Our Instant Pot Vegetable Fried Rice is loaded with flavor and the recipe is versatile. I love this vegan fried rice recipe because it’s packed with vegetables and easy to modify by adding in a protein like tofu, egg, or even chicken if you have carnivores in the house.

Using the Instant Pot to make our Instant Pot Fried Rice means you only have one dish to clean up at the end of meal time. I love to make fried rice in the Instant Pot, and it’s the only way I will make fried rice now!

Where’s the recipe?

To better serve my community of all levels of experience here at My Crazy Good Life, I’ve made a commitment to put a ton of helpful information in all of my posts. This includes healthy eating plan information, how to meal prep, and how to easily substitute ingredients. 

If you’d like to skip over the extra information, please simply scroll to the bottom of the page, where you will find the printable Instant Pot Vegetable Fried Rice recipe.

Ingredients in Instant Pot Vegetable Fried Rice:

• White Rice: There’s a long standing debate over whether white rice is healthy or not. While it does have some short comings, it also has some benefits.
• Stir-Fry Vegetables: Usually a mixture of frozen peas, carrots, and broccoli. Some contain water chestnuts and baby corn.
• Coconut Aminos: We love using coconut aminos in our Instant Pot fried rice recipe. We find it tastes less salty than using the traditional soy sauce.
• Roasted Sesame Oil: Sesame oil provides a light nutty flavor to this recipe. We choose roasted or toasted sesame oil, but you are welcome to use regular sesame oil too.
• Ginger: We love fresh ginger, but also understand that it can take a while to properly mince. When we are running short on time, we use the frozen ginger cubes.
• Garlic: Minced garlic is a must in this recipe. We prefer using it over garlic powder in all of our Asian food recipes.
• Rice Vinegar: The riced vinegar in the recipe helps balance out the slightly sweet tone of the coconut aminos – look for the one without the added flavorings and sugar.

How to make Instant Pot Vegetable Fried Rice:

1. Add the white rice and water to the Instant Pot.
2. Attach the lid and ensure the vent is in the “sealing” position.
3. Heat the Instant Pot using the Manual Pressure / Normal / High Pressure function and set the timer for 5 minutes. The Instant Pot will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure and will then begin counting down from 5. Turn off the “keep warm” button if you have one. This will help the rice release from the bottom of the pot as it cools.
4. Once the Instant Pot has finished cooking, release the pressure manually by switching the valve to the “venting” position. Be careful— the valve will steam and my splatter.
5. Turn the Instant Pot to the sauté function. Move the rice to one side of the Instant Pot. In the empty half, pour 1 tbsp roasted sesame oil. Let the sesame oil heat slightly, then add ginger and garlic. Sauté the ginger and garlic for one minute.
6. Add the frozen vegetables, coconut aminos. rice vinegar, and remaining sesame oil. Sauté the rice and vegetables, stirring occasionally for 5-8 minutes, or until the rice has started to crisp in some areas and the vegetables are hot and cooked through.
7. Top with chopped green onions and sesame seeds. Serve fried rice warm.

Recipe Tips:

• You can also make this recipe with jasmine rice. We prefer using jasmine rice in our Instant Pot Fried Rice recipe. Although we love using jasmine rice for for this recipe, you can also use basmati rice, brown rice, or long grain white rice. Brown rice has a different cooking time than white, this posts tells you How to Cook Brown Rice in the Instant Pot.
• Using the pressure cooker to cook your rice helps cut down on extra dishes to wash. The cooked rice in the instant pot comes out perfectly every time.
• You can use fresh vegetables for this recipe, but I don’t recommend canned. They tend to get mushy. We use frozen veggies for convenience and a variety of vegetables. We prefer the stir fry frozen vegetables, but you can also go for the classic mixed frozen vegetables.
• You can omit the sesame oil if you don’t have any, but I love the nutty flavor it gives.
• If you like eggs in your fried rice, remove the rice after it is finished cooking and scramble as many eggs as you prefer before adding back the rice and vegetables. You may also move the fried rice to one side of the Instant Pot, scramble the egg on the empty side, then mix together when the egg has cooked.
• This recipe can easily be modified to add additional protein. We love making chicken fried rice when we have any leftover chicken.
• This recipe is easy to customize to your preference. I love adding bell peppers, green beans, and onions to this rice recipe.
• Store leftover rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Our Instant Pot Fried Rice recipe will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Healthy Eating Plans:

Weight Watchers:

We calculated these points using the WW calculator. We use ingredients to calculate our points, not nutrition information.

Weight Watchers has told us that this is the most accurate way to calculate points for a recipe since ingredient brands can vary so much. Points were figured following the recipe exactly as written and dividing into 4 servings.

Our Instant Pot Vegetable Fried Rice is 14 points per serving.

Ultimate Portion Fix:

White rice is not on the 21 Day Fix food list. If you swapped for brown rice, this would be a compliant recipe. The cooking time for brown rice is 20 minutes.

For the entire recipe, total counts are 8 yellow containers, 2 green containers, and 30 oil teaspoons. Per serving, 2 yellow containers, 1/2 green containers, 7 teaspoons.

Reducing the aminos and oil will reduce the teaspoons.

2B Mindset

This is a 2B Mindset lunch recipe.

Other Rice Recipes

• Stir Fry Bowls
• Brown Rice Risotto in the Instant Pot
• Crack Chicken & Rice Casserole

Print

Instant Pot Vegetable Fried Rice

This Instant Pot Vegetable Fried Rice is quick, easy, vegan, and egg free. It's seriously the best fried rice, and will crush your take-out cravings without the guilt.

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 403kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Ingredients

• 2 c white rice dry
• 2 c water
• 2 tbsp roasted sesame oil divided
• 2 tsp ginger minced
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 c stir-fry vegetables frozen
• 1/4 c coconut aminos
• 1 tsp rice vinegar

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Add the white rice and water to the Instant Pot. Attach the lid and ensure the vent is in the “sealing” position. 2 c white rice, 2 c water
• Heat the Instant Pot using the Manual Pressure-Normal-High Pressure function and set the timer for 5 minutes.
• Once the Instant Pot has finished cooking, release the pressure manually.
• Turn the Instant Pot to the Sauté function. Move the rice to one side of the Instant Pot. In the empty half, pour 1 tbsp roasted sesame oil. Let the sesame oil heat slightly, then add ginger and garlic. Sauté the ginger and garlic for one minute. 2 tbsp roasted sesame oil, 2 tsp ginger, 2 cloves garlic
• Add the frozen vegetables, coconut aminos. rice vinegar, and remaining sesame oil. 2 c stir-fry vegetables , 1/4 c coconut aminos, 1 tsp rice vinegar
• Sauté the mixture stirring occasionally for 5-8 minutes, or until the rice has started to crisp in some areas.
• Top with chopped green onions and sesame seeds. Serve fried rice warm.

Notes

• You can make this recipe with brown rice. This posts tells you How to Cook Brown Rice in the Instant Pot.
• You can use fresh vegetables for this recipe, but I don’t recommend canned. They tend to get mushy.
• You can omit the sesame oil if you don’t have any, but I love the nutty flavor it gives.
• If you like eggs in your fried rice, remove the rice after it is finished cooking and scramble as many eggs as you prefer before adding back the rice and vegetables.
• This recipe is easy to customize to your preference, I love adding bell peppers and onions. 

Weight Watchers: 
Our Instant Pot Vegetable Fried Rice is 14 2023 points per serving.

Ultimate Portion Fix:
 Per serving, 2 yellow containers, 1/2 green containers, 7 teaspoons.

 

 

Nutrition

Calories: 403kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 11mg | Potassium: 117mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 0.1IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Instant Pot Vegetable Fried Rice appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

Lemon juice and garlic are a flavor combo that just works. When you pressure cook the two together you will create the most delicious sauce to top your golden brown chicken thighs and vegetables with.

If you are looking for a healthy one pot dinner recipe, look no further than this Instant Pot lemon chicken. Everything cooks in one pan for an easy, healthy dinner that you can have on the table in no time.

I love using my trusty pressure cooker to make a quick and easy dish on busy weeknights. Not only is this lemon chicken great for school nights, it’s also a great recipe for meal prep!

Where’s the Recipe?

Here at My Crazy Good Life we have visitors of all different comfort levels in the kitchen. Whether you’re new to pressure cooking, or just new to cooking in general, we want you to be able to recreate our recipes with ease.

To help our readers have a successful experience cooking, we provide a lot of information in our articles. Below you will find an informative list of ingredients, detailed cooking instructions, recipe tips, as well as healthy eating plan calculations for a couple popular programs.

If you’re comfortable in the kitchen, and with pressure cooking, and would like to skip past all of that, please go ahead and scroll to the bottom of the page where you will find our easy to print recipe card for this Instant Pot Lemon Chicken Thighs recipe.

Ingredients in Instant Pot Lemon Chicken

• Garlic cloves: For this lemon garlic chicken recipe we use a spice rub that gives the chicken thighs so much flavor. This recipe calls for minced garlic as opposed to garlic powder. Fresh garlic helps to season chicken thighs and the lemon sauce for an absolutely delicious flavor. Garlic powder can be used but you won’t get as much of a fresh garlic taste.
• Paprika: Paprika is rich in antioxidants as well as vitamins and minerals. It adds a sweet and peppery taste to the chicken thigh rub. Feel free to use sweet or smoked paprika. Smoked will give you an additional layer of flavor.
• Oregano: Dried oregano is used in Italian seasoning and adds a delicious earthy flavor to the chicken thighs.
• Marjoram: Dried marjoram is another Italian seasoning that is a great addition to this Instant Pot lemon chicken recipe.
• Salt: We use just a little salt to help bring out the flavors in this Instant Pot lemon chicken recipe.
• Pepper: Black pepper adds a subtle layer of heat to our chicken thighs rub.
• Chicken thighs: I love using chicken thighs when I cook in the Instant Pot. If you think you’re not a fan of dark meat, I urge you to try this recipe using boneless skinless chicken thighs. Skinless chicken breasts can become dry and rubbery as the chicken cooks. One of the things I love most about cooking chicken thighs is, even if they are slightly over-cooked, you have moist, tender chicken when the cooking time is complete.
• Lemon juice: Our Instant Pot lemon chicken uses fresh lemon juice from about 3 lemons to create a delicious lemon garlic sauce. Not only does lemon juice add bright and fresh flavors, lemon juice is also high in Vitamin C, which may give your immune system a boost!
• Chicken broth: I use chicken broth or chicken stock for this Instant Pot chicken thighs recipe.
• Potatoes: Use mini or baby potatoes for this Instant pot lemon chicken thighs recipe.
• Baby bella mushrooms: You can’t go wrong with mushrooms. They’re fat-free, low-sodium, low-calorie, and cholesterol-free. They’re also packed with fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
• Asparagus: Asparagus is a tasty vegetable that’s also a great source of vitamins and minerals, especially folate and vitamins A, C and K.
• Cornstarch: We add this at the end of our cooking time to create a cornstarch slurry, which helps to thicken the delicious lemon garlic sauce.

How to Make Instant Pot Lemon Chicken

1. Prep the Pot Start by spraying the bottom of the inner pot to your Instant Pot with a nonstick cooking spray, and then press sauté. You can also use a small amount of olive oil or avocado oil to lightly coat the bottom of your inner pot.
2. Make the Rub In a small bowl, combine the minced garlic, paprika, oregano, marjoram, salt, and black pepper. Then rub the mixture into the tops of your chicken thighs.
3. Sear the Chicken Take care not to crowd your chicken together, you may need to repeat this process several times so that the chicken thighs can sear properly. Starting with the seasoned side down, place chicken thighs into your pot. Sear for 30 seconds to 1 minute per side. Set the seared and golden brown chicken thighs aside and, when you are done searing all of the thighs, add lemon juice and chicken broth to the pot. Use a wooden spoon to loosen any brown bits from the bottom of the pot.
4. Add the Potatoes Next, place the baby potatoes in the bottom of the pot, and then set the seared chicken thighs directly on top of the potatoes. Close and lock the Instant Pot lid and turn the steam release valve to sealing. Select Pressure Cook (high) and set the cooking time for 5 minutes. When the cooking time is complete, quick release the pressure and carefully remove the lid.
5. Add the Mushrooms & Asparagus Now it’s time to add the mushrooms and asparagus directly on top of the chicken thighs. Close and lock the Instant Pot lid and again turn the steam release valve to sealing. Pressure cook (high) and set the cooking time for 1 minute.
6. Make the Cornstarch Slurry When the cooking time is complete, quick release the pressure and remove chicken, vegetables, and potatoes to a large platter. On your Instant Pot, select Sauté and add the corn starch to the pot. Whisk together with the chicken broth to make your cornstarch slurry. Once the lemon sauce has thickened you can remove the inner pot from the Instant Pot base.
7. Serve Place the lemon garlic chicken, vegetables, and potatoes into individual bowls or plates, and spoon sauce on top of each serving. Serve immediately or see below for tips on storing for meal prep.

Recipe Tips

• This Instant Pot Lemon Chicken is a delicious and healthy recipe for meal prep. To prep, divide equal portions of lemon chicken, vegetables, and potatoes into meal prep containers. You can serve the gravy on the side, or spoon it over the top of each serving before storing.
• Instant Pot Lemon Chicken and vegetables keeps in the fridge for up to 6 days, or it can be frozen for up to 2 months. To reheat, microwave each thawed serving for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.
• This recipe uses a quick release to release the pressure from the Instant Pot. If you’d like to learn more about quick release vs. natural release you can read this post.

Healthy Eating Plans

This Instant Pot chicken recipe serves 6.

21 Day Fix Instant Pot Lemon Chicken

Entire recipe: 6 red containers, 6 yellow containers, 6 green containers

Per serving: 1 red container, 1 yellow container, 1 green container

Weight Watchers Instant Pot Lemon Chicken

8 2023 Plan Points | 8 Blue Plan Points | 8 Green Plan Points | 5 Purple Plan Points

Looking for more Instant Pot recipes?

• Instant Pot Garlic Pork Tenderloin with Potatoes This Instant Pot Garlic Pork Tenderloin with Mashed Potatoes is an easy and delicious meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights.
• How to Cook White Rice in the Instant Pot If you’re new to pressure cooking you will love cooking white rice in the Instant Pot! This post will teach you how to cook rice in the Instant Pot.
• Instant Pot Burrito Bowls with Frozen Chicken This is an easy Instant Pot meal prep recipe that uses frozen chicken breast, plus dried beans and rice for a true one pot meal that the whole family will eat.
• Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Chicken Drumsticks These Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks with Cilantro Lime Seasoning are so delicious. The marinade can be used with any type of chicken: chicken thighs, chicken breasts or chicken legs.
• Chicken Gyro Bowls with Homemade Tzatziki These healthy Chicken Breast Gyro Bowls with Homemade Tzatziki sauce are perfect for meal prep because I can prepare the main ingredients and then just assemble them for a quick recipe tonight.

Print

Instant Pot Lemon Chicken

This Instant Pot Lemon Chicken is an easy dish bursting with fresh flavors from a delicious lemon garlic sauce. Juicy lemon garlic chicken thighs are paired together with nutrient rich vegetables for a healthy and easy dinner that your whole family will enjoy.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword instant pot lemon chicken

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 6 minutes minutes

5 minutes minutes

Total Time 21 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 401kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Instant Pot 6 qt
• Cutting Board
• Kitchen Knife

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp marjoram
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 3 lb chicken thighs boneless, skinless
• 3 lemons juice from
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 1/2 lb mini potatoes any variety
• 1 lb baby bella mushrooms halved
• 1 lb asparagus halved and woody ends removed
• 2 tbsp cornstarch

Instructions

• Start by spraying the bottom of the inner pot to your Instant Pot with a nonstick cooking spray, and then press sauté. You can also use a small amount of olive oil or avocado oil to lightly coat the bottom of your inner pot.
• In a small bowl, combine the minced garlic, paprika, oregano, marjoram, salt, and black pepper. Then rub the mixture into the tops of your chicken thighs. 2 tbsp minced garlic 1 tsp paprika 2 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp marjoram 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp black pepper
• Take care not to crowd your chicken together, you may need to repeat this process several times so that the chicken thighs can sear properly.

  Starting with the seasoned side down, place chicken thighs into your pot. Sear for 30 seconds to 1 minute per side. Set the seared and golden brown chicken thighs aside and, when you are done searing all of the thighs, add lemon juice and chicken broth to the pot. Use a wooden spoon to loosen any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. 3 lb chicken thighs 3 lemons 1/4 cup chicken broth
• Next, place the baby potatoes in the bottom of the pot, and then set the seared chicken thighs directly on top of the potatoes. Close and lock the Instant Pot lid and turn the steam release valve to sealing. Select Pressure Cook (high) and set the cooking time for 5 minutes. When the cooking time is complete, quick release the pressure and carefully remove the lid. 1 1/2 lb mini potatoes
• Now it's time to add the mushrooms and asparagus directly on top of the chicken thighs. Close and lock the Instant Pot lid and again turn the steam release valve to sealing. Pressure cook (high) and set the cooking time for 1 minute. 1 lb baby bella mushrooms 1 lb asparagus
• When the cooking time is complete, quick release the pressure and remove chicken, vegetables, and potatoes to a large platter. On your Instant Pot, select Sauté and add the corn starch to the pot. Whisk together with the chicken broth to make your cornstarch slurry. Once the lemon sauce has thickened you can remove the inner pot from the Instant Pot base. 2 tbsp cornstarch
• Place the lemon garlic chicken, vegetables, and potatoes into individual bowls or plates, and spoon sauce on top of each serving. Serve immediately or see below for tips on storing for meal prep.

Notes

Recipe Tips

• This Instant Pot Lemon Chicken is a delicious and healthy recipe for meal prep. To prep, divide equal portions of lemon chicken, vegetables, and potatoes into meal prep containers. You can serve the gravy on the side, or spoon it over the top of each serving before storing.
• Instant Pot Lemon Chicken and vegetables keeps in the fridge for up to 6 days, or it can be frozen for up to 2 months. To reheat, microwave each thawed serving for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.
• This recipe uses a quick release to release the pressure from the Instant Pot. If you’d like to learn more about quick release vs. natural release you can read this post.

Healthy Eating Plans

This Instant Pot chicken recipe serves 6

21 Day Fix Instant Pot Lemon Chicken

Entire recipe: 6 red containers, 6 yellow containers, 6 green containers

Per serving: 1 red container, 1 yellow container, 1 green container

Weight Watchers Instant Pot Lemon Chicken

8 2023 Plan Points | 8 Blue Plan Points | 8 Green Plan Points | 5 Purple Plan Points

Nutrition

Calories: 401kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 215mg | Sodium: 218mg | Fiber: 5g

The post Instant Pot Lemon Chicken appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

Traditional lasagna is filled with delicious cheesy goodness of ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and parmesan cheese. Balanced out with the rich flavors of marinara sauce and noodles, it’s a fan favorite. I find that when I eat traditional lasagna, it sometimes feels too heavy. Our lasagna recipe fits in perfect for those times when you’re craving lasagna, but also wanting something a little lighter.

Here at My Crazy Good Life, I’m always trying to make healthy changes to classic dishes. With our Spaghetti Squash Lasagna recipe, we promise you will love it just as much as traditional lasagna. It’s still filled with the delicious cheesy goodness through cottage cheese, greek yogurt, and mozzarella.

Our secret weapon to a healthier version is spaghetti squash. If you haven’t had a chance to cook with spaghetti squash yet, trust me. Spaghetti squash has a spaghetti noodle like consistency with a slightly sweet flavor. It pairs perfectly in this vegetarian spaghetti squash lasagna recipe with the cheese mixture and marinara sauce.

And, I mean – have you ever eaten lasagna out of an actual spaghetti squash? That’s just one less dish to wash. I call that a win.

Where’s the Recipe?

At My Crazy Good Life, we write our recipes to help all of our readers be empowered and successful in the kitchen. We realize that all of our readers have a variety of levels of confidence when cooking.

Each recipe post is full of detailed ingredient information and recipe instructions, tips and tricks, healthy eating plan points, and nutritional information. If you’re comfortable in the kitchen, you might want to skip the detailed instructions and scroll down to the bottom of the page where you’ll find our easy to print Spaghetti Squash Lasagna recipe.

Ingredients in Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

• Spaghetti Squash: This is the real MVP of the dish. It’s the noodle replacement of the the classic lasagna dish, and we guarantee you won’t miss the noodles in this recipe. When cutting the spaghetti squash in half, you’ll want to be sure to cut the spaghetti squash lengthwise. This will give you bigger squash boats to work with. Need more help with this vegetable? Read this article for how to cook, cut, and eat a spaghetti squash.
• Cauliflower: I love adding cauliflower to recipes because it takes on the flavors of the ingredients served with it. The cauliflower also helps the sauce and cheese fillings bulk up a bit.
• Cottage cheese: We prefer using the 2% fat cottage cheese when making our spaghetti squash lasagna.
• Greek yogurt: Greek yogurt offers a lot of extra protein to this recipe. We prefer to use the 2% fat Greek yogurt.
• Garlic: Is it even considered a lasagna if it doesn’t have the delicious flavors of fresh garlic included? I prefer fresh minced garlic for this recipe.
• Basil: If you have fresh basil on hand, that’d be perfect, however you can also use dried basil for this recipe.
• Oregano: Dried oregano is a classic spice of all things comfort. Often times oregano is found in Italian seasoning, however we opted to use oregano alone for our spaghetti squash lasagna boats.
• Parsley: If you have fresh parsley on hand, great. If not, dried parsley will work perfectly for this. We love recipes that don’t require 3-4 fresh herbs every time you make a recipe.
• Pasta sauce: Look for a spaghetti sauce with no added sugar. You’ll only need a little bit for this recipe, but did you know that you can freeze extra pasta sauce in ice cube trays? It’s perfect to have on hand when you only need a little bit of sauce.
• Spinach: Baby leaf spinach is the size you are looking for in our spaghetti squash lasagna recipe. If you only have regular sized spinach, that will work too.
• Mozzarella: Shredded mozzarella cheese, melted and slightly browned on top of the spaghetti squash. Does it get any better than that?

How to Make Spaghetti Squash Lasagna in Instant Pot

1. Place the trivet inside the inner pot and add 2 cups of water.
2. Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Place the spaghetti squash halves flat on the trivet. It’s ok if they’re not completely flat – lean them up against the sides if you have to.
3. Add the cauliflower on top of the spaghetti squash. Close and lock the lid, then turn the steam release handle to Sealing.
4. Press Pressure Cook (high) and cook for 7 minutes.
5. While the spaghetti squash is cooking, combine the cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, garlic, basil, oregano, and parsley in a food processor or blender. Blend on high for 30 seconds or until smooth. Transfer the cheese mixture to a medium bowl.
6. When the squash is done cooking, allow the pressure to release naturally and then remove the squash and cauliflower from the pot.
7. Move the cauliflower to the bowl with the cottage cheese mixture and use a fork to mash and combine it with the other ingredients. Place your spaghetti squash on a baking sheet.
8. Preheat the broiler in your oven on high so you can brown the lasagna boats.
9. Using a fork, hollow out the spaghetti squash strands from the cooked spaghetti squash. Do not discard the spaghetti squash shells.
10. Add the spaghetti squash strands to the bowl with the cauliflower and cottage cheese mixture, then stir until well combined.
11. Spoon one half of the squash mixture into each of the squash shells, then top each with 1 tablespoon of the pasta sauce, a layer of the spinach, and 2 tablespoons of the mozzarella.
12. Place the boats on the baking sheet or baking dish and broil for 1-2 minutes or until the cheese is melted and slightly browned. Don’t walk away from the oven while you have food broiling, as it cooks super quick and you can easily burn it.
13. Serve immediately, and enjoy!

Recipe Tips

• If the spaghetti squash boats (halves) don’t sit flat in the Instant Pot, you may slightly angle them against the sides of the pot.
• A natural release in an Instant Pot simply means to let the sealing valve remain as is and allow the pressure to naturally release. This usually takes about 10 minutes. If your pressure isn’t released by then, you can manually release it.
• The cook time for the squash can differ slightly, depending on the size and age of the squash, so adjust as needed. (A large spaghetti squash will take longer to cook in the Instant Pot). If the squash doesn’t easily scrape out of the shells, place the shells back in the Instant Pot and pressure cook for 3 more minutes with another natural release.)
• Our recipe is for a vegetarian lasagna. If you prefer your spaghetti squash boats with meat, simply cook and add ground turkey or ground beef to the cheese mixture. Please note that all healthy eating plan points will need to be recalculated, and we haven’t tested this version of the recipe.
• If you like a little kick in your lasagna, feel free to add some red pepper flakes.
• Are you meal prepping? Store this recipe in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 6 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
• Reheating: Microwave each thawed serving for 1½ to 2 minutes.

Healthy Eating Plan Points

Weight Watchers

Our Spaghetti Squash Lasagna is 2 2023 Plan Points | 2 Blue Plan Points | 2 Green Plan Points | 2 Purple Plan Points per serving. I used fat free cottage cheese, part skim mozzarella, and Newman’s Own Organic pasta sauce for these points.

21 Day Fix

1/3 red container, 3 green containers, 1/2 blue container per serving.

2B Mindset

This recipe is a perfect lunch or dinner recipe.

Print

Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

This Spaghetti Squash Lasagna recipe is lighter than traditional lasagna. Greek yogurt gives this meal prep recipe a creamy texture and extra protein.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Lasagna, spaghetti squash

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 7 minutes minutes

Natural Release 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 27 minutes minutes

Servings 2 people

Calories 269kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• 1 Instant Pot 6 qt
• 1 Instant Pot Trivet
• 1 Kitchen Knife

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 1 spaghetti squash small
• 1 ½ cups cauliflower chopped
• ¼ cup cottage cheese 2%
• ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt 2%
• 1 ½ tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp dried parsley
• ¼ cup pasta sauce no sugar added
• ½ cup baby leaf spinach
• ¼ cup mozzarella shredded

Instructions

• Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Add water below trivet in Instant Pot. Place spaghetti squash halves flat on the trivet. 2 cups water, 1 spaghetti squash
• Add the cauliflower on top of the spaghetti squash. 1 ½ cups cauliflower
• Select Pressure Cook (high) and set the cook time for 7 minutes.
• While the spaghetti squash is cooking, combine the cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, garlic, basil, oregano, and parsley in a food processor or blender. Blend on high for 30 seconds or until smooth and creamy. Transfer the cheese mixture to a medium bowl. ¼ cup cottage cheese, ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 ½ tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp dried basil, 1 tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp dried parsley
• When the cook time for the squash is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally.
• Transfer the cauliflower to the bowl with the cottage cheese mixture and use a fork to mash and combine it with the other ingredients.
• Preheat your oven broiler on high.
• Using a fork, hollow out each spaghetti squash strands from the cooked spaghetti squash. Do not discard the spaghetti squash shells.
• Add the spaghetti squash strands to the bowl with the cauliflower and cottage cheese mixture, then stir until well combined.
• Spoon one half of the mixture into each of the squash shells, then top each with 1 tablespoon of the pasta sauce, a layer of the spinach, and 2 tablespoons of the mozzarella. ¼ cup pasta sauce, ½ cup baby leaf spinach, ¼ cup mozzarella
• Place the boats on a baking sheet or baking dish and broil for 1-2 minutes or until the cheese is melted and slightly browned.
• Serve immediately and enjoy!

Notes

Healthy Eating Plan Points

Weight Watchers

• Our Spaghetti Squash Lasagna is 2 2023 Plan Points | 2 Blue Plan Points | 2 Green Plan Points | 2 Purple Plan Points per serving. I used fat free cottage cheese, part skim mozzarella, and Newman’s Own Organic pasta sauce for these points.

21 Day Fix

• 1/3 red container, 3 green containers, 1/2 blue container per serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 269kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 483mg | Potassium: 952mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 1561IU | Vitamin C: 51mg | Calcium: 300mg | Iron: 3mg

The post Spaghetti Squash Lasagna appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

Our Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Bites are the perfect dish to enjoy on game day, but also healthy enough to make anytime a craving hits. Our buffalo chicken bites are made with simple ingredients, yet full of delicious buffalo sauce flavor that make this the perfect appetizer!  

Classic buffalo wings are deep fried, tossed in butter, then tossed in buffalo sauce. Even Instant Pot buffalo chicken wings are typically not the best choice for your healthy eating plan.

Chicken wings are made up almost entirely of fat, and while butter is fine in moderation, the sheer amount used in most wing recipes is not. This healthy chicken recipe hits all your favorite buffalo sauce flavors, and is more filling because you’re getting the meat, not just skin.

While this recipe is written for the Instant Pot, you can cook it in any electric pressure cooker! It takes about 15 minutes. These spicy, buttery, Buffalo Chicken Boneless Wings are a healthy homemade version alternative to traditional buffalo wings. 

Boneless buffalo chicken bites go great with a side of celery sticks, carrot sticks, turnip fries, and homemade ranch dressing dipping sauce.

Our bite-sized pieces are the perfect protein to share with family and friends. It’s an easy appetizer, and I guarantee your friends will be asking for this recipe. 

Where’s the Recipe?

My readers come from all levels of experience in the kitchen and I receive a lot of questions about recipes. To better serve everyone, I’m committed to put a ton of helpful information in all of my posts.

If you’d like to skip over buffalo chicken ingredient information, the recipe tips, and healthy eating plan calculations, please simply scroll to the bottom of the page, where you will find the easy to print Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Bites recipe card!

Ingredients in Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Bites

• Chicken breast: Chicken breasts are a healthy low carb protein source. Boneless skinless chicken breasts work great for this recipe. If you prefer dark meat you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs for this buffalo chicken recipe.
• Cayenne pepper: Cayenne blends nicely with the hot sauce to create the perfect spicy flavor for your buffalo sauce. If you need to tame the spice level a bit, feel free to omit or decrease the amount of cayenne pepper. 
• Butter: I use butter in this buffalo chicken recipe, because traditional fried chicken bites have that delicious buttery flavor. If you prefer, you can use another type of fat like avocado oil or olive oil to cook your chicken in.
• Black pepper: Good seasoned chicken needs black pepper.
• Franks Hot Sauce: There are a lot of different buffalo sauces available, but I prefer the original Frank’s red hot sauce. Traditional buffalo sauce has a ton of extra ingredients in it that make it less healthy. The Frank’s red hot sauce is just salt, peppers, and vinegar. This is all you need and you will still get all the buffalo flavor. You won’t miss the extra stuff, I promise!
• (Optional) Ranch Seasoning: If you need to make some dip, our ranch seasoning is the best! Scroll down to find the recipe for our ranch dip in the recipe tips below.

How to Make Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Bites

Time needed: 16 minutes

1. Slice & Sauté: First you will want to slice your chicken breasts into bite size pieces or strips, and then turn your pot to Sauté. Next melt your butter in the pot. Once the butter is melted, place the chicken, seasonings, and 1/2 cup of buffalo sauce (reserve an extra 1/4 cup of buffalo sauce to add at the end) into your pot with the melted butter. Finally, place chicken in a single layer. Make sure to avoid overlapping of the chicken pieces.  
2. Pressure Cook: Close and lock the Instant Pot lid and set your pot to Pressure Cook on high pressure. Set the cooking time for 8 minutes.
3. Quick Release: Once the cook time is complete, quick release the pressure and then remove the lid. The chicken is cooked when a meat thermometer reads the internal temperature of the buffalo bites to 165 degrees F. Using a slotted spoon, remove chicken and drizzle the remaining 1/4 cup of buffalo sauce on top and then eat now, or skip ahead to Step 4 for my preferred method.
4. Optional Broil: Transfer the cooked chicken to a baking sheet and drizzle it with the remaining ¼ cup of buffalo sauce. Then broil for 2-3 minutes until the buffalo sauce is thickened and the chicken bites are golden brown. Let cool for about 5 minutes and then serve with carrots, celery, or your favorite sides like ranch or blue cheese dressing.

Recipe Tips

• This recipe goes perfectly with our ranch dip. If you need to make some dip, this ranch seasoning is the best! Take a small container of plain Greek yogurt, and add 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp parsley, and 1/2 tsp dill. Stir to combine.
• If you’re making this recipe with frozen chicken breasts, increase the cook time to 16 minutes and cut into bite-sized pieces after it’s cooked. 
• If you’re short on time you can skip broiling and just toss the cooked chicken with the remaining buffalo sauce, but broiling is the best way to get that golden brown crispy exterior.
• Our Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Bites are most delicious when they are fresh. However, you may save any remaining chicken leftovers for meal prep by storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat simply warm the buffalo chicken bites in an air fryer basket on low, or in the oven at a low temperature. 

Healthy Eating Plans

Weight Watchers Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Bites

See this post for our WW Buffalo Chicken Bites.

21 Day Fix Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Bites

For the entire recipe: 8 Red Containers, 6 Teaspoons. 

Per Serving: 1 Red Container, ¾ Teaspoon. 

2B Mindset Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Bites

Serve with 50% veggies and 25% FFC for a complete lunch. 75% veggies for a complete dinner. 

Trim Healthy Mama Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Bites

These buffalo chicken bites are a THM-S recipe with no changes.

Love all things buffalo chicken? Try these other healthy buffalo sauce recipes:

• 21 Day Fix Buffalo Chicken Dip Shredded buffalo chicken dip is a classic appetizer that is always a hit at parties and gatherings. However, traditional buffalo chicken dip can be high in calories and fat. This healthy buffalo dip uses shredded chicken breasts, plus cottage cheese and Greek yogurt, instead of cream cheese, to lighten things up without sacrificing flavor.
• Frozen Cauliflower In Air Fryer I’m always looking for a good recipe using buffalo sauce. These Buffalo Cauliflower Bites are so easy to make and are the perfect appetizer, snack, or side dish.
• Buffalo Cauliflower Mac and Cheese Buffalo sauce recipes are usually a big hit in our house, so I was excited to try out this great recipe for my family. It’s a healthy buffalo cauliflower mac and cheese recipe with shredded chicken, and is a great way to get in some extra protein and veggies!
• Healthy Buffalo Chicken Roll Ups These Buffalo Chicken Breasts Roll Ups are a delicious quick dinner recipe! Mixing cottage cheese with buffalo sauce and ranch spices gives these roll ups a spicy and creamy center that’s a satisfying main course cuisine.
• Buffalo Pasta with Shredded Chicken This easy buffalo chicken pasta recipe is a family favorite in my house, and is a great addition to your weekly meal rotation. This pasta dish is made with shredded chicken breasts and is topped with a protein packed spicy buffalo sauce. It’s one of my favorite Instant Pot recipes.
• Buffalo Cauliflower Dip I add chicken breasts to this shredded chicken buffalo cauliflower dip to really get in some extra protein. It’s a healthy, game day appetizer that you can cook in the Instant Pot, slow cooker, or on the stove top.

Print

Buffalo Chicken Bites

These spicy, buttery, Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Boneless Wings are the perfect healthy recipe. They cook right in the Instant Pot, so they’re fast and cleanup is easy.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword Buffalo Chicken Bites

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 11 minutes minutes

Total Time 16 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 222kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Instant Pot 6 qt
• Kitchen Knife
• Sealing Rings

Ingredients

• 2 lbs chicken breast defrosted, cut into strips (I’ve also used frozen chicken breasts, please see below)
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup Franks Red Hot Sauce not buffalo sauce
• 1/4 cup Franks Red Hot Sauce save for after chicken has been cooked

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Slice your chicken into bite-size strips. 2 lbs chicken breast
• Set your Instant Pot to sauté and melt your butter. Once melted, add your chicken and seasoning. Then, stir in ½ cup of Franks Hot Sauce and stir well. 2 tbsp butter, 1 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp black pepper, 1/2 cup Franks Red Hot Sauce
• Close and lock the lid and set your pot to Pressure Cook on high pressure. Set the cooking time for 8 minutes.
• Remove the chicken from the pot. You can drizzle the remaining hot sauce on it and eat it now, or broil on a baking sheet. 1/4 cup Franks Red Hot Sauce
• Optional: Using tongs, remove the chicken from the Instant Pot and place on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Brush the chicken with the additional 1/4 cup hot sauce. Brown the chicken and thicken the sauce by placing under the broiler for 3 minutes. Turn the chicken over and repeat on the other side. Let the chicken cool 5 minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

Healthy Eating Plans:  

• 21 Day Fix/Portion Fix: For the entire recipe: 8 Red Containers, 6 Teaspoons. Per Serving: 1 Red Container, ¾ Teaspoon. 
• 2B Mindset: Serve with 50% veggies and 25% FFC for a complete lunch. 75% veggies for a complete dinner. 
• Trim Healthy Mama: This is a THM-S recipe with no changes.
• Weight Watchers: See this post for the WW version.

Nutrition

Calories: 222kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 762mg | Potassium: 255mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 287IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Buffalo Chicken Bites appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

Cooked perfectly, this garlic pork tenderloin is paired with mashed sweet potatoes, steamed broccoli, and a quick gravy – all in the same pot. It’s an easy one pot meal that the whole family will love.

If you’re new to pressure cooking, this is a great recipe to start with. It uses simple ingredients and yields results delicious enough to serve at a dinner party or for an easy family recipe tonight.

This Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin is one of my family’s favorite pork recipes. I love that it’s easy to make in the Instant Pot and is also a healthy recipe to keep in my weekly recipe rotation.

Where’s the recipe?

Here at My Crazy Good Life we have readers of all different comfort levels in the kitchen. Because of that, we write our recipes for all cooks, whether you’re experienced or new to cooking.

In this article you will find ingredient information, detailed cooking instructions, recipe tips, and healthy eating plan calculations. If you’d like to skip over all of that and get right to cooking, simply scroll to the bottom of the page where you will find our easy to print recipe card for Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin and Potatoes.

Ingredients in Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin with Vegetables

• Garlic: I recommend using fresh minced garlic over garlic powder for this instant pot pork tenderloin recipe. In addition to it tasting great, garlic may have some real health benefits, such as protection against the common cold and the ability to help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. You may get some benefits from garlic powder, but you get the biggest bang for your buck from fresh garlic.
• Basil: I love fresh basil, but for this instant pot pork tenderloin recipe we’ll be using dried basil.
• Parsley: Dried parsley works great for these pork tenderloins.
• Oregano: We’re using dried herbs again here. Dried oregano is perfect with this Instant pot pork tenderloin recipe.
• Salt: Your body needs salt to function properly. Consuming too much or too little can lead to health issues. To avoid this, it’s important to read food labels to make sure you’re not consuming too much sodium in your day. This pork recipe uses just a tiny amount of salt, but feel free to skip it if you’d like.
• Black pepper: Black pepper is a great way to add flavor and spice to all kinds of recipes.
• Pork tenderloin: Pork tenderloin meat is one of the leanest cuts of pork available. Pork is a great source of protein and also contains many important minerals and nutrients like thiamine, vitamin B6 and B12, potassium, iron, and magnesium.
• Olive oil: Olive oil is a good source of monounsaturated fatty acids and medium-chain triglycerides, both of which have been shown to offer potential benefits when included in a healthy lifestyle. If you’d like to use another type, just stick to to one that’s less processed.
• Chicken broth: I use low sodium chicken stock or chicken broth in this recipe. The chicken stock, along with the cooking liquid, creates a mouthwatering pork gravy that is delicious with the pork tenderloin and potatoes.
• Sweet potatoes: Move over traditional mashed potatoes, we’re changing things up for this particular recipe and using sweet potatoes in this pork loin roast. Sweet potatoes are rich in antioxidants and a great source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
• Broccoli: Broccoli is high in many nutrients, including fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, iron, and potassium. I love adding it to this instant pot pork tenderloin recipe, knowing my whole family will get a nutrient boost eating it.
• Butter: butter is high in saturated fat, but most research shows that butter can be included in moderation as part of a balanced diet and may even be associated with several health benefits.
• Almond Milk: I prefer to use plain, unsweetened almond milk in this mashed sweet potatoes recipe. Since we’ll add milk after cooking the potatoes, you can use your favorite milk type without worrying about it curdling in the Instant Pot like animal milk can. Just be sure to adjust your points, container counts, or nutrition calculations if you make any changes.
• Corn starch: we’ll use corn starch to thicken up our pork gravy.

How to Cook Pork Tenderloin in the Instant Pot

1. Using a cutting board, peel and cube your sweet potatoes into 1-inch pieces and then set aside.
2. Place your pork tenderloin on a cutting board and, using a sharp knife, cut the tenderloin into 2 pieces. This will make it quicker and easier to pressure cook than a big pork loin.
3. In a small bowl mix together the minced garlic, basil, oregano, salt, and black pepper to create your pork seasoning. Rub the seasonings into the tops of the pork tenderloin pieces.
4. Turn your Instant Pot to sauté and add the olive oil to your inner pot. When the olive oil is hot, add the pork tenderloin pieces, seasoned side down. Sauté for 1 minute, and then flip the pork tenderloins and sauté the bottom sides for 1 more minute. Transfer the browned pork tenderloin pieces to a plate and turn the Instant Pot off.
5. Add the chicken broth to your pot and while it’s still hot use a spatula to deglaze it, getting all the yummy cooked pork tenderloin pieces mixed together with the broth. Now, place the trivet into your pot and set the pork tenderloin pieces on top of the trivet.
6. The next thing you will want to do is make a foil bowl for the sweet potatoes. To do that I get a sheet of foil about 14 inches long and spray it with nonstick cooking spray. Then add potatoes on top of the foil and roll the sides of the foil in to create a bowl. Place the foil bowl on top of the pork tenderloin. There are pictures of this step below.
7. Close and lock the lid to your Instant Pot pressure cooker, and turn the valve to sealing.
8. Select pressure cook mode (high pressure) and set the cook time for 10 minutes to cook pork tenderloin and potatoes.
9. When the cook time is complete, let the pressure naturally release for 5 minutes. After the natural release, do a quick release using a wooden spoon to turn the valve.
10. Remove the lid and, using oven mitts, carefully transfer the foil bowl of cooked sweet potatoes to a large bowl. Add the broccoli to your pot right on top of the pork tenderloin.
11. Close and lock the lid to the Instant Pot and, again, turn the pressure valve to sealing. Choose the high pressure mode and set the cook time for 1 minute to cook pork tenderloins and broccoli.
12. While the broccoli and pork tenderloin cooks, add butter to the cooked potatoes. Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes while you slowly add milk. Continue to mix the potatoes until you have creamy mashed potatoes.
13. When the Instant Pot cooking time is done, quick release the pressure and transfer the cooked broccoli and the cooked pork tenderloin meat to a plate. Remove the trivet from the pot.
14. Turn your Instant Pot to sauté, add the corn starch to your remaining broth, and whisk vigorously until your gravy thickens.
15. Turn the Instant Pot off and carefully remove the inner pot with your gravy.
16. Slice the pork tenderloin and top with gravy. Plate the cooked broccoli and mashed potatoes with your pork tenderloin and serve warm.

Recipe Tips for Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin

• This Instant pot pork tenderloin and mashed potatoes is an awesome recipe for meal prep. It doesn’t require a lot of prep time and keeps well stored in the fridge for up to 6 days, or the freezer for up to 2 months.
• For meal prep, I slice the cooked leftover pork tenderloin and place it in airtight meal prep containers, then top with the gravy and add mashed potatoes and broccoli.
• If you do freeze this Instant Pot pork tenderloin and potatoes, thaw the frozen pork and mashed potatoes and then heat each thawed serving for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes in the microwave.
• The National Pork Board recommends cooking pork tenderloin meat to an internal temperature between 145° F and 160° F. You can use a meat thermometer to check your pork tenderloin temperature.

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix Instant Pot Garlic Pork Tenderloin with Potatoes

Per serving this Instant Pot pork tenderloin and mashed potatoes is: 2 red containers, 1 green container, 1 yellow container, and 2 teaspoons.

Weight Watchers Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin and Potatoes

11 2023 Plan Points | 11 Blue Plan Points | 11 Green Plan Points | 6 Purple Plan Points

Looking for more Instant Pot recipes?

• Instant Pot Ramen Stir Fry with Chicken and Broccoli This Instant Pot Ramen Stir Fry with Chicken and Broccoli has a quick cooking time and is full of soy sauce flavor and healthy ingredients. It’s one of our favorite pressure cooking recipes.
• Instant Pot Apple Sauce If you’ve ever wanted to make your own applesauce, you have to give this Instant Pot Apple Sauce recipe a try. With just 2 ingredients and 14 minutes of cooking time in the Instant Pot, you will have delicious homemade applesauce on the table in no time.
• Vegan Minestrone Soup This Vegan Minestrone Soup Recipe has no meat but will satisfy even the biggest meat lover with its chunky veggies and whole wheat pasta.
• Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes Wondering how to make sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot? It’s an easy Instant Pot recipe. I love to meal prep several Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes at once so I can eat them all week.

Print

Instant Pot Garlic Pork Tenderloin with Potatoes

This Instant Pot Garlic Pork Tenderloin with Potatoes is an easy and delicious meal that's perfect for busy weeknights.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Instant Pot Garlic Pork Tenderloin with Potatoes

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 11 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 520kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Instant Pot 6 qt
• Kitchen Knife
• Cutting Board

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup minced garlic about 8 cloves
• 2 tbsp dried basil
• 2 tsp dried parsley
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 3 lb pork tenderloin cut into 2 pieces
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 lb sweet potatoes (about 3 medium), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 heads broccoli cut into small florets
• 1/2 cup almond milk plain, unsweetened
• 2 tbsp corn starch

Instructions

• In a small bowl, combine the garlic, basil, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper. Use a fork to mix, then rub the seasonings into the tops of the pork pieces. 1/4 cup minced garlic 2 tbsp dried basil 2 tsp dried parsley 2 tsp dried oregano 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp black pepper 3 lb pork tenderloin
• Select sauté and add the olive oil to the inner pot. When the oil begins to shimmer, place the pork pieces, seasoned side down, in the pot. Sauté for 1 minute, flip the pieces and sauté the bottoms for 1 more minute, then transfer the pieces to a plate and turn off the pot. 1 tbsp olive oil 3 lb pork tenderloin
• Add the chicken broth to the pot and use a spatula to deglaze the pot, then stir. Place the trivet in the pot and put the pork pieces on top of the trivet. 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth 3 lb pork tenderloin
• Make a foil bowl for the sweet potatoes by placing a 14-inch piece of aluminum foil on a flat surface and spraying it with nonstick cooking spray. Place the cubed sweet potatoes on the foil and slowly roll the sides in to make a bowl. Place the bowl directly on top of the pork. 2 lb sweet potatoes
• Close and lock the lid, then turn the steam release valve to sealing. Select pressure cook (high) and set the cook time for 10 minutes. When the cook time is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then quick release the remaining pressure and remove the lid.
• Using oven mitts, carefully transfer the potatoes to a large bowl. Add the broccoli to the pot, directly on top of the pork. Close and lock the lid again, then turn the steam release valve to sealing. Select pressure cook (high) and set the cook time for 1 minute. 2 heads broccoli
• While the broccoli is cooking, add the butter to the bowl with the sweet potatoes. Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes while slowly adding the almond milk until a creamy consistency is achieved. 1/2 cup almond milk
• When the broccoli is done cooking, quick release the pressure, transfer the broccoli and pork to a plate, and remove the trivet.
• Select sauté on the Instant Pot and add the corn starch. Whisk vigorously until the gravy thickens. Then turn off the pot and use oven mitts to remove the inner pot from the base.
• Slice the pork and place it on a plate. Top the pork with gravy and plate broccoli and mashed sweet potatoes with it.

Notes

21 Day Fix

Per serving this Instant Pot pork tenderloin and mashed potatoes is: 2 red containers, 1 green container, 1 yellow container, and 2 teaspoons.

Weight Watchers

11 2023 Plan Points | 11 Blue Plan Points | 11 Green Plan Points | 6 Purple Plan Points

Nutrition

Calories: 520kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 57g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 158mg | Sodium: 310mg | Fiber: 10g

The post Instant Pot Garlic Pork Tenderloin with Potatoes appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

Cinnamon and coconut sugar combine to make this healthy french toast casserole an absolutely delicious breakfast that your whole family will love.

This French toast casserole is one of my favorite breakfast recipes to make for meal prep. It keeps well in the fridge overnight or even in the freezer for a couple months. Just microwave it when you’re ready to eat and top with fresh berries or fresh fruit for a healthy meal.

Where’s the recipe?

Here at My Crazy Good Life we have readers of all comfort levels in the kitchen. To better serve everyone, we write our posts will lots of helpful information.

In this article you will find ingredient information, detailed cooking instructions, recipe tips, and healthy eating plan calculations. If you want skip past all of that and get straight to the recipe, scroll down to the bottom of the page to find the easy to print Healthy French Toast Casserole recipe card.

Ingredients in Healthy French Toast Casserole

• Bread: choose your favorite whole grain bread for this french toast casserole. Whole grains are a great source of fiber and can have positive health effects. Stale bread is preferred to fresh bread when making baked french toast casserole. You can use other bread options like sourdough bread, french bread, gluten free bread, brioche bread, or challah bread. Just be sure to adjust your points and nutrition serving calculations if you make any changes.
• Eggs: eggs are loaded with vitamins, minerals, high-quality protein, good fats and other nutrients that are good for us.
• Almond milk: I substitute almond milk for a lot of recipes that call for milk. It’s a healthy plant-based alternative to cow’s milk and is naturally high in vitamin E. You can use regular milk, or another dairy substitute like oat milk or soy milk.
• Cinnamon: Is it even french toast if there isn’t any cinnamon? I think not. Cinnamon adds the perfect spice to this healthy french toast casserole.
• Nutmeg: I like to add nutmeg to this french toast casserole because it adds a warm, nutty flavor to the dish. This baked french toast casserole is the breakfast I make on Christmas morning, and the nutmeg in it is the perfect spice to really say Christmas breakfast.
• Vanilla extract: vanilla extract is another non negotiable ingredient in french toast. Make sure to use pure vanilla extract.
• Coconut sugar: coconut sugar is very similar to regular white sugar, although it is less processed and contains trace amounts of nutrients. While it is still sugar, it may have a lower glycemic index than white sugar.
• Maple syrup: use pure maple syrup – it contains small amounts of minerals like manganese and zinc.

How to Make French Toast Casserole in the Instant Pot

1. We need to start by getting the bread slices or cubes really dry and crusty, so preheat your oven to 200ºF. (If your bread slices are already sufficiently dry, you can skip this step.)
2. Scatter the bread cubes or chunks in a single layer on top of a large baking dish or sheet. Place in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until your bread cubes are dry.
3. Next, place your trivet into the inner pot of your Instant Pot, and add 1 1/2 cups of water to the pot.
4. Now coat a 7-inch round baking pan or oven-safe dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
5. In a large bowl add the eggs and use a fork to whisk. Then add the almond milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, coconut sugar, and maple syrup and stir to combine.
6. Now add bread cubes to the bowl and using a large spoon, stir gently to coat the cubed bread with the egg mixture.
7. Next, transfer the egg mixture soaked bread cubes to the prepared 7-inch round baking dish, lightly pressing the bread cubes down into the pan so that they are well packed. Cover the pan with foil and place it on the trivet. Using the trivet handles, lower the trivet – holding the baking dish – into the Instant Pot.
8. Close and lock the lid, then turn the steam release valve to sealing. Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook on high pressure and set the cooking time for 65 minutes.
9. When the cook time is complete, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick release the remaining pressure and remove the lid.
10. Using oven mitts, carefully remove the baking dish using the trivet handles. Take the foil off and let the french toast casserole cool for 5 minutes before serving.

How to Make Baked French Toast Casserole

Same delicious taste without a pressure cooker. You’re going to love this Baked French Toast recipe.

1. Get the bread slices ready as you would in the Instant Pot directions above. Preheat your oven to 350º.
2. Coat your casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. I prefer to use a more shallow pan that is larger rather than a smaller deep pan, as it takes less time to cook and the more shallow pan won’t make your french toast casserole soggy.
3. In a large bowl, make the french toast batter by combining the eggs, almond milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, coconut sugar, and maple syrup. Use a fork to whisk.
4. Add bread cubes to the bowl and using a large spoon, stir gently to coat the cubed bread with the egg mixture.
5. Next, transfer the soaked bread cubes to the prepared casserole dish. Cover the pan with foil and place it in the preheated oven.
6. Bake for 25 minutes, then remove the foil so the casserole can get that golden brown topping we all love so much.
7. After another 15-25 minutes, test for doneness with a butter knife poked into the center of the dish – if your knife comes out clean (or mostly clean), the French Toast Casserole is finished!
8. This recipe typically takes about 40 minutes to cook for me, but your timing might be a little different based on the pan you used and how your oven cooks.

Recipe Tips

• This easy French toast casserole is perfect for meal prepping. I cook the french toast and then let it cool before I cut it up into 8 equal-sized servings. Then I place the French toast into meal prepping containers and refrigerator overnight or for up to 6 days.
• This French toast casserole can also be frozen in individual serving sized containers for 2 months. When you’re ready to eat, just thaw and microwave for 30 to 60 seconds. Serve with fresh berries or fresh fruit for a healthy meal.
• This recipe can also be made into French Toast Cups using egg bite molds in your Instant Pot. Pack 3 molds with the bread soaked mixture, then cover the molds with foil. Cook 2 molds on high pressure for 30 minutes with a natural release. Remove the 2 molds and cook the third mold for 20 minutes, also with a natural release.
• If you love maple syrup you can add more maple syrup after the French toast casserole has cooked, just be sure to adjust your points and containers if you do.
• Another addition that we sometimes add is chopped pecans. That little crunch on top of the French toast casserole is delicious.

Top this recipe with:

• Pumpkin Pie Spice
• Sliced bananas and peanut butter
• Unflavored or Vanilla Greek yogurt
• Orange zest
• Powdered sugar and fresh berries

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix Healthy French Toast Casserole

Entire recipe of French toast casserole (serves 8): 2 red containers, 12 yellow containers, 2 teaspoons

Per serving: 1/4 red container, 1 1/2 yellow containers, and 1/4 teaspoon

Weight Watchers

8 2023 Plan Points | 8 Blue Plan Points | 9 Green Plan Points | 8 Purple Plan Points

Looking for more healthy breakfast recipes like this French Toast?

• Easy Breakfast Casserole with Potatoes – This easy breakfast casserole with potatoes is a delicious breakfast recipe that has a southwest twist you are going to love.
• Egg Free Whole Wheat Pancakes – One of my very favorite recipes to make and freeze! We always have these ready in our freezer.
• Healthy Donuts in a Blender – This healthy donut in a blender is one of my favorite recipes to make for weekend breakfast. It’s a gluten free donut recipe that has no refined sugar and is made with simple ingredients.
• Easy Chicken Apple Sausage Patties – Our easy chicken apple sausage patties are healthier than those found at the grocery store and they taste delicious. This is a great side dish option to healthy french toast casserole.
• Instant Pot Baked Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal – This healthy baked oatmeal recipe contains no refined sugar like brown sugar, but instead uses maple syrup to sweeten it.
• Zucchini Breakfast Casserole with Sausage and Egg – This Zucchini Breakfast Casserole recipe is so easy to make and perfect for meal prep! It’s my favorite way to make breakfast ahead of time for the week, and I love that it contains sausage and eggs.

Print

Healthy French Toast Casserole

Cinnamon and coconut sugar combine to make this healthy french toast casserole an absolutely delicious breakfast that your whole family will love.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword French Toast Casserole, healthy french toast casserole

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Natural Release 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 8 people

Calories 253kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Instant Pot 6 qt
• Round Instant Pot Pan
• Instant Pot Trivet

Ingredients

• 20 oz loaf whole-grain bread (preferably stale), torn into small chunks
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups almond milk plain, unsweetened
• 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup maple syrup

Instructions

Instant Pot Instructions

• Preheat the oven on the lowest setting to 200ºF (95ºC). Place the trivet in the inner pot and add 1 1/2 cups of water. Coat a 7-inch round baking pan or oven safe dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
• Scatter the bread chunks in a single layer across a large baking sheet. Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the bread becomes dry and crusty. 20 oz loaf whole-grain bread
• Whisk the eggs with the almond milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, coconut sugar, and maple syrup. 4 eggs 2 cups almond milk 2 tbsp ground cinnamon 2 tsp ground nutmeg 2 tbsp vanilla extract 2 tbsp coconut sugar 1/4 cup maple syrup
• Add the bread pieces to the egg mixture and stir to coat the bread evenly.
• Transfer the bread pieces to your prepared baking pan, lightly pressing them so they're well packed. Cover the pan with foil, place it on the trivet, and then lower it into the Instant Pot.
• Close and lock the lid, and then turn the pressure valve to sealing. Select pressure cook (high) and cook for 65 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, and then quick release the remaining pressure.
• Using oven mitts, carefully remove the trivet holding the pan. Let sit for 5 minutes and serve immediately, or store in an airtight container for meal prep.

Oven Instructions

• Get the bread slices ready as you would in the Instant Pot directions above. Preheat your oven to 350º. 20 oz loaf whole-grain bread
• Coat your casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
• Whisk together the eggs, almond milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, coconut sugar, and maple syrup. 4 eggs 2 cups almond milk 2 tbsp ground cinnamon 2 tsp ground nutmeg 2 tbsp vanilla extract 2 tbsp coconut sugar 1/4 cup maple syrup
• Add bread cubes to the bowl and using a large spoon, stir gently to coat the cubed bread with the egg mixture.
• Transfer the soaked bread cubes to the prepared casserole dish. Cover the pan with foil and place it in the preheated oven.
• Bake for 25 minutes and then remove the foil.
• Bake for another 15-25 minutes. Test for doneness with a butter knife poked into the center of the dish.
• Serve immediately or cool and store in an airtight container for meal prep.

Notes

21 Day Fix Healthy French Toast Casserole

Entire recipe of French toast casserole (serves 8): 2 red containers, 12 yellow containers, 2 teaspoons

Per serving: 1/4 red container, 1 1/2 yellow containers, and 1/4 teaspoon

Weight Watchers

8 2023 Plan Points | 8 Blue Plan Points | 9 Green Plan Points | 8 Purple Plan Points

Nutrition

Calories: 253kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 403mg | Potassium: 224mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 16.8g | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Healthy French Toast Casserole appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

The electric pressure cooker is my favorite way to make steamed sweet potatoes. I love that I can “set it and forget it.”

Where is the recipe?

Here at My Crazy Good Life, we write our recipes so that anyone can easily make them. In the article below, you’ll find lots of cooking tips, details that are helpful to those who are new to the Instant Pot, and even special diet information for the 21 Day Fix, Weight Watchers, and 2B Mindset.

If you don’t need all of the extra information, simply scroll down to the bottom of the post to view the ingredient amounts and instructions for these Perfect Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes.

How long does it take for potatoes to soften in the Instant Pot?

Your cooking time will depend on the size of your sweet potatoes. Try to find potatoes that are roughly the same size so that your cooking time is the same for all of the potatoes. You’ll also want to allow a 10 minute natural pressure release at the end of cooking.

These cook times work for one sweet potato or however many you can safely fit inside your pressure cooker.

• For small sweet potatoes (less than 2 inches wide) I recommend cooking on high pressure for 15 minutes to 18 minutes of cook time (not counting the natural pressure release)
• For medium sweet potatoes (2-3 inches wide) I recommend cooking on high pressure for 30 minutes of cook time (not counting the natural pressure release)
• For large sweet potatoes (wider than 3 inches) I recommend cooking on high pressure for 60 minutes of cook time (not counting the natural pressure release)

It’s always best to cook for less time when you’re getting used to cooking with your Instant Pot. You can always cook the food for longer, but once it’s over cooked it can’t be undone.

I like to cook the sweet potatoes, open the pot and test for doneness, and then cook for longer if necessary. Did you know that you can even cook something for 0 (that’s zero) minutes if it just needs a little more time? It will cook as it comes to pressure, then it will immediately begin releasing pressure, continuing to cook.

My potatoes are medium sized and took 30 minutes to cook with a 10 minute NPR.

Ingredients in Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes:

• Sweet Potatoes: A powerhouse of vitamins and minerals sweet potatoes contain 400% of your daily recommended Vitamin A alone. Sweet potatoes are slow burning carbs, which help level blood sugar, and have tons of beta-carotene which studies show helps with vision.

How to cook whole sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot

1. Wash your raw sweet potatoes. Scrub sweet potatoes with a clean brush or sponge.
2. Add one cup of water to the Instant Pot to the bottom of your Instant Pot. Place your trivet or steamer basket in the bottom of the pot. Place your potatoes on top of the trivet.
3. Close and lock the lid and turn your pressure valve to sealing. Cook on high pressure for 15-60 minutes depending on the size of your potatoes (specific cooking times can be found above).
4. Once the cook time is complete, allow the pot to release naturally for 10 minutes before quick releasing the remaining pressure. This means that when it’s done cooking, don’t touch the pot or release valve. Set a time for 10 minutes (or watch your pot count up to 10 minutes) before moving the release valve from Sealing to Venting with the end of a wooden to spoon. When you do this, hot steam will come out of the pot.
5. Remove the lid and use the handles of your trivet to carefully remove your perfectly tender cooked sweet potatoes. Serve immediately or allow to cool and transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge up to 5 days.

Recipe Tips:

• Find potatoes that are the same size so that they all cook in the same amount of time.
• I used my 6 quart Instant Pot, but cooking times should stay the same for the 3 or 8 quart.
• I love this recipe during the holidays. It saves so much time making sweet potato casserole!
• For the natural release, I recommend allowing the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes. If after 10 minutes there is still pressure in your pot, you can go ahead and manually release (also called quick release) it by moving the Valve over to the venting position.

Once you make Instant Pot sweet potatoes once, you’ll find the perfect time and it’ll be easier to cook them from here on out. This is actually the way it works with almost all recipes – each pot and elevation cook a tad different, and you’ll get to know your pot in no time.

I love that the potatoes cook evenly, and this is such an easy recipe to use to get healthy food on the table (or in meal prep containers).

Top your cooked Instant Pot Sweet Potato with:

• butter
• maple syrup and peanut butter for a perfect breakfast
• brown sugar and honey
• sour cream and green onions
• veggies – I love adding broccoli

Healthy Eating Plans:

21 Day Fix/Ultimate Portion Fix:

Potato sizes can vary drastically, so for the most accurate container counts, count each 1/2 cup serving as 1 Yellow Container.

Weight Watchers:

Points were figured using the WW recipe creator with the serving size figured as 1/2 cup. 2 Points on the 2023 Plan | 3 Blue Plan Points | 3 Green Plan Points | 0 Purple Plan Points

2B Mindset:

These are great for breakfast or lunch when following 2B Mindset. For breakfast add 50% protein for a complete meal. For lunch, add 50% vegetables and 25% protein for a complete meal.

More healthy Sweet Potato recipes

• Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes
• Sweet Potato Hash
• Healthy Crab Cake Recipe with Sweet Potatoes
• Sweet Potato Chili

More basic Instant Pot recipes:

• Instant Pot Meatballs
• Instant Pot Frozen Ground Beef
• Instant Pot Turkey Breast
• Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash

Print

Perfect Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes

Making perfect Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes is quick and easy. I love to meal prep several at once so I can eat them all week.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword instant pot, sweet potato

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 447kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Instant Pot 6 qt
• Instant Pot Trivet

Ingredients

• 4 sweet potatoes
• 1 cup water

Instructions

• Wash your potatoes. 4 sweet potatoes
• Add water to the bottom of your Instant Pot. 1 cup water
• Place your trivet or steamer basket in the bottom of the pot, and your potatoes on top of the trivet.
• Close and lock the lid and turn you pressure valve to sealing. Cook on high pressure for 15-60 minutes depending on the size of your potatoes (cooking times can be found in recipe notes).
• Once the cook time is complete, allow the pot to release naturally for 10 minutes before quick releasing the remaining pressure. Remove the lid and use the handles of your trivet to remove the potatoes.
• Serve immediately or transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge up to 5 days.

Notes

• For small potatoes (less than 2 inches wide) I recommend cooking 15 minutes to 18 minutes.
• For medium sweet potatoes (2-3 inches wide) I recommend cooking for 30 minutes.
• For large sweet potatoes (wider than 3 inches) I recommend cooking for 60 minutes.

Recipe Tips:

• Find potatoes that are the same size so that they all cook for the same amount of time.
• I used my 6 quart Instant Pot, but cooking times should stay the same for the 3 or 8 quart.

Healthy Eating Plans:

21 Day Fix/Ultimate Portion Fix:

Potato sizes can vary drastically, so for the most accurate container counts, count each 1/2 cup serving as 1 Yellow Container.

Weight Watchers:

Points were figured using the WW recipe creator with the serving size figured as 1/2 cup. 2 Points on the 2023 Plan | 3 Blue Plan Points | 3 Green Plan Points | 0 Purple Plan Points

2B Mindset:

These are great for breakfast or lunch when following 2B Mindset. For breakfast add 50% protein for a complete meal. For lunch, add 50% vegetables and 25% protein for a complete meal.

Nutrition

Serving: 4g | Calories: 447kcal | Carbohydrates: 105g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 298mg | Potassium: 1752mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 73772IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 163mg | Iron: 3mg

The post Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

This Healthy Cauliflower Fried Rice Recipe is an easy and absolutely delicious weeknight meal. It’s one of my favorite gluten free recipes and it can be cooked in the Instant Pot, slow cooker, or right on the stove top!

I love making this Healthy Cauliflower Rice for my family because it is an easy way to get all the veggies into your diet. My family loves it because they love fried rice, and this healthier version tastes just as good as typical fried rice.

Chicken cauliflower rice is a low carb, keto, healthy meal, and is so easy to adapt to your preferences!

Where’s the recipe?

We have readers of all different cooking abilities that visit My Crazy Good Life. Whether you are new in the kitchen or have been cooking your whole life, we want our recipes to be easy for you to follow.

Because of that, we write our posts with a lot of information. Below you will find ingredient info, detailed cooking instructions, recipe tips, and healthy eating plan calculations. If you’d like to skip past all of that, you can simply scroll down to the bottom of the page where you will find the easy to print Healthy Cauliflower Fried Rice recipe card.

Ingredients in Cauliflower Fried Rice

• Olive oil: I use olive oil in this fried rice recipe but coconut or avocado oil would work well too.
• Garlic: fresh minced garlic is so delicious in this cauliflower fried rice.
• Onion: choose your favorite variety! I usually use red or yellow onion in this healthy fried rice.
• Chicken thighs: cooked chicken is a great source of protein. I used chicken thighs in this fried rice recipe, but you can use chicken breast, or even omit the chicken entirely and add cubed tofu if you’d like.
• Bell peppers: bell peppers are loaded with vitamins and minerals, and are especially high in vitamin C. Choose you favorite color variety of bells, they’re all healthy food.
• Zucchini: zucchini is a mild fruit (yes, fruit) that may offer several health benefits, ranging from improved digestion to a lower risk of heart disease.
• Cauliflower: for this cauliflower fried rice I use fresh cauliflower and cut it into florets. You can use frozen cauliflower or frozen cauliflower rice, but I would cook it separately and then add it at the end.
• Coconut aminos: coconut aminos are a great choice for replacing soy sauce if you have gluten, soy, sugar, or other food allergies found in soy sauce. If you can’t find coconut aminos you can use low sodium soy sauce, or tamari (which is another awesome soy sauce alternative) in this fried rice recipe.
• Lime juice: I love using lime juice in this recipe. It adds a fresh and bright taste that you’ll love!
• Eggs: not only do eggs add great taste and help hold fried rice together, they are also considered a complete source of high quality protein because they contain all nine essential amino acids.
• Green onions (optional): chopped green onions add a nice flavor and pop of color to your fried rice.

How to cook cauliflower rice in the Instant Pot

1. Add the olive oil to the Instant Pot and press the sauté button to heat the oil.
2. Sauté onions and garlic in the Instant Pot for about 1 minute until they start to soften.
3. Add the chicken and let brown for 2-3 minutes.
4. Once the chicken has browned dump in the peppers, zucchini, cauliflower, coconut aminos, and lime juice.
5. Close the lid and turn the pressure valve to sealing. Cook on high pressure using the “manual” or “pressure cook” button for 1 minute. Release the pressure by doing a quick release.
6. Open the lid. Use a fork and break apart the cauliflower into small pieces to make your riced cauliflower rice. If there is a lot of liquid from the cauliflower and zucchini drain some of the liquid. You’ll want to keep about 2 tbsp of liquid for added flavor.
7. Mix in the optional cheese until it is melted. Then push the cauliflower rice to the side and turn the Instant Pot back to sauté mode.
8. In a small bowl whisk the eggs then slowly pour the beaten eggs into the empty side of the Instant Pot to make your scrambled eggs. You can spray your pot with coconut or olive oil first if you need to.
9. Scramble the eggs and then mix together the eggs and cauliflower rice.
10. Serve cauliflower fried rice immediately and top with optional green onions, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

How to cook cauliflower fried rice in the slow cooker

1. Add all the ingredients to your slow cooker except the cheese and eggs.
2. Cover with the lid and cook on high heat for 2-3 hours, low heat for 4-5 hours, or until the chicken is cooked and the cauliflower is tender.
3. Remove the lid and, using a fork, break the cauliflower into pieces to make your cauliflower rice.
4. Mix in the cheese and allow it to melt.
5. In a skillet, cook the scrambled eggs and then mix them with the cauliflower rice in the slow cooker.
6. Serve cauliflower fried rice immediately and top with optional green onions.

Make this cauliflower fried rice on the stove top

1. Heat the oil in high heat in a large skillet.
2. In your hot pan, sauté the garlic and onions for 1-2 minutes until they start to soften.
3. Add the chicken, zucchini, and bell peppers. Let them sauté for 1-2 minutes.
4. Turn the stove to medium heat. Add the cauliflower, lime juice, and aminos to the skillet.
5. Cover the skillet and allow the cauliflower to cook for 10 minutes or until it is tender and broken easily with a fork.
6. Use a fork to break up the cauliflower to make your cauliflower rice.
7. Mix in the cheese until it is melted. Then push the cauliflower rice to the side.
8. In a small bowl whisk the eggs then slowly pour the whisked eggs into the empty side of the skillet to cook.
9. Scramble the eggs and then mix together the eggs and cauliflower fried rice. Serve fried rice immediately and top with optional chopped green onions.

Recipe tips

• Cutting a head of raw cauliflower can be intimidating. If you’d like some pointers on how to get your cauliflower ready to make cauliflower fried rice, you can find tips here.
• I love making this cauliflower fried rice for meal prep. Just cook as directed above and store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 – 5 days.
• I don’t recommend freezing this because you will end up with mushy fried rice. If you are cooking for one and really feel like you won’t be able to use this up before it would go bad, I’d recommend cutting the recipe in half.
• If you choose to cut the recipe in half, just take half the amount of ingredients and cook as described for your chosen method. It’s not necessary to alter the cooking times, everything will come out just fine.
• One of the reasons I love this cauliflower fried rice is because it is so versatile! Sub fresh broccoli for the zucchini, or add in frozen peas. Craving the nutty aroma of toasted sesame oil? Splash a tiny bit of toasted sesame oil to your cauliflower fried rice when it’s done cooking. If you like a little heat, sprinkle on some red pepper flakes at the end.
• Don’t forget to adjust your containers or points if you make any changes to this cauliflower fried rice recipe.

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix Healthy Cauliflower Fried Rice

Entire recipe: 8 green containers, 5 red containers, Optional 1 blue container if you add cheese.

Per serving: (makes 4 servings) 2 green containers, 1 1/4 red container, Negligible (optional) blue per serving

Weight Watchers

Each serving of this cauliflower fried rice is 4 2023 Plan Points | 4 Blue Plan Points | 5 Green Plan Points | 4 Purple Plan Points when using skinless chicken thighs.

This cauliflower rice is a better option than regular fried rice. It’s a low point recipe for lunch, dinner, and for meal prepping. I didn’t factor in any of the optional ingredients so be sure you add those in if you are adding cheese.

If you are looking for ways to reduce the points you can always make this with boneless skinless chicken breasts, which will remove most of the points. Personally I use the thighs because it makes this cauliflower rice more flavorful.

Trim Healthy Mama

This would be a crossover recipe on THM and you would need to make the following substitutions:

• Coconut Aminos: use “Liquid Aminos” instead
• Olive oil: use MCT or coconut oil
• Use chicken breasts instead of thighs to bring down the fat content in the cauliflower rice. If it’s under 5 grams you can count this as an E!

Looking for more healthy Asian recipes like this fried rice?

• Teriyaki Tofu Stir Fry Bowls with Coconut Rice These Teriyaki Tofu Stir Fry Bowls with Coconut Rice are a healthy and delicious meal that is perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner. This recipe is vegan and gluten free, and it is packed with protein and nutrients. 
• Instant Pot Orange Chicken Serve this healthy Orange Chicken with brown rice or cauliflower rice for a healthy complete meal. This Orange chicken has a sweet and savory sauce that you will love!
• Chicken Lo Mein This Healthy Chicken Lo Mein stir fry is an easy and healthy recipe to make in your Instant Pot or on the stove top.
• Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta I love making Chinese food at home, and this healthy Bang Bang Shrimp pasta is one of my favorite shrimp recipes to make.
• Healthy Drunken Noodles This Healthy Drunken Noodles recipe is an easy stir fry noodle dish that your entire family will love. It comes together fast and works great for a weeknight meal.

Print

Healthy Cauliflower Fried Rice

This Cauliflower Fried Recipe is an easy and delicious weeknight meal! Cauliflower Chicken Fried Rice is low carb and keto, healthy and so easy to adapt for your preferences!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Chinese

Keyword 21 Day Fix, cauliflower rice, healthy, Recipes, Weight Watchers

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4 Servings

Calories 362kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Instant Pot 6 qt
• Crockpot
• Enameled Cast Iron Pan

Ingredients

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp garlic minced
• 1/2 cup onion diced
• 1 lb. chicken thighs chopped
• 1 cups bell pepper diced
• 1 1/2 cups zucchini diced
• 5 cups cauliflower cut into florets
• 3 tbsp coconut aminos or low sodium tamari or soy sauce
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 2 eggs

Optional ingredients: Salt, Pepper, and Cheese

Instructions

Instant Pot:

• Add the olive oil to the Instant Pot and press the sauté button to heat the oil.1 tsp olive oil
• Saute the garlic and onions in the Instant Pot for about 1 minute until they start to soften. 1 tsp garlic, 1/2 cup onion
• Add the chicken and let brown for 2-3 minutes.1 lb. chicken thighs
• Once the chicken has browned dump in the bell peppers, zucchini, cauliflower, coconut aminos, and lime juice. 1 cups bell pepper, 1 1/2 cups zucchini, 5 cups cauliflower, 3 tbsp coconut aminos, 1 tbsp lime juice
• Close the lid and turn the pressure valve to sealing. Cook on high pressure using the “manual” or “pressure cook” button for 1 minute. Release the pressure by doing a quick release.
• Open the lid. Use a fork to break apart the cauliflower into small pieces to make your “rice”. If there is a lot of liquid from the cauliflower and zucchini drain some of the liquid. You’ll want to keep about 2 tbsp of liquid for added flavor.
• Mix in the optional cheese until it is melted. Then push the cauliflower rice to the side and turn the Instant Pot back to sauté mode.
• In a small bowl whisk the eggs then slowly pour the eggs into the empty side of the Instant Pot to cook.You can spray your pot with coconut or olive oil first if you need to. 2 eggs
• Scramble the eggs and then mix together the eggs and cauliflower fried “rice.” Serve or pack for meal prep.

Stove Top:

• Heat the oil in high heat in a skillet. 1 tsp olive oil
• Sauté the garlic and onions for 1-2 minutes until they start to soften. 1 tsp garlic, 1/2 cup onion
• Add the chicken, zucchini, and bell peppers. Let them sauté for 1-2 minutes. 1 lb. chicken thighs , 1 1/2 cups zucchini, 1 cups bell pepper
• Turn the stove to medium heat. Add the cauliflower, lime juice, and coconut aminos to the skillet. Cover the skillet and allow the cauliflower to cook for 10-15 minutes or until it is tender and broken easily with a fork. 5 cups cauliflower, 1 tbsp lime juice, 3 tbsp coconut aminos
• Use a fork to break up the cauliflower to form your “rice”.
• Mix in the cheese until it is melted. Then push the cauliflower rice to the side.
• In a small bowl whisk the eggs then slowly pour the eggs into the empty side of the skillet to cook. 2 eggs
• Scramble the eggs and then mix together the eggs and cauliflower fried “rice.” Serve or pack for meal prep.

Slow Cooker:

• Add all the ingredients to your slow cooker except the cheese and eggs. 1 tsp olive oil, 1 tsp garlic, 1/2 cup onion, 1 lb. chicken thighs , 1 cups bell pepper, 1 1/2 cups zucchini, 5 cups cauliflower
• Cover with the lid and cook on high heat for 2-3 hours, low heat for 4-5 hours, or until the chicken is cooked and the cauliflower is tender.
• Remove the lid and break the cauliflower into pieces with a fork.
• Mix in the cheese and allow it to melt.
• In a skillet scramble the eggs then mix them into with the fried rice in the slow cooker. 2 eggs
• Serve or pack for meal prep.

Video

Notes

21 Day Fix: Entire recipe: 8G 5R Optional 1B | Per serving: (4 servings) 2G 1 1/4 R Negligible (optional) blue per serving | 

Weight Watchers: 4 2023 Plan Points | 4 Blue Plan Points | 5 Green Plan Points | 4 Purple Plan Points

Nutrition

Calories: 362kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 193mg | Sodium: 417mg | Potassium: 866mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1467IU | Vitamin C: 119mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Healthy Cauliflower Fried Rice appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

With just the right amount of sweet, spicy, and creamy, this Instant Pot Chinese food recipe will be a hit with the whole family. Plus, this great recipe uses a lower calorie Greek yogurt instead of mayo, cream cheese, or heavy cream, so you can keep the dish creamy while making it healthier.

My family requests that I make my Healthy Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta often, as it is one of their favorite pasta recipes. I especially love this shrimp pasta dish for busy weeknights because it’s quick and easy to make, whether you cook it in the Instant Pot, on the stove, or in a slow cooker.

Where’s the Recipe?

Readers with all levels of comfort and experience in the kitchen visit My Crazy Good Life for healthy and delicious recipes. To make sure you get great results, whether you just started cooking or have made this recipe before, I like to provide a ton of helpful information in my recipes.

However, if you’d like to skip over different variations for making this dish, as well as recipe tips and healthy eating plan information, please just scroll to the bottom of the post where you’ll find an easy-to-print version of this healthier Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta recipe!

Ingredients in Healthy Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta

• Dry whole wheat spaghetti noodles: Whole wheat noodles are packed with 3x the fiber and also contain protein, iron, and zinc. You can use angel hair pasta instead of spaghetti if you like. Just note that angel hair pasta doesn’t boil as long as cooked spaghetti noodles.
• Raw FROZEN jumbo, peeled and deveined shrimp: You’ll want to make sure you use raw frozen shrimp because using raw unfrozen or pre-cooked shrimp will affect your cooking times. Definitely make sure to use deveined and peeled shrimp, too. Do not let the frozen shrimp thaw before cooking.
• Minced garlic: Use fresh minced garlic if you can, as it will give a great punch of flavor to this dish. If you’re out of fresh minced garlic, though, garlic powder will do in a pinch.
• Coconut oil: Coconut oil will add a fresh, tropical flavor to this creamy pasta dish. If you don’t have coconut oil, you can swap it for olive oil (but remember that this will change the nutritional counts).
• Honey: A little honey adds just a touch of sweetness to this delicious dish!
• Fresno Pepper: A Fresno pepper is a lot like a jalapeño, but is slightly spicier with smokey undertones. It can add wonderfully complex flavor to a dish. If you prefer, though, a jalapeño will work well in this dish, too! If you don’t want your pasta too spicy or don’t have any peppers on hand, chili powder or red pepper flakes will do, but they will slightly change the flavor of the meal.
• Lime juice: Fresh lime juice will perfectly complement the coconut oil in adding a tropical zing to your pasta.
• Black Pepper: Fresh ground black pepper contrasts so well with the sweetness of the honey.
• Rice vinegar: Look for unsweetened or unflavored rice vinegar to add a bit of tang to this dish.
• Plain 2% Greek yogurt: Instead of using mayo or cream cheese, this healthy version of Bang Bang Shrimp pasta substitutes plain Greek yogurt. Be sure to purchase the 2%.
• Sriracha sauce or other hot sauce: Sriracha sauce is easy to get at most grocery stores, but other hot sauces such as Thai sweet chili sauce will work well, too.
• Green onion: I like using green onions to bring a bit of color and crunch to this pasta dish.

How to Make Healthy Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta in the Instant Pot

When calculating your total cooking time, don’t forget to allow a few minutes for your pressure cooker to come to pressure!

1. Turn the Instant Pot to sauté. Add the coconut oil and allow it to melt and heat up.
2. Next, add the garlic and Fresno peppers. Sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
3. Break the spaghetti noodles in half and arrange in the Instant Pot. Pour the water over the noodles.
4. Toss in the frozen shrimp, salt, pepper, rice vinegar, honey, and lime on top of the noodles.
5. Close the lid and turn the pressure valve to sealing.
6. Cook on high pressure using the manual setting for 3 minutes.
7. Release the pressure using a controlled quick release method. To do this use a utensil to open and close the pressure valve so that only a little pressure releases at a time. This will prevent liquid from sputtering out the top.
8. Slowly mix in the Greek yogurt, sriracha, and green onions. If you like your pasta less creamy, use less yogurt.
9. Serve while still hot.

How to Make Healthy Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta in a Slow Cooker

1. In the slow cooker, combine all the ingredients except the Greek yogurt and green onions.
2. Add the lid to the slow cooker.
3. Cook on low heat for 2 1/2 hours or high heat for 1 1/2 hours.
4. Remove the lid and stir in the Greek yogurt and green onions.
5. Serve.

How to Make Healthy Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta on the Stove Top

1. Cook pasta until al dente in a large pot according to the directions on the box. Drain the cooked pasta and rinse in cool water.
2. In a large skillet, heat the coconut oil (or olive oil) on medium-high heat.
3. Sauté the garlic and Fresno peppers. Add the shrimp, lime juice, salt and pepper to the skillet.
4. Mix it up and allow the spices to coat the shrimp, and then cover and let cook for 2-3 minutes until the shrimp is defrosted.
5. Remove the lid. Mix the honey, rice vinegar, and Sriracha or other hot sauce in a small mixing bowl, and then add to the shrimp.
6. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until the shrimp are pink and opaque.
7. Turn off the heat. Add the hot pasta noodles to the pan with the shrimp. Mix in the Greek yogurt and green onions.
8. Garnish and serve immediately.

Recipe Tips

• This delicious recipe has shrimp. We love to eat shrimp, however cooking shrimp can be a little tricky the first time, but you’ll quickly get the hang of it. You’ll be looking for the shrimp to turn pink and a little bit white instead of gray and translucent or “clear.” Uncooked shrimp is usually gray and translucent, so if you are still seeing that color they are not cooked enough. If your shrimp are bright white, you may have overcooked them.
• The internal temperature of shrimp when fully cooked is 120º, as measured by a meat thermometer. You’re looking for the shrimp to form a C shape when they’re finished cooking. If you see an O shape, they’re overcooked.
• The Fresno peppers make this a spicy dish! You can use peppers with less spice or omit the peppers entirely if you’d rather not have spice in this dish, and it won’t affect the cooking time or quality of the dish.
• If, on the other hand, you’d rather this pasta be a bit spicier, I’d recommend using a spicer pepper like serrano instead of Fresno peppers, and adding a teaspoon or two more of red pepper flakes for some serious spice. Do note that using red pepper flakes will modify the overall flavors of the original sauce ingredients.
• This pasta can be made gluten free by using brown rice noodles or zucchini noodles. Both have a much shorter cook time, as do zucchini noodles, so keep that in mind while you’re making this recipe. The sauce recipe will stay the same as it is gluten free already.
• This dish is not dairy free because of the Greek yogurt. You can substitute plain greek yogurt with a dairy free yogurt if you have one that you like, or add an extra bit of olive oil for a dairy free Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta that isn’t dry.

Healthy Eating Plans

Portion Fix & 21 Day Fix

Entire recipe: 6 yellow containers | 4 red containers | 1/2 green containers | 1 tsp | 12 sweetener teaspoons

Per serving: 1 yellow container | Just over 1/2 red container | negligible green container | negligible teaspoon | 2 sweetener teaspoons

2B Mindset

This makes a great lunch, you’ll need to add some extra veggies to make sure you hit your percentages for those.

Weight Watchers

9 2023 Points | 9 Blue Plan Points | 10 Green plan Points | 3 Purple Plan Points per serving using sugar free syrup instead of honey, and fat free Greek yogurt.

More Healthy Recipes

• Spring Roll Salad
• Healthy Drunken Noodles
• Healthy Orange Chicken Instant Pot
• Instant Pot Chicken Lo Mein
• Instant Pot Tofu Pad Thai

Print

Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta

This Healthy Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta will satisfy your restaurant cravings without all of the calories you might find in Chinese takeout.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 Servings

Calories 405kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Instant Pot 6 qt
• Kitchen Knife
• Cutting Board

Ingredients

• 1 tsp coconut oil
• 3 tsp garlic minced
• 1/4 cup Fresno peppers diced
• 13 oz whole wheat pasta spaghetti noodles, dry
• 4 cups water
• 1 lb shrimp jumbo, raw and FROZEN, peeled & deveined
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp vinegar rice
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 lime juiced
• 1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt plain, 2%
• 1 tbsp sriracha or other hot sauce
• 1/2 cup green onions

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Turn the Instant Pot to saute. Add the coconut oil and allow it to melt and heat up. 1 tsp coconut oil
• Next add the garlic and Fresno peppers. Saute for about 30 seconds until fragrant. 3 tsp garlic, 1/4 cup Fresno peppers
• Break the spaghetti noodles in half and arrange in the Instant Pot. Pour the water over the noodles. 13 oz whole wheat pasta, 4 cups water
• Toss in the frozen shrimp, pepper, rice vinegar, honey, and lime on top of the noodles. Close the lid and turn the pressure valve to sealing. 1 lb shrimp, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1 tbsp vinegar, 1/4 cup honey, 1 lime
• Cook on high pressure using the manual setting for 3 minutes. Release the pressure using a controlled quick release method. To do this use a utensil to open and close the pressure valve so that only a little pressure releases at a time. This will prevent liquid from sputtering out the top.
• Mix in the Greek yogurt, sriracha, and green onions. Serve while still hot. 1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt, 1 tbsp sriracha , 1/2 cup green onions

Stove top:

• Cook the spaghetti noodles according to the directions on the box. Drain and rinse in cool water. 13 oz whole wheat pasta
• In a skillet heat to coconut oil on medium high heat. Saute the garlic and Fresno peppers. Add the shrimp, lime juice, and pepper to the skillet. Mix it up and then cover and let cook for 2-3 minutes until the shrimp is defrosted. 1 tsp coconut oil, 3 tsp garlic, 1/4 cup Fresno peppers, 1 lb shrimp, 1 lime, 1/4 tsp pepper
• Remove the lid. Mix in the honey, rice vinegar, and sriracha. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until the shrimp is pink and opaque. 1/4 cup honey, 1 tbsp vinegar, 1 tbsp sriracha
• Turn off the heat. Add the noodles to the pan with the shrimp. Mix in the Greek yogurt and green onions. Garnish and serve warm. 1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup green onions

Slow cooker:

• In the slow cooker insert combine all the ingredients except the Greek yogurt and green onions. 1 tsp coconut oil, 3 tsp garlic, 1/4 cup Fresno peppers, 13 oz whole wheat pasta, 4 cups water, 1 lb shrimp, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1 tbsp vinegar, 1/4 cup honey, 1 lime, 1 tbsp sriracha
• Add the lid to the slow cooker. Cook on low heat for 2 1/2 hours or high heat for 1 1/2 hours.
• Remove the lid and stir in the Greek yogurt and green onions. Serve. 1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup green onions

Video

Notes

Serves 6

21 Day Fix counts for the entire recipe: 6 yellow containers, 4 red containers, 1 tsp, 12 sweetener teaspoons, 1/2G  green container.

Per serving: 1 yellow container, Just over 1/2 red container, negligible teaspoon, 2 sweetener teaspoons, negligible green container.

Weight Watchers: 9 2023 Points | 9 Blue Plan Points | 10 Green plan Points | 3 Purple Plan Points per serving using sugar free syrup instead of honey, and fat free Greek yogurt.

 

 

Nutrition

Calories: 405kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 194mg | Sodium: 682mg | Potassium: 239mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 116IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 206mg | Iron: 3mg

SaveSave

The post Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

No boiling noodles, no watching the oven. Everything cooks together right in the pot – even the meat! Nothing beats a homemade lasagna on a busy night.

Where is the recipe? 

I have readers from all levels of comfort and experience in the kitchen, and I receive a lot of questions about recipes. To better serve everyone here at My Crazy Good Life, I’ve made a commitment to put a ton of helpful information and tips in my posts.

If you’d like to skip over the information about freezing, swapping ingredients, and how this fits into popular diet plans, please simply scroll to the bottom of the page, where you will find the recipe for this healthy Instant Pot Lasagna with Cottage Cheese.

Instant Pot Lasagna Ingredients 

This recipe is full of minimally processed ingredients. Whole grain lasagna noodles, homemade pasta sauce, and lean ground turkey are some of the ingredients that make up this dish.

You’ll find some substitutions mentioned in the ingredient section below as well as the Recipe Tips.

• Cottage cheese or ricotta cheese: This recipe and nutrition information is based on 2% cottage cheese. Cottage cheese has less saturated fat and cholesterol than ricotta. I like to rinse my cottage cheese to help lower the sodium in it. You can use ricotta cheese instead, if you’d like.
• Mozzarella cheese I prefer to buy it unshredded, as it doesn’t have as many ingredients. Shredded cheese contains additional ingredients that help the cheese no stick together or clump. You can shred cheese easily in a food processor or with a hand grater.
• Crushed tomatoes: Be sure and use crushed, not whole or diced. Crushed creates the perfect amount of liquid for your noodles to cook. If you’d like to use store bought spaghetti sauce, peek a the Recipe Tips for instructions.
• Dry spices: Oregano, Thyme, Parsley, Onion powder, Garlic powder
• Whole wheat lasagna noodles: You can use regular or oven ready lasagna noodles (also called no boil noodles), just be sure and grab whole wheat. They’re going to cook differently than regular lasagna noodles, as well. This lasagna recipe is specifically written for wheat noodles.
• Ground turkey: You can add this to the recipe cooked or raw. If using raw, please make the chunks of turkey very thin so they cook all the way through.
• Spinach: A powerhouse of fiber, vitamins A, C and K.

Recipe Tips

• This recipe is wonderful for meal prep. You can assemble it and freeze before or after cooking. 
• If you’re looking for a 21 Day Fix lasagna, the container calculations below are based on using 6 whole grain lasagna noodles for the entire recipe. 
• Hiding extra vegetables is super easy in this recipe. I love adding extra spinach, grated carrots, or finely chopped bell peppers. 
• You’ll need to cook ground beef or ground Italian sausage and drain before adding them to this recipe. Beef releases too much liquid while cooking to use raw in the Instant Pot. 
• Use fresh spinach for this recipe, not frozen, to reduce the amount of liquid. 
• I love making homemade tomato sauce, but if you buy store bought look for one that has no added sugar. Do not add the tomatoes or Italian seasonings from this recipe if you use store bought marinara sauce.
• If making this recipe right in your Instant Pot liner, do not begin your layers with sauce, as it can cause a burn warning. Add 1/2 cup water to the pot, followed by turkey, then pasta, spinach, cheese, then sauce. You can make more layers, but be sure to start with water and then meat.
• Spray your foil with cooking spray before covering your lasagna to prevent the cheese from sticking to it. 
• If your trivet does not have handles, you can make your own sling by folding a 20” long piece of aluminum foil in thirds, lengthwise. Set your pan in the middle of the foil and carefully use the ends to raise and lower in and out of the Instant Pot.
• Top this recipe with freshly grated parmesan cheese and fresh basil, if desired.
• Naturally releasing the pressure in your pressure cooker is important to this recipe – it allows you to let the entire cooked lasagna sit and the noodles to absorb any extra liquid from the recipe. It also allows for a few more minutes of cook time to make sure your noodles and meat are finished cooking. Skipping the natural release step can result in an undercooked and soggy lasagna.
• Refrigerate leftover lasagna in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.

Instant Pot Cooking Instructions

The time estimate includes prep time, cook time, and time for your pot to come to pressure and release pressure. Of course, this changes a bit depending on the size of the Instant Pot you use and your altitude.

1. Make your cottage cheese layer In a small bowl, mix together the cottage cheese and ⅔ cup shredded mozzarella cheese.
2. Prepare your homemade tomato sauce Skip this step if using jarred pasta sauce. In a separate bowl, mix the crushed tomatoes, oregano, thyme, parsley, onion powder and garlic together.
3. Make your layers Add half of the sauce to the bottom of a 7 inch springform pan. Break your noodles into pieces that will cover the sauce in a single layer. Top with half of the cottage cheese mixture, half the ground meat, and half of the spinach.
4. Repeat Continue to layer lasagna until the pan is full. Cover the top of the pan with foil. This stops liquid from getting into the pan.
5. Prepare your pot Place a trivet in the bottom of the Instant Pot insert and pour 2 cups of water in the bottom.
6. Pressure Cook Place the uncooked lasagna on top of the trivet and close and lock the lid. Turn your pressure valve to sealing. Select high Pressure Cook and set the cook time for 20 minutes.
7. Natural Release Once the cooking time is complete, allow pressure to naturally release. If after 20 minutes the pressure has not completely released, then quick release the remaining pressure. Once the pressure valve drops, remove the lid and carefully remove your cooked lasagna.
8. Broil This step isn’t necessary, but it only takes a couple of extra minutes and really does make the lasagna look and taste better. Remove the foil cover from the lasagna and place the pan under the broiler for 1-2 minutes to brown the cheese. Keep a close eye on your lasagna – the broil setting on most ovens is very fast.

Oven Instructions for this Cottage Cheese Lasagna Recipe:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. In a small bowl, mix together the cottage cheese and ⅔ cup mozzarella cheese. 
3. Make your homemade marinara sauce by mixing crushed tomatoes, oregano, thyme, parsley, onion powder and garlic together in a separate bowl to make your tomato sauce. If using jarred sauce, you can skip this step. 
4. Add half of your sauce to the bottom of an oven safe casserole dish. Place a layer of noodles on top of the sauce, top with half of the cottage cheese mixture, half the ground turkey, and half of the spinach, repeat. Top your lasagna with remaining ⅓ cup of mozzarella cheese, then cover your pan very tightly with aluminum foil. 
5. Bake for 60 minutes. Remove the foil and check your noodles by sticking a sharp knife into the lasagna. If it moves to the bottom of the pan quickly, the noodles are soft enough to eat. 
6. Turn your oven to the broil setting and broil your lasagna for 1-2 minutes until the cheese is lightly browned. Keep a close eye on the lasagna when you do this, as the broil setting works fast.
7. Remove from the oven and top with fresh basil, if desired, and serve!

Healthy Eating Plans

This lasagna recipe is perfect for special diets like 2B Mindset and the 21 Day Fix! I’ve given a ton of helpful information about making this lasagna for the 21 Day Fix, and trust me–your family and friends will love it too, and they won’t even know it’s healthy!

21 Day Fix/Ultimate Portion Fix

These counts are based on using 6 lasagna noodles for the entire recipe: 6 Red Containers, 6 Yellow Containers, 6 Green Containers, 3 Blue Containers.

A serving is ⅙ of the lasagna. Per serving: 1 Red Container, 1 Yellow Container, 1 Green Container, ½ Blue Container. 

2B Mindset

Eat with additional vegetables for a complete lunch. 

Looking for WW Lasagna?

More healthy Instant Pot recipes

• Instant Pot Stuffed Pepper Soup
• Spaghetti Squash Lasagna
• Dill Pickle Chicken Salad
• Instant Pot Spaghetti with Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
• Vegan Minestrone Soup
• Quinoa Tacos
• Instant Pot Spanish Rice

Print

Instant Pot Lasagna

If you're looking for a healthy Instant Pot lasagna, this recipe is the one for you! Whole wheat pasta, homemade sauce, and layers of green spinach are a delicious way to beat your craving. Use cottage cheese or ricotta in this recipe!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword 21 Day Fix, instant pot, Lasagna

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Instant Pot pressure build and release 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 321kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Instant Pot 6 qt
• Springform Pan
• Olive Oil Spray

Ingredients

• 1 cup 2% cottage cheese or ricotta
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese I use mozzarella
• 28 oz crushed tomatoes Do not use full or diced tomatoes–they have too much liquid in them. For instructions on using jarred pasta sauce, please read the post.
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 1 tbsp thyme
• 1 tbsp parsley
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp garlic
• 6 whole wheat lasagna noodles
• 1 lbs ground turkey
• 3 cups spinach fresh

Instructions

Instant Pot

• In a small bowl, mix together the cottage cheese and ⅔ cup mozzarella cheese. 1 cup 2% cottage cheese
• Skip this step if using jarred sauce. In a separate bowl, mix the crushed tomatoes, oregano, thyme, parsley, onion powder and garlic together. 28 oz crushed tomatoes, 1 tbsp oregano, 1 tbsp thyme, 1 tbsp parsley, 1 tbsp onion powder, 1 tbsp garlic
• Add half of the sauce to the bottom of a 7 inch springform pan. Break your noodles into pieces that will cover the sauce in a single layer. Top with half of the cheese mixture, half the ground turkey, and half of the spinach, repeat. Finally, top your lasagna with the remaining ⅓ cup of mozzarella cheese, then cover your pan tightly with aluminum foil. 6 whole wheat lasagna noodles, 1 lbs ground turkey, 3 cups spinach,
• Place a trivet in the bottom of the Instant Pot insert and pour 1 cup of water in the bottom.
• Place the lasagna on top of the trivet and close and lock the lid. Turn your pressure valve to sealing. Select Pressure Cook (high) and set the cook time for 20 minutes.
• Once the cooking time is complete, allow pressure to naturally release. If after 20 minutes, the pressure has not completely released, turn the handle to quick release. Once the pressure valve drops, remove the lid and carefully remove your lasagna.
• This step isn’t necessary, but it only takes a couple of extra minutes and really does make the lasagna look and taste better. Remove the foil cover from the lasagna and place the pan under the broiler for 1-2 minutes to brown the cheese. Top with fresh basil if desired and serve.

Oven

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a small bowl, mix together the cottage cheese and ⅔ cup mozzarella cheese. 1 cup 2% cottage cheese
• Mix crushed tomatoes, oregano, thyme, parsley, onion powder and garlic together in a separate bowl. If using jarred sauce you can skip this step. 28 oz crushed tomatoes, 1 tbsp oregano, 1 tbsp thyme, 1 tbsp parsley, 1 tbsp onion powder, 1 tbsp garlic
• Add half of your sauce to the bottom of an oven safe dish. Place a layer of noodles on top of the sauce, top with half of the cheese mixture, half the ground turkey, and half of the spinach, repeat. Top your lasagna with remaining ⅓ cup of mozzarella cheese, then cover your pan very tightly with aluminum foil. 6 whole wheat lasagna noodles
• Bake for 60 minutes. Remove the foil and check your noodles for doneness.
• Broil your lasagna for 1-2 minutes until the cheese is lightly browned.
• Remove from the oven and top with fresh basil, if desired, and serve!

Video

Notes

Healthy Eating Plans

• 21 Day Fix/Ultimate Portion Fix: These counts are based on using 6 lasagna noodles for the entire recipe: 6 Red Containers, 6 Yellow Containers, 6 Green Containers, 3 Blue Containers. A serving is ⅙ of the lasagna. Per serving: 1 Red Container, 1 Yellow Container, 1 Green Container, ½ Blue Container. 
• 2B Mindset: Eat with additional vegetables for a complete lunch. 
• Looking for WW Lasagna? Click here

Recipe Tips

• This recipe is wonderful for meal prep. You can assemble it and freeze before or after cooking. 
• If you’re following the 21 Day Fix program, the container calculations below are based on using 6 lasagna noodles for the entire recipe. 
• Hiding extra vegetables is super easy in this recipe. I love adding extra spinach, grated carrots, or finely chopped bell peppers. 
• If you choose to use ground beef instead of turkey you will need to brown and drain before adding. Beef released too much liquid while cooking to use raw in the Instant Pot. 
• Use fresh spinach for this recipe to reduce the amount of liquid. 
• I love making homemade spaghetti sauce, but if you buy store bought look for one that has no added sugar.  
• If you’re not a fan of cottage cheese you can swap out for skim ricotta in its place. 
• Spray your foil with cooking spray before covering your lasagna to prevent the cheese from sticking. 
• If your trivet does not have handles, you can make your own sling by folding a 20” long piece of aluminum foil in thirds, lengthwise. Set your pan in the middle of the foil and carefully use the ends to raise and lower in and out of the Instant Pot.
•  

Nutrition

Calories: 321kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 499mg | Potassium: 830mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1974IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 215mg | Iron: 4mg

The post Instant Pot Lasagna with Cottage Cheese appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.