Are you looking for healthy, fast, and easy recipes? If so, it’s a good idea to think about getting a pressure cooker. Pressure cooking your foods is a great way to save time while enjoying healthy meals. In some cases, pressure cooking can reduce your cooking times by up to 70%.
If you don’t have a pressure cooker, you can check out this Instant Pot vs Ninja Foodi comparison to see which item is right for you. Ready to start cooking?
Here are four quick, easy, and healthy Instant Pot recipes for seniors.
1. Instant Pot Chili
If you’re looking for a great way to warm up during those cold winter months, check out this recipe for Instant Pot chili. This dish isn’t only delicious, but it’s also quite healthy. The kidney beans in this dish are rich in fiber.
You can also make this dish healthier by substituting ground beef with ground turkey. Also, consider adding in vegetables for an even healthier pot bowl of chili.
Ingredients
- Ground beef or ground turkey – 2 pounds
- Kidney beans – 3 cans
- Tomato sauce – 1 can
- Chili seasoning – 2 packets
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Recipe
- Brown your ground beef.
- Add all of your ingredients (including the browned ground beef) into your Instant Pot.
- Close your Instant Pot’s lid and set the vent to seal.
- Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
- After the timer sounds, let the pressure naturally release. It will take about 15-20 minutes.
- Scoop out and top with crackers or shredded cheese.
2. Two-Ingredient Instant Pot Balsamic Chicken
The Instant Pot is popular for many reasons. One reason is that you can make dishes with only a few ingredients. If you need a new way to enjoy chicken, try this recipe. All you need are chicken thighs and balsamic vinaigrette.
When it comes to cooking in an Instant Pot, it doesn’t get much easier than this! Here’s how to make it.
Ingredients
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs – 2 ½ pounds
- Balsamic vinaigrette – 1 cup
Recipe
- Add in your chicken and balsamic vinaigrette into the Instant Pot.
- Cover the Instant Pot’s lid, set the valve to Seal.
- Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes, or 18 minutes if you’re using frozen thighs.
- After the timer sounds, let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes.
- Use a set of oven gloves to do a quick pressure release. Wait until all steam escapes through the opened vent.
- Remove the chicken, shred it, and drizzle it with any remaining balsamic vinaigrette.
3. Instant Pot Salmon With Vegetables
Many senior citizens love using their Instant Pots to whip up complete meals. One of the best ways to cook a complete meal in your Instant Pot is by trying this recipe. With this recipe, you can enjoy flaky salmon and buttery vegetables in under 30 minutes.
While this meal might sound a little decadent, salmon is one of the healthiest meats to consume. One serving of salmon is only 200 calories. Plus, salmon is a great source of vitamin B12, iron, and potassium.
Ingredients
- Salmon – 4 fillets
- Water or chicken broth – 1 cup
- Reduced-fat butter, melted – 3 tablespoons
- Red potatoes – 2 pounds
- Carrots, peeled – 5
- Garlic powder – 2 teaspoons
- Lemon juice – ¼ cup
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Recipe
- Pour water or chicken broth into your Instant Pot.
- Cut your red potatoes into halves or quarters, add them to your Instant Pot.
- Chop up your carrots.
- Place your chopped carrots into the Instant Pot.
- Set your salmon fillets over the carrots and potatoes in an even layer.
- In a small bowl, mix your melted butter, lemon juice, and garlic powder.
- Drizzle this liquid over your salmon.
- Close your Instant Pot. Set the steam valve to seal.
- Cook for four minutes on high pressure.
- Let the pressure release naturally for five minutes.
- Carefully move the steam valve to vent.
- Remove the lid.
- Scoop out the salmon and vegetables, serve.
4. Instant Pot Spaghetti
If you’re like most people, it’s hard to turn down a warm plate of spaghetti and meatballs. Fortunately, you don’t have to spend an hour standing over a stovetop to enjoy this dish. Instead, try this recipe for fast and healthy Instant Pot spaghetti.
If you want to lower the fat in this recipe, substitute the ground beef for ground turkey. You can also spice up this dish by replacing your marinara sauce with a delicious bolognese sauce.
Ingredients
- Ground beef – 1 pound
- Olive oil – 1 tablespoon
- Water – 2 cups
- Marinara sauce – 24 ounces
- Onion powder – 1 teaspoon
- Garlic powder – ½ teaspoon
- Salt – 1 teaspoon
- Dry spaghetti – 8 ounces
- Parmesan cheese, to taste
Recipe
- Pour your olive oil evenly into a pan.
- Add your ground beef, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Mix in the ingredients, cooking your ground beef for five minutes or until it’s brown.
- In your Instant Pot, add the ground beef, ½ cup of water, and your marinara sauce.
- Take your spaghetti noodles, break them in half, and add them in even layers into your Instant Pot.
- Pour your remaining water into the Instant Pot.
- Cook on high for eight minutes, setting the Instant Pot’s lid to seal.
- Once the timer sounds, carefully do a quick pressure release.
- Open your Instant Pot’s lid, and stir what’s inside of it.
- Serve with grated parmesan cheese.
As you can see, the Instant Pot is a great way to cook healthy and delicious meals. The next time you’re hungry, try one of these amazing and easy recipes.
