited about the world around me again. I was also building a business doing something I love!! What an amazing feeling!!! I never knew this could be my life! I am excited and full of joy; I can be creative and still provide for my family.

 
If you have a camera in your house, pick it up. Start taking pictures! Get creative, think out of the box. 

 I hope you enjoyed this post, and feel inspired to start clicking!

How to Grow Your Own Sprouts

Spring is here in the Florida Panhandle, and Spring always reminds me of sprouting.  Sure you can sprout anytime, but it seems ideal during the new life and hope that Spring offers.  I love sprouts!  I use them on top of my (veggie) burgers, and even make salads out of them.  They're also great on top of a stir-fry, or instead of lettuce in a taco.  The possibilities are endless!  Sprouts are really good for you too - read about just some of the benefits here!  

These sprouts are ready to eat!

If you haven't sprouted before, it's really easy!  I only sprout 1 tablespoon at a time, since it's just me eating them.  I also have a Easy Sprout Sprouter , which I highly recommend, but you can make your own with a glass jar and some cheesecloth if you'd like.  Sprouting seeds can usually be bought at your local health food store, or ordered online.

1. Put your seeds in the bottom of the jar, cover with plenty of filtered water, and soak overnight.  I think it's important to use organic seeds when you're sprouting, as well as the cleanest water you can get.
2. The next morning, drain the water (that's where the cheesecloth comes in - you can attach it over the mouth of the jar with a rubber band).  Rinse the seeds with fresh water and drain again, getting as much water out as possible.  
3. Continue the rinse/drain cycle every evening and morning for 3-5 days (depending on the temps in your house).  During this time I try to keep them out of the sunlight.  I sometimes give them an additional rinse/drain around noon.  
4. You'll know when they are ready when the leaves start to emerge (about 3 days) - I like to put them where they can get a little sunlight at this point!  This greens the leaves up, but don't let them get hot or sit in the sunlight for too long (usually a few hours on a sunny kitchen counter will do).  
5. After they are ready, I put the sprouts in a big bowl of water to get a lot of the hulls out.  Most of the hulls sink to the bottom.  The ones that float are pretty easy to scoop out.  
6. Drain the sprouts well and store in your fridge in a breathable container!  Enjoy!

Hulls of the sprouts left in the bowl - most fall to the bottom!

I hope you'll try sprouting if you never have before - they are tiny little powerhouses of nutrition!

A yummy sprout and apple salad

The container I use for sprouting.

One of the Many Reasons I LOVE Local Businesses

This morning I woke up to the sound of the power going off.  Not fun, especially since this is the coldest night we've seen this year, with temperatures in the 20's.  Of course I immediately decided to stay in bed until Little Miss woke up, hoping the power would be back on by then.  It wasn't.

I got Little Miss ready as quickly as I could and got her off to school so she could have a hot breakfast and be warm.  I then called the power company and found out that it would be several hours before the power would be coming back on.  I decided this was a good morning to try out one of the new eateries in town that I had been meaning to drop by.  Nancy's Haute Affairs is mainly a to-go place, but I hoped that they would have room for me to sit and eat while I was there so I could warm up some.

When I walked inside, I quickly realized there was only one small table, and someone was using it.  I asked the girl at the counter if they had any inside seating available, and she said just the one table, and the patio furniture out front.  I told her that my power was out - she quickly found a space for me to sit, got me some hot coffee, and then told me to sit down and she'd bring the food out to me shortly.

After I finished eating my yummy breakfast and went up to pay, she told me that she hoped my power came back on quickly and offered me more coffee for the road.  I can't imagine getting such personalized service at a chain!  It seems to me as though local places always go the extra mile to help out and make you fill at home.  I think I could have sat there all morning if I wanted to, but I told her that I was just going to go in to work early.

This holiday season, remember to shop (and eat!) locally!  You'll be building a stronger community, and likely get better service as well.

Novica - A Company I Love

Since Christmas is just around the corner, I thought I’d highlight a few of the companies I love.  Although we try to limit the amount of “things” we buy in our house (first rule- reduce!), occasionally I like to buy a little something for myself or a good friend.  If I’m not buying local, I want to buy from a company that makes a difference.  Novica is one of those companies, and I’ve shopped there many times.  

Novica in association with National Geographic, works directly with thousands of artisans in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, bringing their beautiful creations, and their stories, to collectors worldwide.  I’ve bought martini glasses, jewelry, a teapot, and a vase from them and I’ve been extremely happy with all of my purchases.  Most of the jewelry comes in a handmade box that is perfect for gift giving, or to hold jewelry or other small items in.  

The latest box I got with these lovely earrings was made of saa paper, a handmade mulberry bark paper that is made from cutting off the smallest branches of the tree and removing the bark, so it’s a sustainable practice. You also get a postcard from the artist who makes the jewelry, which I think is a great touch!

Sign up for their e-mails and get free shipping this week on everything!  A great way to give them a try.  
What are some companies that you love?

I received no compensation from Novica for this review.

Steep and Chill - A Review

Steep and Chill, freezer core, and infuser

Living in the South, I’m a huge fan of iced tea.  However, there are a lot of times when I don’t think about the tea until I want it!  As you know, this can prove to be a huge problem for iced tea lovers.  You can brew really strong tea and add ice (which never manages to taste quite right), add ice and end up with really weak tea, or be patient and wait for the tea to cool (which is no fun!).

That’s why I was thrilled when Jasmere offered vouchers for a Steep & Chill.  I had never heard of the tea spot, or a Steep & Chill, but it sounded like it was just what I needed.  The Steep & Chill consists of three parts:  the pitcher, the infuser, and a freezer core.



The freezer core  is fairly small, so it’s easy to store in your freezer until needed.  It’s a BPA-free plastic cylinder.  Just fill it up with water, screw on the lid, and throw in the freezer until you’re craving some iced tea.  You can also use it any time you’re serving any type of cold liquid at a party.  Just put the drink in the pitcher and let the freezer core keep your drink cold.  I love the idea of being able to have cool beverages out and available for guests without worrying about them getting watered down!

Infuser with tea leaves

The infuser is BPA free as well.  Simply add your loose-leaf tea into the infuser, screw the infuser into the pitcher lid, and put the whole thing into the pitcher after you’ve added your water.  Once the tea has steeped for the proper amount of time, take the lid off and remove the infuser.

If you’re frugal like me, at this point instead of removing the infuser you can pour the water into another pitcher and fill again to make a second batch of tea.  Many of the tea spot’s high quality teas can be resteeped without affecting the quality of the tea.

I had a few tea leaves escape the infuser during steeping, but they all sank to the bottom and none of them got in my glass until I was at the very bottom of the pitcher.

Steep & Chill with infuser inserted

Now that you have your tea steeped, it’s time to add the freezer core!  The core screws into the lid, where you had the infuser earlier.

Technically, you can have both in at the same time, which could be really nice if you wanted to make some infused water or vodka or something.  I can see adding sliced limes to the infuser and leaving the freezer core in the pitcher filled with water for a refreshing summer drink.

The pitcher is nice enough to look good while serving guests, and holds 32 ounces.  It is made of borosilicate glass with a plastic base, handle, and lid.Unfortunately, my husband accidently knocked my pitcher onto the floor when he was remodeling the kitchen and it broke before I got much use out of it.  However, I think it’s an amazing product and hope to buy another one in the near future!

PROS: Steeps and cools tea quickly without diluting it, stylish, keeps drinks cool for a long time.

CONS: Pitcher is made of glass, so it can be broken, although I would not classify it as fragile.

Overall a great product!

**The opinions expressed are 100% my own.  I paid for this product and received no compensation of any sort for this review.

Brewing Chart