I love making guacamole to go with tortilla chips or to use on top of tacos, enchiladas or burrito bowls.

Guacamole is a good source of vitamins C, E, and K, as well as fiber and healthy fats. Homemade guacamole is a delicious recipe that’s gluten and dairy free.

My signature simple guacamole recipe is heavy on cilantro, and includes only 5 ingredients. It’s an easy recipe to customize to your taste preferences, and I know you will love all the flavors of this homemade guacamole recipe!

Where’s the recipe?

Here at My Crazy Good Life we have readers of all comfort levels in the kitchen. To better serve everyone who visits our site, we make our recipes simple and easy to follow.

If you would like to skip past the ingredient information, detailed instructions, recipe tips, and healthy eating plan calculations, you can scroll to the bottom of the page where you will find our printable recipe card for this Simple Guacamole Recipe.

Ingredients in Simple Guacamole Recipe

• Avocados: Avocados are very nutritious. They’re great sources of folate, potassium, and healthy fats, as well as vitamins K, C, and E. They also contain small amounts of B vitamins and minerals, such as copper, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, iron, and zinc. You will want to be sure to use ripe avocados to make good guacamole. If the avocado yields to firm gentle pressure, you’ll know it’s ripe and ready to eat.
• Cilantro: Fresh cilantro has a fragrant, refreshing and citrusy taste and aroma, though not everyone agrees. Some people may have a specific genetic trait where cilantro tastes like soap. I am not one of those people and I feel strongly that cilantro is essential in authentic guacamole recipes.
• Onion: I use white diced onion when I make guacamole, but you can also use red onions or even onion powder if you’re in a pinch, though not suggested.
• Tomato: I use roma tomatoes for this guacamole recipe. If you don’t like chopped tomato in your homemade guacamole, you can omit the roma tomato.
• Salt: I use just a pinch of salt when I make guacamole. I know everyone’s tastes are different so I suggest adding a little salt, then tasting the guacamole until you get the perfect guacamole flavor.
• Optional: Some other ideas to add to your homemade guacamole are fresh lime juice, jalapeno pepper or serrano pepper (if you like spicy guacamole), fresh garlic, or even grilled corn.

How to Make the Best Guacamole Recipe

1. Start by chopping the vegetables. Bigger is better in my opinion.
2. Then, in a medium bowl, gently mash the avocado with a fork or potato masher, but don’t smash too much. The best guacamole is chunky guacamole!
3. Mix the chopped onion, chopped cilantro, and chopped tomatoes together with the salt. This is called pico, and is an excellent topping for tacos, pulled pork, and enchiladas!
4. Finally, mash the avocados together with the chopped vegetables. Taste test your guacamole and adjust seasonings as needed.
5. Serve immediately and enjoy the fresh flavor of this homemade guacamole recipe!

Recipe Tips

• Guacamole is really best when it’s served fresh. If you must store leftover guacamole, it might help to add lime juice or lemon juice to keep your guac from turning brown. Simply squeeze the extra lime juice or lemon juice on top of the guacamole, and then cover with plastic wrap (laying plastic wrap directly on top of the guac, and pressing out any air bubbles.) Store guacamole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for one to three days.
• This is a basic guacamole recipe that is so easy to adjust to your preferences. You can omit or add to this simple guacamole recipe and it will still be delicious!

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix Simple Guacamole Recipe

The entire guacamole recipe is 8 Blue Containers and 1 Green Container.

Per serving, this simple guacamole is 1.25 Blue Containers and less than 1/4 of a Green Container.

Weight Watchers Simple Guacamole Recipe

5 2023 Plan Points

Looking for recipes to go with this simple guacamole recipe?

• Steak Fajita Bowl
• Healthy Carne Asada Enchiladas
• Crockpot Chicken Fajitas
• Easy Carnitas Taco Recipe
• Healthy Veggie Quesadillas

Print

Simple Guacamole Recipe

This easy guacamole recipe is so delicious and the perfect dip for tortilla chips!

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword Easy Guacamole

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 211kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Cutting Board
• Kitchen Knife
• Mixing Bowls

Ingredients

• 2-3 ripe avocados
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1/2 onion
• 1 tomato
• pinch of salt

Instructions

• Chop the veggies. Bigger is better in my opinion. 1 bunch cilantro 1/2 onion 1 tomato
• Smash the avocado with a fork, but don't smash too much. The best guacamole is chunky guacamole! 2-3 ripe avocados
• Mix your veggies together and add a pinch of salt. This is called pico, and is an excellent topping for tacos, pulled pork, and enchiladas! pinch of salt
• Mix in your avocados, then dip and enjoy.

Notes

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix Easy Guacamole Recipe

The entire easy guacamole recipe is 8 Blue Containers and 1 Green Container.

Per serving, this easy guacamole recipe is 1.25 Blue Containers and less than 1/4 of a Green Container.

Weight Watchers Easy Guacamole Recipe

Per serving: 5 2023 Plan Points

Nutrition

Calories: 211kcal | Carbohydrates: 9.9g | Protein: 2.1g | Fat: 19.6g | Saturated Fat: 4.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 58mg | Potassium: 529mg | Fiber: 7.1g | Sugar: 1.2g | Calcium: 160mg | Iron: 0.2mg

The post Simple Guacamole Recipe appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

I love making homemade pancakes on the weekend, and these vegan pancakes without eggs are my absolute favorite pancake recipe!

When I first started eliminating meat products from my diet, I had a hard time finding a breakfast recipe without eggs. I love pancakes, but they aren’t vegan. Through trial and error we came up with this eggless pancake recipe and now it’s the only one we’ll make.

If you are looking for a healthier vegan pancake recipe you have got to try this recipe!

Where’s the Recipe?

Here at My Crazy Good Life we have readers of all comfort levels in the kitchen. To better serve everyone who visits this page, we’re dedicated to providing a lot of information about the ingredients, detailed cooking instructions, recipe tips, as well as healthy eating plan calculations.

If you’re confident in the kitchen and want to skip past all of that, please simply scroll to the bottom of the page where you will find our easy to print eggless pancakes recipe.

Ingredients in this Eggless Pancakes Recipe

• Chia seeds: Chia seeds and water are how we create an egg substitute for our eggless pancake batter. Learn more about egg substitutes here.
• Plant based milk: I use unsweetened almond milk but you can also use oat milk, coconut milk, or soy milk. Just find the unsweetened and unflavored options.
• Apple cider vinegar: We use apple cider vinegar to make a vegan butter milk alternative. You can also use white vinegar or lemon juice.
• Whole wheat flour: I like to use whole wheat flour whenever I can. Whole wheat flour and white flour are pretty different. Whole wheat flour is made by grinding entire wheat kernels into a powder, whereas white flour removes the most nutrient-rich parts: the bran and germ. Whole wheat flour is a good source of protein, fiber, and a variety of vitamins and minerals.
• Baking powder: Baking powder is what helps to make fluffy pancakes with a slightly less dense texture.
• Baking soda: We use baking soda in this recipe to neutralize the acid.
• Salt: In all baked goods, the correct amount of salt is essential for a final flavor that’s not too bland, not too salty, but just right.
• Ground cinnamon: Ground cinnamon adds a traditional flavor, and it’s a natural antioxidant.
• Vegan butter: Melted butter is what we need. I use Earth Balance butter.
• Maple syrup: Maple syrup is a natural sweetener. It’s our favorite liquid sweetener when needing to add a hint of sweet to our recipes because it contains a small amount of minerals, such as manganese and zinc. Bonus: It’s also vegan! 
• Vanilla extract: Be sure and grab the pure vanilla extract, not the imitation.

How to Make Eggless Pancakes

1. Add chia seeds to water and set aside to form a gel.
2. Add vinegar to the almond milk and set aside to allow it to curdle. The two combined will form a substitute for buttermilk.
3. In a medium bowl add the whole wheat flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Mix to create your dry ingredients.
4. Stir the chia seeds. This gives them a more uniform consistency and allows them to soften. If they’re hard to stir they might need more water – it’s ok to add more.
5. Melt your butter and into a small mixing bowl add the melted vegan butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.
6. Add the almond milk/vinegar mixture as well as chia seeds to the other wet ingredients. Stir the wet ingredients together well and try to get as many clumps as you can from the chia seeds.
7. Mix the wet ingredients and dry ingredients just until mixed, and then set the pancake batter aside.
8. These cook differently from regular pancakes – I’ve added details instructions here for you to follow. Once you know how these cook the first time, they’ll be easier to make – I promise!
9. Turn the griddle onto medium heat to medium-high heat (just to the high side of medium) and spray with a neutral flavored oil cooking spray (olive oil or avocado oil work well). Allow the griddle to completely heat before adding pancake batter.
10. Pour your pancake batter to add 3-4 pancakes to the hot griddle – about half the amount of pancakes you’d add for a traditional recipe. Because of the absence of eggs, this eggless pancake batter spreads a bit wider and takes longer to firm up than typical batters, so you’ll want to give it some room and time to cook. Avoid the sides of the griddle where the pan won’t heat as hot. The first batch of these is a bit finicky, but it gets better with the second batch.
11. Allow these pancakes to cook for 8-9 minutes before you flip them for the first time. Maybe check the bottoms at 4-5 minutes to ensure your stovetop cooks like mine does. You’ll want the outsides of them to begin to turn golden brown before you flip them. Test the pancake before flipping by slowly sliding the spatula underneath the pancake to see if it’s solid underneath.
12. Once the pancakes are firm enough to flip, go ahead and do so. Cook for 3-4 minutes and use a butter knife to test that the pancakes are cooked through the center.
13. Remove the pancakes from the griddle and plate them, then move onto your next batch. The next rounds will cook a bit faster, but still take longer than traditional pancakes.
14. Serve your vegan pancakes warm and top with maple syrup. See recipe tips below for more delicious pancakes toppings!

Recipe Tips

• I’ll be the first to admit that cooking vegan pancakes without eggs isn’t the easiest thing to do at first, but you’ll find yourself coming back to this egg-free recipe every weekend like we do because it’s delicious and, after they’re cooked, has the consistency of traditional whole wheat pancakes.
• I double and freeze this recipe with great success. The leftover vegan pancakes are perfect for busy mornings!
• There are a variety of delicious and nutritious toppings that you can add to your vegan whole wheat pancakes. Here are a few ideas:
  • Fresh fruit, such as berries (hello blueberry pancakes!), sliced banana, or sliced apples
  • Maple syrup or agave nectar
  • Nuts and seeds, such as walnuts, almonds, or extra chia seeds
  • Nut butter, such as peanut butter or almond butter. Not only do they taste delicious, but the Mayo Clinic reports that nuts help improve cholesterol levels. A serving of nut butter is a great source of valuable nutrients.
  • Yogurt, such as coconut yogurt or soy yogurt
  • Chocolate chips, dried fruit, or spices

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix Vegan Whole Wheat Pancakes

Entire recipe: 4 Yellow Containers, 2.65 Orange Container, 6 Sweetener Teaspoons, 7 Teaspoons

Per serving: Just under 0.75 Yellow Container, 0.5 Orange Container, 1 Sweetener Teaspoon, 1 Teaspoon

Weight Watchers Vegan Whole Wheat Pancakes

5 Points on the 2023 Plan

Looking for more vegan breakfast recipes?

• Shredded Sweet Potato Hash Browns This delicious shredded sweet potato hash browns recipe has just a few simple ingredients and is great for vegan breakfast but it also makes an excellent side dish for brunch or even dinner!
• Homemade Healthy Bagels This golden brown Homemade Bagel recipe is made with whole wheat flour and tastes absolutely delicious!
• Vegan Breakfast Hash Browns Vegan Breakfast Hash Browns with Veggies is a great way to start your day! This easy gluten free recipe has crispy potatoes and a rainbow of veggies.
• Baked Banana Oatmeal This Baked Banana Oatmeal recipe is a real treat–it can easily be eaten for breakfast or dessert! Mashed bananas, whole grain oats, chia seeds, almond milk, and spices make this a hearty and fulfilling gluten free dish.

Print

Vegan Whole Wheat Pancakes

This Vegan Whole Wheat Pancakes recipe is my family's favorite Saturday morning breakfast. This vegan pancake recipe is full of plant-based, healthy ingredients, and makes the most delicious pancakes.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword vegan whole wheat pancakes

Prep Time 7 minutes minutes

Cook Time 13 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 175kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Mixing Bowls
• Measuring Cups
• Enameled Cast Iron Pan

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup chia seeds
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup plant based milk (I use unsweetened almond milk)
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp butter melted (I prefer unsalted)
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

• Add chia seeds to water and set aside to form a gel. 1/3 cup chia seeds 1 cup water
• Add vinegar to milk and set aside to allow it to curdle, will form a substitute for buttermilk. 1 cup plant based milk 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• To a bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. 1 cup whole wheat flour 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• Stir chia seeds. This gives them a more uniform consistency and allows them to soften.
• To a small bowl add melted butter, maple syrup, and vanilla. 2 tbsp butter 2 tbsp maple syrup 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Add almond milk/vinegar mixture as well as chia seeds. Stir the wet ingredients together well and try to get as many clumps as you can from the chia seeds.
• Mix wet and dry ingredients just until mixed, set aside.
• Turn the griddle onto medium-high heat (just to the high side of medium) and spray with an olive oil cooking spray. Allow the griddle to completely heat before adding pancake batter.
• Add 3-4 pancakes to the griddle – about half the amount of pancakes you'd add for a traditional recipe. Because of the absence of eggs, this batter spreads a bit wider and takes longer to firm up than typical batters, so you'll want to give it some room and time to cook. Avoid the sides of the griddle where the pan won't heat as hot. The first batch of these is a bit finicky, but it gets better with the second batch.
• Allow these pancakes to cook for 8-9 minutes before you flip them for the first time. You'll want the outsides of them to begin to brown before you flip them. Test the pancake before flipping by slowly sliding the spatula underneath the pancake to see if it's solid underneath.
• Once the pancakes are firm enough to flip, go ahead and do so. Cook for 3-4 minutes and use a butter knife to test that the pancakes are cooked through the center.
• Remove the pancakes from the griddle and plate them, then move onto your next batch. The next rounds will cook a bit faster, but still take a bit longer than traditional pancakes.
• I'll be the first to admit that cooking pancakes without eggs isn't the easiest thing to do at first, but you'll find yourself coming back to this egg-free recipe every weekend like we do because it's delicious and after they're cooked, has the consistency of traditional whole wheat pancakes.

Notes

Recipe Tips

• I’ll be the first to admit that cooking vegan pancakes without eggs isn’t the easiest thing to do at first, but you’ll find yourself coming back to this egg-free recipe every weekend like we do because it’s delicious and after they’re cooked, has the consistency of traditional whole wheat pancakes.
• I double and freeze this recipe with great success. The leftover vegan pancakes are perfect for busy mornings!

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix Vegan Whole Wheat Pancakes

Entire recipe: 4 Yellow Containers, 2.65 Orange Container, 6 Sweetener Teaspoons, 7 Teaspoons

Per serving: Just under 0.75 Yellow Container, 0.5 Orange Container, 1 Sweetener Teaspoon, 1 Teaspoon

Weight Watchers Vegan Whole Wheat Pancakes

Per serving: 5 2023 Plan Points

Nutrition

Calories: 175kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 246mg | Potassium: 231mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 124IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 169mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Vegan Whole Wheat Pancakes 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.

This healthier version of PF Chang’s lettuce wraps is made with healthy vegetables and a homemade hoisin sauce, which gives these vegan lettuce wraps so much flavor.

Next time you are craving a satisfying and healthy meal, give these vegan lettuce wraps a try!

Where’s the recipe?

Here at My Crazy Good Life we have readers of all comfort levels in the kitchen. To best serve all of our readers, we write our posts with tons of helpful information.

In this article you will find ingredient information, detailed cooking instructions, recipe tips, and healthy eating plan calculations for several popular diet plans.

If you are confident in your cooking abilities and want to get right to the recipe, simply scroll down to the bottom of the page where you will find our easy to print recipe card for these veggie lettuce wraps.

Ingredients in Vegan Lettuce Wraps Sauce

• Garlic: fresh minced garlic is ideal in the sauce ingredients, but you can use garlic powder if you don’t have garlic cloves on hand.
• Coconut aminos: this is one of my favorite soy sauce substitutes, and is a great choice for replacing soy sauce if you have gluten, soy, or sugar allergies, or if you’re watching your sodium intake. If you do not have or can’t find coconut aminos, you can use reduced sodium soy sauce or Tamari.
• Peanut butter: I use creamy peanut butter to make the lettuce wrap sauce. You can also use almond butter if that is your preference. Look for nut butter with no added sugar or oil.
• Maple syrup: make sure to read the label and get the good stuff. This way you will get real maple syrup and not just maple-flavored syrup, which can be loaded with refined sugar or high-fructose corn syrup. I like using real maple syrup in place of the flavored stuff because it contains a small amount of minerals, such as manganese and zinc, that white sugar just doesn’t have. It also helps your blood sugar stay more stable.
• Rice vinegar: plain rice wine vinegar is what I use. If you don’t have rice wine vinegar, you can use apple cider vinegar for the hoisin sauce.
• Sesame oil: sesame oil has a distinct aroma and flavor that tastes delicious in Asian recipes. I buy roasted sesame oil when I make vegan lettuce wraps to really bump up the flavor in this great recipe.
• Ginger: fresh ginger really brightens up the flavorful fillings of these vegan lettuce wraps. Did you know that ginger may have numerous health benefits due to its anti-inflammatory, anti-nausea, and other properties? It’s an amazing plant that I love to use in Asian dishes.
• Sriracha sauce: sriracha is a spicy sauce made from chili paste, garlic, vinegar, sugar, and salt. It adds a more complex flavor than your typical hot sauce. If you want to add even more heat than sriracha sauce you can use red chili flakes or chili oil in the hoisin sauce.

Ingredients in Vegan Lettuce Wraps Filling

• Red onion: I prefer using red onion but you can use yellow or white onion if that’s what you have.
• Portobello mushrooms: I love using portobello mushrooms in vegan recipes. Mushrooms are a great meat substitute because of their texture, and they are also packed with fiber, vitamins, and minerals. The mushrooms are essential in this veggie lettuce wraps recipe.
• Water chestnuts: water chestnuts are full of nutrients, yet low in calories. They are versatile and easy to add to your diet. Eat them raw, cooked in stir fry or made into a delicious lettuce wraps recipe.
• Green onions: I use chopped green onions to top the finished healthy lettuce wraps.
• Lettuce: I typically use romaine lettuce or butter lettuce for my lettuce cups. The best lettuce for lettuce wraps is one with lettuce leaves that are firm and can hold the vegan filling. Boston lettuce or iceberg lettuce would also be good options.

How to Make Vegan Lettuce Wraps on the Stove

1. First, make the hoisin sauce by combining the garlic, coconut aminos or soy sauce, peanut butter, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger root, and sriracha sauce in a medium bowl. Use a fork to whisk the ingredients until combined and then set aside.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. When the skillet is hot, add about a quarter of the sauce to the pan, and then add your onions, mushrooms, and water chestnuts. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until the onions become soft.
3. Add the remaining sauce to your pan of veggies and cook for another 5 minutes.
4. Scoop the vegetable filling out and into your butter lettuce cups. Sprinkle with green onions and serve immediately.

How to Make Vegan Lettuce Wraps in the Instant Pot

1. First, make the hoisin sauce by combining the garlic, aminos or soy sauce, peanut butter, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger root, and sriracha sauce in a medium bowl. Use a fork to whisk the ingredients until combined and then set aside.
2. Now turn your Instant Pot to sauté and add about a quarter of the sauce to the pot, along with the onions, mushrooms, and water chestnuts. Sauté for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until the onions become soft.
3. Add the rest of the hoisin sauce to the veggies and cook for another 5 minutes or so.
4. Scoop the vegetable filling out and into your lettuce wraps cups. Sprinkle with green onions and serve immediately.

Recipe Tips for Healthy Lettuce Wraps

• This is a great recipe for meal prepping. The lettuce wraps filling keeps well in the fridge for up to 6 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
• When I meal prep healthy vegan lettuce wraps, I divide the filling into about 6 individual airtight container and place about 2 lettuce leaf shells into each container. When I’m ready to eat, I can easily get the lettuce wraps filled and eat it cold or warm up the filling in the microwave for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.
• If you are freezing vegetarian lettuce wraps, you will want to thaw the filling first, before you heat it up in the microwave.
• These lettuce wraps are very versatile. If you want to add meat, you can use chicken breasts or thighs or even ground chicken or turkey. My cooking tip for adding meat would be to cook the meat first, and then add the vegetables and sauce.
• If you would like to keep these lettuce wraps vegan, but want to add a little more protein, tofu would be a great addition. You can buy extra firm tofu or crumbled tofu to make the tofu filling.

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix Vegan Lettuce Wraps

Entire recipe: 6 green containers, 1 yellow container, 1 orange container, 12 teaspoons

Per serving: 1 green container, 1/6 yellow container, 1/6 orange container, 2 teaspoons

Weight Watchers Vegan Lettuce Wraps

7 2023 Plan Points | 5 Blue Plan Points | 8 Green Plan Points | 5 Purple Plan Points

Looking for more healthy vegan recipes?

• Teriyaki Tofu Stir Fry Bowls with Coconut Rice These Teriyaki Tofu Stir Fry Bowls with Coconut Brown Rice are a healthy and delicious recipe that is perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner. This recipe is vegan and gluten-free, and the tofu filling is packed with protein and nutrients. 
• Shredded Sweet Potato Hash Browns This delicious shredded sweet potato hash browns recipe has just a few simple ingredients. It’s great for breakfast but it also makes an excellent side dish for brunch or even dinner! You’ll love it even more once you see how easy it is to make.
• Crispy Air Fryer Tofu Recipe I’ve tried tofu many ways and have never loved it until I started air frying it. The extra firm tofu gives you a hearty bite and the air fryer allows the tofu to crisp a bit. Several nights a month, we make an easy Stir Fry for dinner that includes this yummy crispy tofu recipe. 
• Vegan Minestrone Soup I love making healthy minestrone soup for my whole family. The best part is, they love eating it! It has a healthy twist and is also a great soup for meal prepping – store in an airtight container and the flavors meld together so that the next day, the leftover soup tastes even better!
• Fresh Veggie Spring Rolls Homemade gluten free spring rolls are light and refreshing. These are served with a delicious recipe for peanut butter dipping sauce. Stuffed with raw vegetables like grated carrots, cabbage, fresh basil, and rice noodles, this is one of my favorite vegan food recipes.

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Vegan Lettuce Wraps

This easy recipe for Vegan Lettuce Wraps is packed full of healthy ingredients and flavor!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian

Keyword lettuce wraps, pf changs, vegan, vegan lettuce wraps

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes minutes

Total Time 18 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 229kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Enameled Cast Iron Pan
• Instant Pot 6 qt
• Mixing Bowls

Ingredients

• 3 tsp garlic minced
• 3/4 cup coconut aminos or reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 2/3 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 tsp ginger root minced
• 1 tbsp sriracha sauce
• 1/2 cup red onion diced
• 2 cups portobello mushrooms diced
• 4 oz water chestnuts drained and chopped
• 3 green onions (green & white parts) chopped
• 2 heads lettuce romaine or butter, cut into shells

Instructions

How to Make Vegan Lettuce Wraps on the Stove

• First, make the hoisin sauce by combining the garlic, coconut aminos or soy sauce, peanut butter, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger root, and sriracha sauce in a medium bowl. Use a fork to whisk the ingredients until combined and then set aside. 3 tsp garlic 3/4 cup coconut aminos 1/4 cup peanut butter 2 tbsp maple syrup 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar 1 2/3 tbsp toasted sesame oil 2 tsp ginger root 1 tbsp sriracha sauce
• Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. When the skillet is hot, add about a quarter of the sauce to the pan, and then add your onions, mushrooms, and water chestnuts. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until the onions become soft. 1/2 cup red onion 2 cups portobello mushrooms 4 oz water chestnuts
• Add the remaining sauce to your pan of veggies and cook for another 5 minutes.
• Scoop the vegetable filling out and into your butter lettuce cups. Sprinkle with green onions and serve immediately. 3 green onions 2 heads lettuce

How to Make Vegan Lettuce Wraps in the Instant Pot

• First, make the hoisin sauce by combining the garlic, aminos or soy sauce, peanut butter, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger root, and sriracha sauce in a medium bowl. Use a fork to whisk the ingredients until combined and then set aside. 3 tsp garlic 3/4 cup coconut aminos 1/4 cup peanut butter 2 tbsp maple syrup 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar 1 2/3 tbsp toasted sesame oil 2 tsp ginger root 1 tbsp sriracha sauce
• Now turn your Instant Pot to sauté and add about a quarter of the sauce to the pot, along with the onions, mushrooms, and water chestnuts. Sauté for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until the onions become soft. 1/2 cup red onion 2 cups portobello mushrooms 4 oz water chestnuts
• Add the rest of the hoisin sauce to the veggies and cook for another 5 minutes or so.
• Scoop the vegetable filling out and into your lettuce wraps cups. Sprinkle with green onions and serve immediately. 3 green onions 2 heads lettuce

Notes

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix Vegan Lettuce Wraps

Entire recipe: 6 green containers, 1 yellow container, 1 orange container, 12 teaspoons

Per serving: 1 green container, 1/6 yellow container, 1/6 orange container, 2 teaspoons

Weight Watchers Vegan Lettuce Wraps

7 2023 Plan Points | 5 Blue Plan Points | 8 Green Plan Points | 5 Purple Plan Points

Nutrition

Calories: 229kcal | Carbohydrates: 27.4g | Protein: 5.5g | Fat: 11.2g | Saturated Fat: 1.9g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 113mg | Potassium: 480mg | Fiber: 2.3g | Sugar: 8.6g | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 5mg

The post Vegan Lettuce Wraps appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

Asparagus is a delicious vegetable with many health benefits. It is a good source of vitamins A, C, and K, as well as fiber and antioxidants. Making this creamy asparagus soup is easy and it’s great for meal prep. I can make a big batch on my prep day and have easy dinners or lunches throughout the week.

Where’s the recipe?

Here at My Crazy Good Life we have readers of varying levels of comfort in the kitchen. We want all of our readers to feel confident when they recreate our recipes, so we like to provide you with lots of helpful information.

In this article you’ll find ingredient information, detailed cooking instructions, recipe tips, and healthy eating plan calculations. If you’d like to skip past all of that you can scroll to the bottom of the page where you will find our easy to print full recipe for this easy Cream of Asparagus Soup. 

Ingredients in this Cream of Asparagus Soup

• Asparagus: spring is typically asparagus season but I make this creamy soup any time of year. Asparagus has low calories and is an excellent source of essential vitamins and minerals, especially folate and vitamins A, C and K. Buy fresh asparagus for this recipe!
• Vegetable stock: I make this recipe with vegetable stock but you can use chicken broth or chicken stock if you don’t have any dietary restrictions. 
• Olive oil: Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated oleic acid. It is said that this fatty acid has many beneficial effects and is a great choice for cooking.
• Flour: I use whole wheat flour for this simple soup. If you want to make gluten free cream of asparagus soup, the easiest way would be to substitute whole wheat flour for your preferred GF flour.   
• Balsamic vinegar: balsamic vinegar is a perfect addition to this nutritious soup. It’s delicious and contains no fat and very little natural sugar. 
• Almond milk: One of the easiest ways to lighten up any “cream of” type soup is to remove the heavy cream and butter. Those two ingredients tend to be packed with fat and calories. This is a dairy free cream asparagus soup recipe that is so delicious you won’t even miss the cream. Make sure you buy unsweetened, plain almond milk. 

How to Make Healthy Cream of Asparagus Soup 

1. First, trim the woody ends off of the asparagus and chop asparagus into small pieces.
2. Sauté asparagus pieces with olive oil over medium heat until tender. Then add the balsamic vinegar and flour or flour substitute.
3. In a large pot, pour in the stock and almond milk, and then add the asparagus mixture.
4. Allow the liquids to come to a rolling boil over high heat and then simmer on low heat for 8-10 minutes.
5. Serve immediately or see tips for storing below.
6. Optional garnishes: chopped fresh dill or chives, black pepper, lemon zest, and a bit of parmesan cheese. 

Recipe Tips

• The recipe, as written, calls for whole asparagus stalks pieces. If you prefer the creamy texture of blended soup, blend the cooled soup with an immersion blender or standard blender.
• To make the soup ahead of time, let the soup cool to room temperature and then store it in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for 3-5 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove top.
• You can freeze the soup for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container or bag. Here’s my freezing tip: Freeze soup in individual servings. This will make it easy to thaw and reheat just the amount you need.

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix Cream of Asparagus Soup Recipe

The entire recipe (6 cups) of this Portion Fix Cream of Asparagus Soup is 4 teaspoons and 1 green container.

Per serving (1 cup) is 3/4 teaspoon and 1/6 green container

Weight Watchers

This creamy asparagus soup is low in WW Points.

2 2023 Plan Points | 3 Blue Plan Points | 3 Green Plan Points | 3 Purple Plan Points

2B Mindset

This is a perfect lunch recipe for 2B Mindset. You’ll want to add a protein to round our your lunch plate.

Looking for a main course to go with this classic soup?

• Mini Lasagna Bites are a great option that will satisfy your craving for lasagna! I love pairing these mini lasagnas with a side salad or soup.
• Making a Turkey Breast in the Instant Pot is the best way to cook turkey. This main dish would pair wonderfully with this asparagus soup.
• Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta has all the flavors of the restaurant version, without all the calories, sodium, and fat. I love making this recipe in one pot using my Instant Pot, but it can also be made in the Crock Pot or right on the stove.
• Instant Pot Turkey Swedish meatballs are a delicious change from the Italian version. Swedish meatballs are a blend of savory spices covered in a light but creamy gravy. 
• These Sweet Potato Crab Cakes are easy and delicious! Perfect for meal prep or an easy dinner recipe.
• This easy Grilled Salmon with Homemade Herb Butter will be your go-to summer grilling recipe!
• This Low Carb Cloud Bread would be perfect on top of the soup. Making cloud bread is a great way to satisfy bread craving (I’m looking at you, crusty bread!) without sabotaging your lifestyle goals.

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Healthy Cream of Asparagus Soup Recipe

Making healthy choices is much easier when there are delicious options! You can make a batch of this quick and easy cream of asparagus soup to fight those cravings. It’s also really easy to make this cream of asparagus soup vegan.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Cream of Asparagus Soup

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 92kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Stock Pot
• Kitchen Knife
• Cutting Board

Ingredients

• 2 cups asparagus chopped
• 3 cups vegetable stock low sodium or chicken stock
• 2 tsp olive oil
• ¼ cup whole wheat flour or any substitute you like
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 cups almond milk unsweetened

Instructions

• First, trim the woody ends off of the asparagus and chop asparagus into small pieces. 2 cups asparagus
• Sauté the asparagus with the oil until tender, add balsamic vinegar and flour or flour substitute. 2 tsp olive oil 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar ¼ cup whole wheat flour
• In a large pot, pour in the stock and almond milk, and add the asparagus mixture. 3 cups vegetable stock 2 cups almond milk
• Allow the liquids to come to a rolling boil and then simmer for 8-10 minutes.

Notes

Recipe Tips

• The recipe, as written, calls for whole asparagus stalks pieces. If you prefer the creamy texture of blended soup, blend the cooled soup with an immersion blender or standard blender.
• To make the soup ahead of time, let the soup cool to room temperature and then store it in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for 3-5 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove top.
• You can freeze the soup for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container or bag. Here’s my freezing tip: Freeze soup in individual servings. This will make it easy to thaw and reheat just the amount you need.

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix Healthy Cream of Asparagus Soup Recipe

The entire recipe (6 cups) of this 21 DF healthy cream of asparagus soup is 4 teaspoons and 1 green container.

Per serving (1 cup) is 3/4 teaspoon and 1/6 green container

Weight Watchers

This creamy asparagus soup is low in WW SmartPoints.

2 2023 Plan Points | 3 Blue Plan Points | 3 Green Plan Points | 3 Purple Plan Points

2B Mindset

This is a perfect lunch recipe for 2B Mindset. You’ll want to add a protein to round our your lunch plate.

Nutrition

Calories: 92kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 262mg | Potassium: 135mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 882IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 166mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Healthy Cream of Asparagus Soup Recipe appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

This healthy and easy Instant Pot coconut rice recipe is made with just a few simple ingredients. Creamy coconut milk adds a rich flavor to the rice, and it also helps to keep the rice moist and fluffy. This delicious side dish is a great way to add some extra nutrients to your diet, and it is also a great option for those who are looking for a gluten-free or vegan meal.

Coconut rice is popular among many cuisines around the world, including African and Asian dishes, as well as Caribbean dishes. It’s typically made with long grain white rice, but jasmine rice or basmati rice are sometimes used as well. For this Instant Pot rice recipe we will be using brown rice to really bump up the nutrition profile.

My family loves when I make Asian-inspired dishes, and this coconut milk rice is the perfect accompaniment to them! 

Where’s the Recipe?

Here at My Crazy Good Life we want every one of our readers to feel confident recreating our recipes. Because of that, we like to included a lot of helpful information in our posts. 

If you’re comfortable in the kitchen and want to skip past the ingredient information, cooking instructions, recipe tips, and healthy eating plan calculations, you can scroll to the bottom of the page where you will find our easy to print recipe card for this perfect fluffy coconut rice. 

Ingredients in this Instant Pot Coconut Rice

• Rice: Brown rice is my everyday rice and so I use it to make this coconut rice. Brown rice hasn’t had it’s husk, bran, and germ removed, like plain white rice has. Because of that, brown rice is higher in fiber, vitamins and minerals than white rice. 
• Coconut milk: coconut milk is full of important nutrients like manganese and copper. It has a delicate coconut flavor that is popular in Thai curries and Indian curries. I use full fat coconut milk. Make sure you buy canned unsweetened coconut milk and not coconut milk in a carton. 
• Water: water is needed in this recipe to keep the dreaded burn notice from popping up during the pressure cooking.
• Oil: you will need just a light spray of cooking oil. You can use olive, avocado, or coconut oil spray. Wondering which oil is healthiest? Read my thoughts on what oils are healthiest.

How to Make Instant Pot Coconut Rice

1. The first thing you will want to do is rinse your rice in cold water. Make sure you give it a good rinse and that the water runs clear.
2. Next, spray the inner pot of your electric pressure cooker with cooking oil spray, and then add the rinsed rice to your pot.
3. Now you need to add an equal amount of liquid to your rice (2 cups of rice = 2 cups of liquid). Pour the full-fat coconut milk into a measuring cup and then fill the measuring cup to 2 cups with water. 
4. Add the coconut milk and water to your instant pot. 
5. Close the lid of your pot and turn your pressure release valve to Sealing position.
6. Use the Pressure Cook or Manual button and set the cooking time to 24 minutes.
7. When the cook time has completed let the remaining pressure naturally release. Allow a natural release time of at least 10 minutes, and turn off the “keep warm” setting if your pot has one. Allowing the rice to naturally release pressure without the heat keeps the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot. 

Recipe Tips

•  A quick release of the pressure will cause your rice to cool faster and stick to the bottom of your pot. Nobody likes cleaning that up!
• Add more liquid to your rice if you like sticky rice.
• If you get the burn message when pressure cooking your rice, check these things:
  • Is there enough liquid in the pot?
  • Did you turn off the “keep warm” setting?
  • Is your rice overcooking?
• If you cook a huge batch for meal prep, freeze the extra rice. It reheats in the microwave really well.
• Refrigerate cooked rice for up to 6 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
• My rice freezing tips:
  1. Freeze individual servings of rice in separate ziplock bags.
  2. Write the cook date and serving size on the outside.  
  3. Spread the rice out in a flat layer, this makes it easier to store and helps to evenly reheat when ready to eat.

Healthy Eating Plans

This recipe makes 12 servings. Each serving size is about 1/2 cup.

​21 Day Fix

An entire recipe of this 21 Day Fix Instant Pot Coconut Rice is 12 Yellow Containers and 5 Blue Containers.

Each serving is 1 Yellow Container and a little less than 1/2 of a Blue Container.

Weight Watchers

Each serving, using full fat coconut milk, is 7 Points on the 2023 Plan.

If you would like to lower the total points, you can use light coconut milk, which would bring the points down to 4 per serving.

Need a great recipe to go with this fluffy rice?

• You’ll want to put it in this Teriyaki Tofu Bowl – it’s so delicious.
• This Crispy Air Fryer Tofu is currently my favorite main dish to pair with coconut rice. 
• This Healthy Kung Pao Chicken is better than takeout, and less expensive as well!
• If you want to make your taste buds happy, try this easy Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken. It turns out delicious every single time I’ve made it. 
• With just the right amount of sweet and spicy, this Healthy Bang Bang Shrimp is one of my favorite foods to make with coconut rice. 
• Who doesn’t love salmon and rice? It’s the perfect combination, and this Spicy Teriyaki Salmon is a must! Sweetened with honey and fresh pineapple, this will be your favorite salmon recipe!
• This Healthy Orange Chicken is an easy dump and cook one pot meal that is great with pressure cooker rice!  

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Instant Pot Coconut Rice

Instant Pot Coconut Rice is a flavorful side dish that is simple to make and so delicious. If you like coconut, you are going to love this easy recipe!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Asian

Keyword brown rice

Prep Time 2 minutes minutes

Cook Time 24 minutes minutes

Servings 12 people

Calories 65kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Instant Pot 6 qt
• Coconut Milk
• Olive Oil Spray

Ingredients

• 2 cups brown rice I use short grain
• 1 can coconut milk full fat
• water combine with can of coconut milk to get 2 cups total liquid.

Instructions

• The first thing you will want to do is rinse your rice in cold water. Make sure you give it a good rinse and that the water runs clear.
• Next, spray the inner pot of your electric pressure cooker with cooking oil spray, and then add the rinsed rice to your pot.
• Now you need to add an equal amount of liquid to your rice (2 cups of rice = 2 cups of liquid). Pour the full-fat coconut milk into a measuring cup and then fill the measuring cup to 2 cups with water. 
• Add the coconut milk and water to your instant pot. 
• Close the lid of your pot and turn your pressure release valve to Sealing position.
• Use the Pressure Cook or Manual button and set the cooking time to 24 minutes.
• When the cook time has completed let the remaining pressure naturally release. Allow a natural release time of at least 10 minutes, and turn off the "keep warm" setting if your pot has one. Allowing the rice to naturally release pressure without the heat keeps the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot. 

Notes

Healthy Eating Plans

This recipe makes 12 servings. Each serving size is about 1/2 cup.

​21 Day Fix

An entire recipe of this 21 Day Fix Instant Pot Coconut Rice is 12 Yellow Containers and 5 Blue Containers.

Each serving is 1 Yellow Container and a little less than 1/2 of a Blue Container.

Weight Watchers

Each serving, using full fat coconut milk, is 7 Points on the 2023 Plan.

If you would like to lower the total points, you can use light coconut milk, which would bring the points down to 4 per serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 65kcal | Carbohydrates: 7.6g | Protein: 0.8g | Fat: 3.5g | Saturated Fat: 2.3g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 10mg | Potassium: 0mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 0.8g | Calcium: 0mg | Iron: 0mg

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

Homemade pork and beans are the perfect side dish for your next potluck. It’s an easy recipe that has amazing flavor without any added brown sugar or high fructose corn syrup. Turkey bacon and honey are the magic ingredients in this delicious and healthy backyard BBQ recipe.

Where’s the Recipe?

Here at My Crazy Good Life we have readers of all comfort levels in the kitchen. From new home chef to experienced cook. To best serve all of my readers I like to provide a lot of helpful information. 

If you’re a confident cook and want to skip over ingredient information, cooking instructions, and recipe tips, please scroll to the bottom of the page. There you will find the recipe card with nutrition information and measurements for this healthy pork and beans recipe.

Ingredients in this Healthy Pork and Beans Recipe

• White beans: White beans are a nutritional powerhouse, as they’re packed with fiber and protein and a good source of numerous micronutrients, including folate, magnesium, and vitamin B6. There are several white bean options, but I typically use great northern beans for this recipe.
• Bacon: One of my favorite things about this recipe is that it uses fresh bacon, rather than pork that’s been sitting in a can for a year. Turkey bacon, while lower in fat than traditional bacon, is highly processed so there are conflicting views about if it’s really healthier than regular bacon. For the sake of this recipe I used turkey bacon, but you can definitely choose what works best for you.
• Onion powder
• Smoked paprika: When choosing smoked paprika, look for a brand that is made from high-quality ingredients. Smoked paprika should be bright red in color and have a strong, smoky flavor.
• Molasses: That sweet and smoky flavor of pork and beans is a unique one that many people love, but I never loved opening a can of beans that had sugars and meat in it. The molasses in this recipe is a great way to use a natural sweetener for that deep sweetness and bbq flavor we all love in this recipe.
• Garlic powder: Pantry staples like garlic powder make this a truly easy recipe. If you’d rather use fresh garlic cloves you can absolutely do that. 
• Honey: Honey is a natural sweetener that I love using in place of refined sugar. A new study shows that, in addition to it tasting delicious, it may also have benefits for cardiometabolic health.

How to Make this Healthy Pork and Beans Recipe on the Stove

1. First cook the bacon. You want cooked, not crispy bacon for this recipe.
2. Next, add all of the ingredients into a medium sauce pan or large skillet over medium-high heat. I always spray my pans with olive oil before cooking, if you’re nervous about sticking you can use olive oil, as well. 
3. Then lower the temperature, cover the pan and allow the pork and beans to simmer for 45 minutes or so, stirring a few times so the beans don’t stick. If you like thick sauce I’d leave the top off so some of the moisture can escape. If you’re not worried about thick beans you can leave the top on. 
4. After the beans are done cooking and the sauce has thickened remove the pan from the heat and serve immediately. 

How to Make this Healthy Pork and Beans Recipe in the Instant Pot

1. Add all of the ingredients (cooked bacon included) to the Instant Pot or pressure cooker.
2. Close the lid and turn the pressure valve to Sealing.
3. Then set the Instant Pot on high pressure (or manual setting) for 3 minutes. 
4. When the cook time is done, quick release the pressure and give the beans a stir.
5. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container.

Recipe Tips

• These are tough to under or overcook because of the canned beans, so it’s ok to allow them to simmer longer or for less time. You’re just waiting for the spices and bacon flavors to meld together.
• Use these beans in traditional baked beans recipes, or as their own side dish. You can use these however you’d use traditional canned pork and beans.
• This is a great recipe to prep ahead of time. I love making a big batch of this easy baked beans recipe and then freezing for future use. I’d recommend freezing in single servings after the beans have cooled, and in freezer safe bags or containers. You can simmer the beans on the stove or in the microwave to reheat.
• I love simmering these beans on the grill in a foil pan–if you have a smoker, I highly recommend using that! Just simmer on the grill or smoker for about an hour.

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix

Entire recipe:​ 4 yellow containers, 2 red containers, and 13 teaspoons

Per serving: Just under 1 yellow container, 1/2 red container, and just over 3 teaspoons. 

To lower the total teaspoons, reduce the amount of honey in the recipe.

Weight Watchers

Per serving: 6 Blue Points | 9 Green Points | 6 Purple Points | 7 points on the 2023 Plan

More Easy Recipes 

• Healthy Baked Beans with Ground Turkey This recipe for Homemade Baked Beans with Ground Turkey makes the best baked beans I’ve ever had! It’s got plenty of beans like kidney beans and black beans, and a tangy sauce that’s made of honey, dry mustard, apple cider vinegar, and ketchup. 
• I love making freezer staples, like these pork and beans, so that I always have healthier alternatives to prepackaged foods in my house. Some of my other favorites are cream of mushroom soup, and brown rice.
• If you’re looking for a delicious, satisfying, and spicy BBQ sauce to go with…everything… you’ll want to make this Low Carb Barbecue Sauce.
• This Instant Pot Cauliflower Potato Salad recipe is a great low carb recipe to make for your next summer BBQ.
• Easy and healthy Crack Chicken Pasta Salad in the crock pot is a creamy, cheesy pasta salad with chicken breasts and a homemade ranch dressing. It’s a perfect side dish for any summer potluck. 
• One of our favorite summer recipes are these Sweet Refrigerator Pickles. They’re perfect for burgers and are so easy!

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Healthy Pork and Beans Recipe

These homemade pork and beans are the perfect summer side dish. They’re healthier than traditional canned pork and beans, too! Turkey bacon and honey are the magic ingredients in this delicious backyard BBQ recipe. 

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword backyard barbeque, baked beans, BBQ

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 268kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

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

Ingredients

• 8 slices bacon turkey or nitrate free | cooked, but not crispy. Cut into small pieces.
• 1 can white beans 14 oz can, undrained, I used great northern beans
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp molasses
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 cup honey

Instructions

Stove Top

• First cook the bacon. You want cooked, not crispy bacon for this recipe. 8 slices bacon
• Next, add all of the ingredients into a medium sauce pan or large skillet over medium-high heat. I always spray my pans with olive oil before cooking, if you’re nervous about sticking you can use olive oil, as well. 1 can white beans, 1 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp molasses, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 cup honey
• Then lower the temperature, cover the pan and allow the pork and beans to simmer for 45 minutes or so, stirring a few times so the beans don't stick. If you like thick sauce I'd leave the top off so some of the moisture can escape. If you’re not worried about thick beans I’d leave the top on. 
• After the beans are done cooking and the sauce has thickened you can remove the pan from the heat and serve immediately. 

Instant Pot

• Add all of the ingredients (cooked bacon included) to the Instant Pot or pressure cooker.
• Close the lid and turn the pressure valve to Sealing.
• Then set the Instant Pot on high pressure (or manual setting) for 3 minutes.
• When the cook time is done, quick release the pressure and give the beans a stir.
• Serve immediately or store in an airtight container.

Notes

Recipe Tips

• These are tough to under or overcook because of the canned beans, so it’s ok to allow them to simmer longer or for less time. You’re just waiting for the spices and bacon flavors to meld together.
• Use these beans in traditional baked beans recipes, or as their own side dish. You can use these however you’d use traditional canned pork and beans.
• This is a great recipe to prep ahead of time. I love making a big batch of this easy baked beans recipe and then freezing for future use. I’d recommend freezing in single servings after the beans have cooled, and in freezer safe bags or containers. You can simmer the beans on the stove or in the microwave to reheat.
• I love simmering these beans on the grill in a foil pan–if you have a smoker, I highly recommend using that! Just simmer on the grill or smoker for about an hour.

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix

Entire recipe:​ 4 yellow containers, 2 red containers, and 13 teaspoons

Per serving: Just under 1 yellow container, 1/2 red container, and just over 3 teaspoons. 

To lower the total teaspoons, reduce the amount of honey in the recipe.

Weight Watchers 

Per serving: 6 Blue Points | 9 Green Points | 6 Purple Points | 7 points on the 2023 Plan

Nutrition

Calories: 268kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 306mg | Potassium: 507mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 71IU | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 3mg

The post Healthy Pork and Beans Recipe appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

Baked oatmeal is a hearty cake-like oatmeal. It contains eggs and has a firmer texture than traditional oatmeal. People who don’t normally care for the texture of regular oatmeal tend to love this baked oatmeal recipe.

Oatmeal is a heart healthy way to start your day. I prefer this recipe over any overnight oats I’ve tried before. This healthy baked oatmeal recipe contains no refined sugar like brown sugar, but instead uses maple syrup to sweeten it.

Oatmeal is a whole grain and is a great source of fiber and slow burning carbs, so it will keep you feeling full for longer than other foods.

I love the smell of apple cinnamon oatmeal, and love the heartiness of baked oatmeal–with this recipe, you can eat it now or make a batch to save it for later, and it still tastes the same–delicious. This delicious recipe makes the perfect grab and go breakfast option with your cup of coffee.

Where’s the recipe?

I have readers from all levels of cooking experience and comfort here on My Crazy Good Life, and I receive a lot of questions about recipes. To help everyone in my community, I’ve made a commitment to put a lot of helpful information in my posts.

If you’d like to skip over the cooking tips, how to change the recipe size, nutrition and healthy eating plan information, please scroll past my step-by-step instructions, to the bottom of the page, for the printable healthy breakfast recipe, Instant Pot Baked Oatmeal.

Ingredients in Instant Pot Baked Oatmeal

• Oats: I prefer rolled oats for this recipe. However old-fashioned oats can work if you only have these on hand. Instant oats tend to yield a more sticky and gooey baked oatmeal.
• Almond Milk: We prefer unsweetened almond milk.
• Baking powder: Helps the oatmeal to achieve its texture and allows it to rise more
• Cinnamon
• Vanilla extract
• Maple syrup: I use pure maple syrup. The fewer ingredients on the label, the better.
• Eggs: These help the oatmeal with the thick muffin-like texture.
• Apples: Apples add a wonderful taste and sweetness to this baked oats recipe.

How to make Instant Pot Baked Oatmeal in the Instant Pot

1. Prepare your pot: Add 2 cups of water to the pot and set trivet at the bottom. Spray the inside of your mason jars, coffee mugs, or large ramekins with oil.
2. Add your ingredients – both dry ingredients and wet ingredients: Combine all of the ingredients together and mix well with a spoon. You can also add all of the ingredients into a bowl and transfer the oat mixture to the jars one by one.
3. Add oatmeal cups to pot: Be careful to set them down flat so they don’t tip over.
4. Cook for 10 minutes: Close and lock the lid, set the cooking time on high pressure for 10 minutes. When cook time is done, quick release the pressure. Then remove the lid and carefully lift out the oatmeal cups.
5. Enjoy: Add extra syrup, sliced bananas or other fruit like fresh berries, peanut butter, chocolate chips, or any other favorite toppings.

Recipe tips

• The great thing about this recipe is that it yields to individual servings easily. You can, however, easily double this delicious breakfast recipe. To cook a big batch and make oatmeal bars, use an Instant Pot safe baking dish and cook up to 8 servings at a time. Baking time for 8 servings is 20 minutes. To gather the correct ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below and tap the serving number, then use the slider to increase the serving amounts.
• Allowing this recipe to naturally release is not a problem. It will be ready when the cook time is over but can easily stay in the pot for a bit if you’re running around and can’t remove it right away.
• If you will be cooking this recipe directly in the pot, I recommend doubling the cook time and cooking on low pressure to avoid the burn message.
• If you have any leftover oatmeal, store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to a week.
• There are so many different ways that you can make this instant pot oatmeal recipe. The toppings can be modified so the whole family enjoys it. Next time, try using different toppings – peanut butter, maple syrup, sliced bananas, blueberries, strawberries, chia seeds, chopped nuts.

Healthy Eating Plans

Weight Watchers: Per serving: 3 Points on the 2023 Plan | 4 Blue Plan Points, 6 Green Plan Points, 0 Purple Points. If using maple syrup 4 Points on the 2023 Plan | 5 Blue Plan Points, 7 Green Plan Points, 1 Purple Plan Point.

21 Day Fix/Ultimate Portion Fix: 2 yellow containers, 1 teaspoon, 1/2 red container, and 1/4 purple container per serving.

More healthy Instant Pot recipes

• Fajita Breakfast Casserole
• Healthy Starbucks Egg Bites
• Brown Rice Pudding
• Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats
• Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal
• Instant Pot Amish Baked Oatmeal

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Instant Pot Baked Oatmeal | Apple Cinnamon Option

It's always a good morning when you can enjoy freshly baked oatmeal–especially when it’s apple cinnamon flavored. Cooking Instant Pot Baked Oatmeal makes my morning so much easier–I love that with a pressure cooker, you don’t have to babysit your food while you cook it.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cups

Prep Time 2 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 12 minutes minutes

Servings 1 servings

Calories 201kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Instant Pot 6 qt
• Sealing Rings
• Kitchen Knife

Ingredients

• coconut oil spray optional
• 1/2 cup oats I prefer rolled oats for this recipe.
• 1/3 cup almond milk or coconut
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp maple syrup (optional)
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup diced apples optional

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Prepare your pot: Add 2 cups of water to the pot and set trivet at the bottom. Spray the inside of your mason jars, coffee mugs, or large ramekins with oil. coconut oil spray
• Add your ingredients – both dry ingredients and wet ingredients: Combine all of the ingredients together and mix well with a spoon. You can also add all of the ingredients into a bowl and transfer the oat mixture to the jars one by one. 1/2 cup oats, 1/3 cup almond milk, 1/4 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp maple syrup, 1 egg, 1/4 cup diced apples
• Add oatmeal cups to pot: Be careful to set them down flat so they don’t tip over.
• Cook for 10 minutes: Close and lock the lid, set the cooking time on high pressure for 10 minutes. When cook time is done, quick release the pressure. Then remove the lid and carefully lift out the oatmeal cups.
• Enjoy: Serve while warm or take with you on your way out of the house. Add extra syrup, sliced bananas or other fruit like fresh berries, peanut butter, chocolate chips, or any other favorite toppings.

To make multiple servings:

• 1-4 servings can be cooked for 10 minutes in individual mugs. If you're making a dish of oatmeal with more servings, cook up to 8 servings for 20 minutes.

Video

Notes

Recipe Tips:

• The great thing about this recipe is that it yields to individual servings easily. You can, however, easily double this delicious breakfast recipe. To cook a big batch and make oatmeal bars, use an Instant Pot safe baking dish and cook up to 8 servings at a time. Baking time for 8 servings is 20 minutes. To gather the correct ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below and tap the serving number, then use the slider to increase the serving amounts.
• Allowing this recipe to natural release is not a problem. It will be ready when the cook time is over but can easily stay in the pot for a bit if you’re running around and can’t remove it right away.
• If you will be cooking this recipe directly in the pot, I recommend doubling the cook time and cooking on low pressure to avoid the burn message.
• If you have any leftover oatmeal, store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to a week.
• There are so many different ways that you can make this instant pot oatmeal recipe. The toppings can be modified so the whole family enjoys it. Next time, try using different toppings – peanut butter, maple syrup, sliced bananas, blueberries, strawberries, chia seeds, chopped nuts.

Weight Watchers: Per serving: 3 Points on the 2023 Plan | 4 Blue Plan Points, 6 Green Plan Points, 0 Purple Points. If using maple syrup 4 Points on the 2023 Plan | 5 Blue Plan Points, 7 Green Plan Points, 1 Purple Plan Point.

21 Day Fix/Ultimate Portion Fix: 2 yellow containers, 1 teaspoon, 1/2 red container, and 1/4 purple container per serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 201kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 163mg | Sodium: 177mg | Potassium: 268mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 240IU | Vitamin C: 1.4mg | Calcium: 189mg | Iron: 1.8mg

The post Instant Pot Baked Oatmeal | Apple Cinnamon Option appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

When I think of traditional risotto recipes, I think of a creamy risotto that’s hard to make. Traditional risotto is made with arborio rice, a superfine short grain white rice that is high in starch. To make it healthier, I used short-grain brown rice, but trust me guys it’s still creamy and delicious.

While this is not the traditional way to cook risotto, it is a way to enjoy the flavors and texture of risotto and still maintain a healthy lifestyle with whole grains. This easy mushroom risotto cooks quickly in the Instant Pot and is seriously delicious!

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 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 easy Instant Pot Brown Rice Mushroom Risotto printable recipe card! 

Ingredients for Instant Pot Brown Rice Risotto with Mushrooms

• Olive oil 
• Shallots: While a member of the onion family, shallots are milder in flavor and grow in clusters like garlic cloves.
• Mushrooms: Loaded with antioxidants and B vitamins, mushrooms are a vegetable you should be eating. Some of my favorite kinds for this recipe are cremini mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, or a mix of wild mushrooms.
• Asparagus: Help regulate blood sugar, are loaded with antioxidants, and can help stabilize digestion due to high amounts of protein and fiber. 
• Chicken thighs: I prefer the way chicken thighs cook in the Instant Pot over breasts. Make sure to get boneless skinless thighs. 
• Short grain brown rice: Short grain brown rice works well as a substitute for arborio. It is similar in texture and has a creamier texture than long grain.  
• Ground pepper 
• Chicken stock: I prefer homemade chicken broth for this recipe. It gives you some extra nutrients and a stronger flavor. However, if you purchase it, make sure it’s low sodium.  
• Parmesan: Grab a better quality wedge of parmesan from the refrigerator section and shred it yourself. The shelf stable pre-grated variety does not melt nicely, and has additional ingredients to stop clumping. 

How to cook this Instant Pot risotto recipe

1. Set your Instant Pot to the sauté function and add olive oil to the bottom of the pot. Once your oil is hot, add the chopped shallots, sliced mushrooms, and chopped asparagus.
2. Stirring frequently, cook until the shallots become fragrant and translucent. Transfer the veggies to a plate and set aside.
3. Add your frozen chicken breast to the hot Instant Pot and sear on all sides. Turn off the Instant Pot, add black pepper, rice, and broth.
4. Close and lock the lid and turn the pressure valve to sealing. Select High Pressure Cook and set the cook time for 25 minutes.
5. Once the cooking time is complete, do a natural release of the pressure. This means don’t touch the sealing valve–just give it 15-20 minutes to slowly release on its own and finish cooking.
6. Once the pressure valve drops remove the lid and shred chicken thighs with two forks. A stand mixer can be used to make shredding easier.
7. Turn the Instant Pot to the saute setting and stir in cooked shallots, mushrooms, asparagus, and parmesan cheese.
8. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is melted. Remove from heat and serve immediately. For meal prep, see the tips section for freezing and reheating instructions.

Recipe tips

• If you dislike mushrooms, leave them out and add more asparagus.
• If you dislike asparagus leave it out and add more mushrooms. ;) This recipe is incredibly versatile, you could just use seasonal veggies or even omit the vegetables completely if you’d like. 
• This recipe is delicious and hearty even without the chicken. If you don’t want meat in your parmesan risotto, leave it out. If you do this, I’d use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
• If you have trouble finding shallots, you can replace it with 1/4 cup chopped onion and a clove of minced garlic.
• This recipe is perfect for meal prep. Freeze any leftover risotto in individual serving sizes in an airtight container for up to 2 months. To reheat, microwave for 2 minutes. 

Healthy Eating Plans

This delicious and healthy Instant Pot Brown Rice Risotto fits into many diets perfectly. Whole grains, minimal oils and cheese, and plenty of vegetables makes this a meal that you can feel good about.

Weight Watchers:

Using chicken breasts or thighs, each serving is 4 Points on the 2023 Plan. Using chicken breasts, this recipe is 4 Blue Plan Points | 4 Green Plan Points  | 2 Purple Plan Points.

21 Day Fix/Ultimate Portion Fix:

• For the entire recipe: 6 Yellow Containers, 3 Green Containers, 4 Red Containers, 1 Blue Container, 6 Teaspoons.
• Per ¾ cup serving: ½ Yellow Container, ¼ Green Container, ⅓ Red Container, ½ Teaspoons.  

2B Mindset:

Add a side of vegetables for a complete lunch.

More healthy Instant Pot Recipes

• Healthy Crack Chicken Instant Pot, Crock Pot, and Stove Top directions!
• Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Bites: I love making these when I crave wings–it’s delicious and easy!
• Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip One of my favorite lunch recipes.
• Brown Rice and Quinoa Just like the store bought Seeds of Change brand, but healthier!
• Homemade Egg Drop Soup An easy weeknight recipe.
• Instant Pot Cauliflower Rice One of our family favorites, and healthier than traditional fried rice.
• Instant Pot Ground Turkey Goulash This is one of our weekly staples!
• Healthy Beef Stroganoff Easy and healthy!

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Instant Pot Brown Rice Risotto with Mushrooms

This healthy Brown Rice Risotto is an easy Instant Pot recipe! Gluten free short grain brown rice with chicken, mushrooms, and asparagus pair together for a healthy dinner recipe.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword Brown Rice Risotto, Creamy Risotto, Healthy Risotto, Mushroom Risotto

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 12 servings

Calories 226kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Instant Pot 6 qt
• Sealing Rings
• Kitchen Knife

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 shallot diced
• 1 lb mushrooms sliced. I used a gourmet blend, but baby bellas work as well
• 1 cup asparagus chopped
• 1 lb chicken thighs frozen, boneless, skinless
• ½ tsp pepper
• 1 ½ cup brown rice short grain
• 5 cups chicken broth low sodium
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese shredded

Optional: salt to taste

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Set your Instant Pot to sauté and add olive oil to the bottom. Once your oil is hot add chopped shallots, mushrooms, and asparagus. Stirring frequently, cook until the shallots become fragrant and translucent. Transfer the veggies to a plate, and set aside. 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 shallot, 1 lb mushrooms, 1 cup asparagus
• Add your frozen chicken thighs to the hot Instant Pot and sear on all sides. Turn off the Instant Pot, add black pepper, rice, and broth. 1 lb chicken thighs, ½ tsp pepper, 1 ½ cup brown rice, 5 cups chicken broth
• Close and lock the lid and turn the pressure valve to sealing. Select Pressure Cook (high) and set the cook time for 25 minutes.
• Once the cook time is complete let the pressure release naturally. Once the pressure valve drops remove the lid and shred chicken thighs with two forks. A stand mixer can be used to make shredding easier.
• Turn the Instant Pot to sauté, and stir in cooked shallots, mushrooms, asparagus, and parmesan cheese. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is melted. Remove from heat and serve immediately. For meal prep, see the notes and tips section for freezing and reheating instructions. 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Video

Notes

Healthy Eating Plans:

Weight Watchers:

• Using chicken breasts or thighs, each serving is 4 Points on the 2023 Plan. Using chicken breasts, this recipe is 4 Blue Plan Points | 4 Green Plan Points  | 2 Purple Plan Points.

21 Day Fix Brown Rice Risotto: For the entire recipe: 6 Yellow Containers, 3 Green Containers, 4 Red Containers, 1 Blue Container, 6 Teaspoons. Per ¾ cup serving:  ½ Yellow Container, ¼ Green Container, ⅓ Red Container, ½ Teaspoons.  

2B Mindset: Add a side of vegetables for a complete lunch.

Recipe tips 

• If you dislike mushrooms leave them out and add more asparagus, if you dislike asparagus leave it out. This recipe is incredibly versatile, you can even omit the vegetables completely. 
• This recipe is delicious and hearty even without the chicken. If you don’t prefer meat in your risotto leave it out. 
• If you have trouble finding shallots you can replace it with ¼ cup chopped onion and a clove of minced garlic, but I recommend using the shallot. 
• This recipe is perfect for meal prep. Freeze in individual serving size container for up to 2 months. To reheat, microwave for 2 minutes. 

Nutrition

Calories: 226kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 95mg | Potassium: 375mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 130IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Instant Pot Brown Rice Risotto with Mushrooms appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

After perfecting my new favorite holiday side dish, I’m finally be able to share with you a big winner at my holiday meal. Introducing you to my Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole. This is the best sweet potato casserole recipe I’ve enjoyed, and it’s a healthier version than the classic potato casserole. This will hands down be your new perfect Thanksgiving side dish.

Our sweet potato casserole is gluten-free and made with wholesome ingredients like roasted sweet potatoes, coconut milk, almond flour, and coconut sugar – no refined brown sugar or white sugar in this recipe! 

Where’s the recipe?

Over here at My Crazy Good Life we not only like to create healthy recipes, but we try to make them as helpful and informative as possible. In this article, you’ll find ingredient information, detailed cooking instructions, recipe tips, and nutrition and healthy eating plan calculations.

If you’d like to get straight to the recipe, and bypass all the extra info, just scroll down to the bottom of the page where you’ll find the easy to print recipe card for this Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole!

Ingredients in Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole

• Sweet potatoes: fresh sweet potatoes are a naturally sweet vegetable that is packed full of vitamins and minerals. They come in a variety of sizes and colors, like purple, orange, and white. I usually pick the orange variety for this recipe.
• Coconut sugar: coconut sugar is a healthier alternative to brown sugar or white sugar.
• Butter: I love the richness of butter in this recipe, but if you’d like to make this a vegan sweet potato casserole, you could use a vegan butter substitute like Earth Balance or coconut oil, though I’ve never tried it those ways.
• Vanilla extract: you really want to make sure you get real, pure vanilla extract, not imitation vanilla.
• Coconut milk: I like to use canned coconut milk for this recipe.
• Eggs: Aquafaba can be used as an egg substitute if you are wanting to modify the recipe to be completely vegan. https://mycrazygoodlife.com/what-is-aquafaba/
• Almond flour: I use almond flour to keep this recipe gluten free. If you don’t have almond flour, and don’t follow a gluten free diet, you could use whole wheat flour or oat flour – however I haven’t tried these substitutions personally.
• Pecans: pecans are a great crunchy topping and add flavor to this recipe! In addition to being delicious, they’re also a good source of calcium, magnesium, and potassium. If you have nut allergies, just omit the pecan topping from your recipe.

How to Make Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole in the Instant Pot/Oven

1. Cook your sweet potatoes. (see recipe tips)
2. In a large bowl, mash the sweet potatoes using a potato masher. Then add ½ cup coconut sugar, ½ cup of melted butter, vanilla, coconut milk, and eggs, and stir to combine. You can mix by hand or with an electric mixer. Make sure all large chunks are visible.
3. Grease a casserole or baking dish and then add the sweet potato mixture to the dish. Spread with a spatula to create an even layer.
4. In a medium sized bowl, add a ¼ cup of melted butter and a ¼ cup coconut sugar. Stir until the sugar has dissolved, then mix in almond flour and chopped pecans. Stir until well mixed and crumbly.
5. Sprinkle the pecan mixture on top of the casserole.
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 350ºF for 30 minutes.

Recipe tips

• I love to cook sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot, because they come out perfect every time and I can mash them right up! You can also bake, boil or use any other method that you prefer to get them cooked and mashable.
• I prefer to use canned coconut milk, but you can also use almond milk.
• If you’re following the 21 Day Fix and want more FIX approved Thanksgiving recipes, like green bean casserole, check out this post.
• Let the healthier sweet potato casserole cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container if any leftovers are remaining.
• If you are looking to make this vegan – substitute out regular butter for vegan butter or use coconut oil. You can also sub out the eggs for aquafaba or chia seeds.

Healthy eating plans

21 Day Fix

Entire recipe = 12 servings

Casserole plus topping per serving:

1/2 yellow container, 3 sweetener teaspoons, 3 oil teaspoon, about 1/12 red container (I wouldn’t even count this), and about 1/2 blue container.

2B Mindset

This recipe counts as a Fiber Filled Carb (FFC) or a silly carb, so you’ll still want to eat it in moderation and within the limits of the program. But, it’s not off limits like some marshmallow varieties would be.

Weight Watchers

Points per serving, using unsweetened almond milk in place of the coconut milk

11 Blue Plan Points | 12 Green Plan Points | 10 Purple Plan Points | 2023 Points: 12 (when using unsweetened almond milk)

Looking for more healthy holiday side dishes?

• My Healthy Thanksgiving Menu
• Perfect Instant Pot Roast Turkey
• Sweet Stuffed Acorn Squash
• Vegan Cauliflower Stuffing
• Mashed Cauliflower
• Garlic Rosemary Smashed Potatoes
• Dairy Free Butternut Squash Soup
• Roasted Cauliflower Steaks
• Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes

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Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole

If you’re looking for a healthy casserole dish for your Thanksgiving dinner, look no further! You won’t miss the traditional marshmallow topping when tasting our crunchy pecan crumble that tops this mashed sweet potato casserole. So sit back, relax, and let us help you serve incredible and healthy food this holiday season.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword sweet potato casserole, thanksgiving side dish

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 12 servings

Calories 251kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Baking Dish
• Mixing Bowls
• Instant Pot 6 qt

Ingredients

Bottom Layer:

• 3 cups sweet potatoes boiled, peeled, and mashed
• ½ cup coconut sugar
• ½ cup butter melted
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ½ cup coconut milk or almond milk
• 2 eggs

Optional: salt to taste

Topping:

• ¼ cup butter
• ¼ cup coconut sugar
• ½ cup almond flour
• ½ cup pecans chopped

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Cook your sweet potatoes. (see recipe tips) 3 cups sweet potatoes
• In a large bowl, mash the sweet potatoes using a potato masher. Then add coconut sugar, melted butter, vanilla, coconut milk, and eggs, and stir to combine. You can mix by hand or with an electric mixer. Make sure all large chunks are visible. ½ cup coconut sugar, ½ cup butter, 1 tsp vanilla, ½ cup coconut milk, 2 eggs
• Grease a casserole or baking dish and then add the sweet potato mixture to the dish. Spread with a spatula to create an even layer.
• In a medium sized bowl, add a ¼ cup of melted butter and a ¼ cup coconut sugar. Stir until the sugar has dissolved, then mix in almond flour and chopped pecans. Stir until well mixed and crumbly. ¼ cup butter, ¼ cup coconut sugar, ½ cup almond flour, ½ cup pecans
• Sprinkle the pecan mixture on top of the casserole.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 350ºF for 30 minutes.

Notes

Recipe tips:

• I love to cook sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot, because they come out perfect every time and I can mash them right up! You can also bake, boil or use any other method that you prefer to get them cooked and mashable.
• I like to use canned coconut milk, but you can also use almond milk.
• If you’re following the 21 Day Fix and want more FIX approved Thanksgiving recipes, like green bean casserole, check out this post.
• Let the healthier sweet potato casserole cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container if any leftovers are remaining.
• If you are looking to make this vegan – substitute out regular butter for vegan butter or use coconut oil. You can also sub out the eggs for aquafaba or chia seeds.

21 Day Fix

Entire recipe = 12 servings

Casserole plus topping per serving:

1/2Y, 3 sweetener tsp, 3 oil tsp, about 1/12R (I wouldn’t even count this), and about 1/2B

2B Mindset

This recipe counts as a Fiber Filled Carb (FFC) or a silly carb, so you’ll still want to eat it in moderation and within the limits of the program. But, it’s not off limits like some marshmallow varieties would be :)

Weight Watchers

Points per serving, using unsweetened almond milk in place of the coconut milk

• 11 Blue Plan Points | 12 Green Plan Points | 10 Purple Plan Points | 2023 Points: 12 (when using unsweetened almond milk)

Nutrition

Calories: 251kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 151mg | Potassium: 162mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 5111IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.