4 Quick Meals for Weight Loss (Only a 12 Minute Prep)
One of the reasons my wedding couples avoid eating healthy is the time it takes to cook. With the Instant Pot, cooking at home is no longer a task. My wife, Sammy, and I recently tested several recipes and found four great ones (with some changes) to help you lose weight.
Wedding Officiant Wisdom: Feel free to substitute any 1 lb of meat with 2 cups of beans, quinoa, or lentils. Also, sauté the onions and garlic in the Instant Pot first if you have the extra 3-5 minutes.
INSTANT POT GROUND TURKEY LENTIL CHILI
INSTANT POT GROUND TURKEY LENTIL CHILI
INGREDIENTS
1 lb ground turkey
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 minced garlic cloves
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup dry green lentils
2 cups vegetable broth or water
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes
1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp pepper
Turn your Instant Pot onto “saute.” Brown the ground turkey. Add in the diced onions, garlic, tomato paste, and salt, and cook until the meat is browned and the onions are soft and translucent.
Add in the lentils, water, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, green chiles, chili powder, cumin, and pepper.
Cover the Instant Pot and turn it to “manual,” set the timer to 13 minutes. Make sure the valve is set to “sealing.”
When the timer beeps, let it sit for 10 minutes, then slowly release the pressure by turning the valve to “venting.”
Remove the lid and ladle the chili into bowls. We topped ours with some diced green onions.
Source: https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/instant-pot-ground-turkey-lentil-chili
HEALTHY INSTANT POT CREAM OF ASPARAGUS SOUP
HEALTHY INSTANT POT CREAM OF ASPARAGUS SOUP
INGREDIENTS
½ cup of minced onion
½ tsp minced garlic
1 lb asparagus, ends, and tips snapped off
3 cups of cauliflower florets
3 cups of vegetable broth
1 tsp thyme
1” strip lemon peel
1 bay leaf
1/8 tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp onion powder
½ tsp salt
1/8 tsp cardamom
1/8 tsp ginger
¼ cup white wine
1 cup of coconut milk
1/8 tsp white pepper
Shaved almonds (topping)
Hemp seeds (topping)
Add the onion, garlic, asparagus (except for the tips), cauliflower, vegetable broth, thyme, lemon peel, bay leaf, onion powder, salt, cardamom, ginger, white wine, coconut milk, white pepper, and mix well.
Place the asparagus tips in a foil packet and place on top of the asparagus mixture.
Put the lid on, make sure the steam release handle is set to sealing (or closed), then switch to the manual setting on high and set the timer for 2 minutes.
Carefully move the pressure valve to the steam release position and manually release the pressure. Set the foil packet aside for serving. Discard the bay leaf and lemon peel.
For the blender, transfer the cooked asparagus and cauliflower mixture to your blender along with nutmeg. Blend until smooth and season with more salt and pepper to taste.
Serve topped with asparagus tips and sprinkled with shaved almonds and hemp seeds.
Source: Adapted from the book The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook for your Instant Pot
INSTANT POT FIRE-ROASTED BEAN STEW
INSTANT POT FIRE-ROASTED BEAN STEW
INGREDIENTS
2 cups of soaked (or drained from a can) white (or cannellini) beans
2 cups of soaked (or drained from a can) kidney beans
1 large onion, diced
1 (15 oz) can organic fire-roasted tomatoes, diced and undrained
1 cup of vegetable broth
¼ cup dried parsley
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp black pepper
3 cups baby carrots
3 cups cubed sweet potatoes (1-2 medium)
2 cups chopped celery (about 4 stalks)
2 cups sliced white button mushrooms
1 tbsp minced garlic (or 5 garlic cloves chopped or thinly sliced)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste
3 tbsp hemp seeds
Place all of the ingredients in the pressure cooker.
Place the lid on the cooker and make sure the pressure knob is in the SEALING position. Using the display panel, select the MANUAL function high pressure, and use the +/- buttons until the display reads 20 minutes.
When the cooker beeps to let you know it’s finished, switch the pressure knob from SEALING to VENTING to perform a quick release. Use caution while the steam escapes—it’s hot.
Open the cooker and stir everything in the pot, adjusting salt to taste.
Source: Adapted from the recipe “Fire-Roasted Beef Stew” in the book Instant Loss Cookbook
INSTANT POT TUSCAN SHREDDED CHICKEN STEW
INSTANT POT TUSCAN SHREDDED CHICKEN STEW
INGREDIENTS
1 lb chicken breasts
2 cans white (or cannellini) beans
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, sliced
1 (28 oz) can chopped tomatoes, undrained
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp salt
1 tsp white or black pepper
1 cup white wine
1 tsp minced garlic
3 cups diced red potatoes
1 cup diced zucchini without skin
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Italian seasoning
Place all of the ingredients in the pressure cooker.
Place the lid on the cooker and make sure the pressure knob is in the SEALING position. Using the display panel, select the MANUAL function high pressure, and use the +/- buttons until the display reads 12 minutes.
When the cooker beeps to let you know it’s finished, switch the pressure knob from SEALING to VENTING to perform a quick release. Use caution while the steam escapes—it’s hot.
Open the cooker and stir everything in the pot, adjusting salt to taste.
About the Author: Michael Moody, Wedding Officiant
Michael Moody—author of the self-improvement book Redefine Yourself: The Simple Guide to Happiness and host of the “The Elements of Being” podcast—is an ordained minister serving Denver and other towns across Colorado. He is a 2023 WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Award winner in both Denver and Chicago (his eighth consecutive year), was named “Best Business of 2024 and 2025” by Three Best Rated, and earned “The Best Wedding Officiant in Commerce City, Colorado for 2024” from Quality Business Awards USA. Since 2012, he has officiated more than 300 weddings.
Specifically, Michael officiates wedding ceremonies in the Denver neighborhoods of LoDo, River North, Washington Park, Cherry Creek, City Park, Central Park, Capitol Hill, Cheesman Park, Park Hill, Highland, Platt Park, Lower Highlands, Sloan Lake as well as the zip codes 80215, 80214, 80204, 80203, 80205, 80207, 80218, 80219, 80222, 80223, 80224, 80246, 80238, 80221, 80022, 80230, 80231, 80202, 80209, 80247, and 80210. Michael also serves as an ordained minister in Golden, Boulder, Breckenridge, Frisco, Aspen, Vail, Estes Park, and more.
If your Denver neighborhood or Colorado town isn’t listed here, no worries! Please contact Michael to propose a wedding ceremony location in a different area!
